HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - SC - 11/29/2016 ° - TOWN OF COHASSET
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Date: November 29, 2016
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Place: Basement Meeting Room,Town Hall
Present: Bill McGowan, Chairman
John Beck, Vice Chairman
Wayne Sawchuk, Clerk
Dan Coughlin, Coughlin Engineering
Guests: Susan Sarni-BoH
Chris Senior-Town Manager
Brian Joyce-Director of Public Works
Bill McGowan called meeting to order at 4:02
1. Administration
Next Meeting: Joint meeting with Hull Scheduled for Tuesday, December 13, 2016 @ 4 p.m. in
Hull at Hull Town Hall.
Approve Meeting Minutes: no action taken
2. New Business
A. Grinder Pump reimbursable expenses- Board instructs Michelle to contact Rosano Davis
and ask them to credit the Sewer Commission for all expenses paid to them that should
have been reimbursed under the FR Mahoney warranty.
B. 94 Border Street-2014 Article to appropriate $25k to connect to sewer. Town took back
$14k, giving the Sewer Commission only$11k to complete the project.
Sewer paid $11k to fix both curb boxes that were hit and filled with sand and gravel.
Harbormaster is not hooked into Sewer. Sailing Club is also not hooked-up to sewer.
However,they have been paying a sewer charge for quite some time. Sawchuk asked
Chris Senior back in the spring to re-appropriate the money so the project could be com-
pleted, but nothing was done. Senior says paving is not the Sewer Commissions respon-
sibility.
Cohasset Board of Sewer Commissioners Page 1
C. Town of Hull-There were two meetings with Town of Hull in the past. Bryan Baldwin
and Dianne attended to discuss the state of the intermunicipal agreement. No updates
were given to the Board at that time.
D. McGowan would like an update from Hull regarding current litigation as well as the
overall damage the Hull Sewerage treatment plant sustained.The Sewer Commission
would like Michelle to initiate an agenda and send it to Hull for upcoming meeting.
Items to be addressed are: Mutual benefit, wholesale rates, renegotiation of agreement,
and planning for the future. Senior cautions the Board about potential litigation if they
exit the intermunicipal agreement. Beck recommends closing the remaining valve on
Jerusalem Road to limit the flow going to Hull. If valve is closed only 8k-11k gallons will
flow to Hull.
E. BOH-Susan Sarni updates the Board on failing septic systems on Chief Justice Cushing
Highway.
F. Rate Study-Beck would like to present a rate increase to the rate payers at spring town
meeting. McGowan would like to see a rate increase study done, but does not believe
an independent company needs to do it. He believes if the Board is completely trans-
parent to the rate payers and can educate the public on why a rate increase is needed,
there will be no need for an independent study. Beck discusses all the pros and cons as-
sociated with a rate increase. One significant source of capital is to reduce the flow go-
ing to Hull and send it to the Cohasset Plant. Senior understands the Boards desire to
complete the rate study themselves, however reminds the Board of the Water Depart-
ments struggles to pass an increase at Town Meeting without an independent study.
The town was seeking third party validation. Beck would like to see value before spend-
ing the rate payer's money on an independent study. Sawchuk recommends reviewing
and validating rate increase numbers with an accountant. McGowan makes a motion to
allow Beck to perform sewer rate study, seconded by Sawchuk, unanimous vote.
G. Accounting-McGowan makes a motion to approve Becks signature for all invoices paid
on the November invoice warrant, seconded by Sawchuk, unanimous vote.
H. Abatement-544 Jerusalem Road seeks an abatement for grinder pump fee of$125.00.
Resident purchased grinder pump outside of town grinder pump program. Sawchuk
makes a motion to abate the$125.00 grinder pump fee, seconded by McGowan, Unani-
mous vote.
Motion to adjourn meeting at 6:40 by McGowan, second by Beck and Sawchuk. Unanimous
vote
Cohasset Board of Sewer Commissioners Page 2