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HomeMy Public PortalAbout06-01-23 Minutes Regular Meeting 101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-732-1270 | www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov WATER AND SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES | 1 of 3 Minutes WATER AND SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE Regular meeting 7 p.m. June 1, 2023 Board Meeting Room of Town Hall Annex, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Vice Chair Saru Salvi, Mo Rasheed, Steed Robinson, Barry Weston, and Mayor Pro Tem Matt Hughes Absent: Chair Jenn Sykes and Grace Beeler Staff: Environmental Engineering Supervisor Bryant Green and Assistant Town Manager/Community Services Director Matt Efird 1. Call to order, welcome of guests and new members, commence roll call Vice Chair Saru Salvi called the meeting to order at 7 p.m., and members participated in a roll call. 2. Agenda changes and approval Salvi asked staff if there were any agenda changes. There was none. Motion: Mayor Pro Tem Matt Hughes moved approval of the agenda. Member Barry Weston seconded. Vote: 5-0. 3. Minutes approval (April 6, 2023) Salvi spoke regarding the need for additional detail in the minutes so that members can refer to their meeting assignments for upcoming months. Environmental Engineering Supervisor Bryant Green noted the comment. Salvi asked if there were any other changes to the minutes. There was none. Motion: Member Steed Robinson moved approval of the April 6, 2023, minutes as amended. Weston seconded. Vote: 5-0. 4. Discussion A. June 13 backflow discussion special meeting date selection Salvi asked if members had any conflicts with the proposed June 13, 2023, special meeting date to discuss backflow prevention requirements. Hughes stated that he had a conflict but would inquire if another commissioner could attend. The consensus was to hold the special meeting at 7 p.m. on June 13, 2023. Motion: Weston moved approval of setting a special meeting of the Water and Sewer Committee for June 13, 2023. Robinson seconded. Vote: 5-0. B. Proposed budget: FY2023-24 Manager’s Recommended Budget Salvi noted that the budget included a proposed rate increase, and she asked staff to provide some context. Green confirmed that the budget included a 6% increase for both water and sewer rates that will result in a net loss to those funds over the next three years. Rates are evaluated annually. Green said this is a WATER AND SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES | 2 of 3 conservative projection that could change based on factors such as inflation, system development revenues and supply-chain issues that drive up materials costs. Green stated that the capital projects have been scaled back to the minimum needed to maintain services. He noted that capital line items are primarily for expenditures needed to fulfill matching requirements for grants. Green said no new vehicles were included in the budget and limited new positions were added. He noted that funding for miscellaneous rehab projects such as emergency repairs were included in the budget as well. He restated that the proposed budget reflects those expenditures needed to maintain system operations. Hughes spoke regarding the Board of Commissioners’ history of approving gradual rate increases to avoid corrective, larger rate hikes. He said that not having a completed audit also presented challenges in determining the rate increases needed. Additional discussion about the budget, rates, and development occurred. Salvi asked the audience if anyone wished to speak on the proposed budget. Audience members indicated they wished to speak on the backflow issue. The consensus of the committee was to allow public comment after the budget discussion concluded. Green stated that the June 13, 2023, meeting would provide a public forum to discuss the backflow issue and alternatives. Members of the public were invited to speak about backflow matters not on the printed agenda. Committee members discussed non-direct-connect and direct-connect pools. The consensus was that additional data were needed to support decision making. The audience members thanked the committee for the opportunity to provide public comment. C. Last Friday’s outreach table The committee discussed providing a Water and Sewer Advisory Committee outreach table at the monthly Last Fridays events. The consensus of the committee was not to pursue event participation at this time. Motion: Weston moved that the committee not participate in the Last Friday's events for the remainder of the year but consider it again next season. Robinson seconded. Vote: 5-0. D. Out-of-town vacancy Green said the charter language allows the committee to fill the vacancy, but it doesn’t compel it to do so. Green confirmed that currently there were no applicants for consideration. He spoke regarding the guidelines for vacancies and the balance between in-town and out-of-town customers and stated the language for even representation was vague. The committee discussed that members serve until they are replaced on the board. The vacancy will be advertised. E. Topics for joint board meeting in August Salvi stated that the backflow prevention discussion would be included on the agenda for the committee’s joint meeting with the Board of Commissioners in August. 5. Updates A. Utilities status report highlights Green reviewed the report highlighting a few items: WATER AND SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES | 3 of 3 •Recent emergency repairs on King Street, Orange Street and at the Elizabeth Brady Pump Station that collectively cost approximately $250,000. •A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems repair. •Trihalomethane levels were elevated in a recent water report. •Reservoir levels are rising. Weston stated that materials flushed into the sewer are causing maintenance issues. The committee discussed the need to mitigate the problem through public outreach and education as well as pursuing code enforcement action in some cases. B.Member term expirations There was no discussion. C.New minutes preparer Barbara Hollerand was recognized as the minutes preparer for the committee. 6.Reports from April/May Board of Commissioners meeting assignments Weston noted that he attended the Board of Commissioners meeting in April when backflow prevention devices were discussed. Robinson reported that he had attended the State of the Town address. Robinson said that water and sewer issues were only discussed within the context of available capacity for new residential development. 7.Assignments for Board of Commissioners meetings A.Meeting June 12 (Beeler/TBD sub.) B.Meeting June 26 (TBD/Beeler sub.) C.Meeting July 20 (Salvi/Robinson sub.) Salvi noted that the Planning Board advised her that it does not consider water in its reviews. Hughes stated that the presumption is that proposed developments going before the Planning Board have been determined by staff to have available water and sewer capacity. Green spoke regarding consistency with the Unified Development Ordinance and the scope of the Planning Board’s review. The committee discussed the staff review process, annexations, land use and entitlements. 8.Future agenda items Bill format change status 9.Adjournment Salvi adjourned the meeting at 8:34 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Tyler Freeman Civil Engineering Technician Staff support to the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee Approved: Aug. 3, 2023