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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - WC - 12/17/2015 - Cohasset Water D E P A R T M E N T Commissioners fp /py y�yy� ��y��� Leonora C. Jenkins �- O1AS'SET &n MW camw it-h IX0 Rolf N. G'esteb �iN:, � 3 Y John W. Steinmetz Minutes of the Cohasset Board of Water Commissioners 339 King Street—Water Treatment Plant December 17, 2015 @ 9:30 am Members Present: Leonora Jenkins, Chairman Rolf Gjesteby, Vice-Chairman John Steinmetz, Clerk Recording Secretary: Brenda Douglas Guests Present: Carl Hillstrom, Joe Geary, Paul Roux, Paula.Linhares, Mary Gallagher, Brian Joyce, John Waldstein& Paul Sullivan from 8 James Lane project Motion made by Lee to call the meeting to order at 9:31 2nd by Rolf. 8 James Lane Paul Sullivan said that they have commenced work and are hammering away ledge still. Lee asked what was going on with the Junction. They said that there is a lease for the next couple of years. The developers said that since there is a lease they have no plans to remove from the site. If she decides not to renew lease then they would address it at that time. Carl said that he does not feel that there is a definite agreement as to what will be done. John said they agreed on the relief from the connection fees. They are doing the looping, and there are 3 hookups. They have not done the borings yet so if they find issues at that time they will come back to the board. Both gentlemen stated they would hookup services to new main. They informed the board that there will be 3 domestic taps and I sprinkler line tap. They said they would put a letter together and submit to Brian for his review and a sign off. They wanted to have their connection credited when the first building gets approved. Lee said that the board could charge at the end of project. I will e-mail the application to developers. They will get credit at end of project. Abatement/Warrants/Approval of Minutes Philip & Judith Tedeschi—20 Otis Avenue They were charged $62.35 for a 2nd meter which was removed. John made a motion to abate $62.35 this was 2nd by Rolf all in favor. Warrants were signed and approved. John made a motion to approve meeting minutes of Nov. 12, 2015, 2nd by Rolf all in favor. Woodard & Curran MOR Weed & Silt removal - Carl believes that they accomplished what they had set out to do. Lee asked if they should do it again in 2 years. Paul said that it will have to be looked at 339 King Street, Cohasset, Massachusetts 02025 Tel: (781) 383-0057 Fax: (781) 383-2906 www.cohassetwater.org just not sure of a timeline. There will be a big difference in the intake not getting choked down. The guys used to have to rake the screens this will alleviate having to do that. It will free up time for the operators to do other jobs. Lee asked if raking the screens had wear and tear on them. Paul said no because they are made of cast iron. Insulation of piping @ Ellms Meadow—Carl reported that the insulation is on order and anticipates it being delivered in a week and a half. Carl expects it to be installed in a week. Lee asked how the level is at the well. Carl said we are in good shape and the pond is at 90%. Lee asked if anyone had read the article in USA today about water sales to other towns. Carl said he was approached by the DPW director in Scituate about possibly buying water from Cohasset, but when Carl told him the rate and they were not interested. Financials Mary Gallagher said things are looking fine for the department. Hydrants and liens will come up after the first of the year. They collect in January for liens and February hydrants are billed. Lee asked if Paula or Mary knew the status of the sewer billing. Neither one had an update. It was suggested that a check list be done to show what I am doing in regards to sewer. Lee then asked if anyone had heard anything on Holland Company. I explained that it was still under negations. There was a discussion about the monies appropriated at town meeting for the replacement of filter media will not be used. It was found that it is still good for another 5 years. This money cannot be used unless it is on Filter media. Mary said that they could go to town meeting and re-appropriate the funds or just have them go into retained earnings. Paula stated that there are some old monies on the books which she would like to rescind. It isn't actual money it was approval to borrow said monies from March 2004. John made motion that the Water Commission rescind the borrowing authority from the March 27, 2004 Article 17 in the amount of$53,000 and further move the Water Commission rescind the borrowing authority from the March 29, 2004 Article 18 that has a balance of $632. This is subject to checking with Glenn Pratt to confirm that we owe no money to ariy homeowners for land acquisions, this was 2pd by Rolf all in favor. Stipend pay—Paula explained to the board that as of January 1, 2016 that they will no long approve requests for stipend pay for Woodard & Curran employees. She said that since they are being paid by Woodard& Curran under contract with the town that Chris does not feel it is appropriate that they are paid by the board in addition. Lee asked what about making them town employees. Paula said that Chris would not allow that. Paul explained that it is Woodard& Currans policy that stipend pay is at a rate of$125.00 a week. Paul did explain that it is lower than what American Water was paying the employees. He explained that when Peter DeCaprio found out he opted to pay the difference out of the water budget. Paul said that Woodard& Curran has worked very hard to get everyone on the same rate across the company so they would not be able to increase the stipend pay. Paul then explained that Woodard& Curran makes up for the shortfall in bonus' and safety monies. Lee asked if there could be an amendment to the contract. Paul said no because companywide stipend pay is $125.00, he explained that the stipend pay has overhead so the employee gets $125 but it costs the company up to 339 King Street, Cohasset, Massachusetts 02025 Tel: (781) 383-0057 Fax: (781) 383-2906 www.cohassetwater.org 25%more. Joe explained that it has taken Woodard& Curran a long time to get where they are in getting the entire company unified in the stipend pay. Joe will discuss the situation with Brendan& Sean. Brian Joyce informed the board that that the governor is looking into alleviating some of the requirements in the procurement process. One thing is he is looking into increasing the ceiling for quote only from $34,999 to$50,000. Brian said the contracts that are going out to bid and they are putting in 3 year contacts which is the maximum allowed. Caustic Conversion—Lee asked with the additional engineering with the project be within budget? Joe said yes but it will be tight. Lee then asked about the VFD replacement. What will need to go out to bid? Carl is getting bids on the VFD which will be submitted with the procurement form. He is going to get bids on the electrical work as well as piping,this will be done separately. Lee wanted to know when the project would be complete. Carl said it is in DEP's court they are the ones holding us up. Joe said that DEP might force us to do a pilot study. Joe went and sent an e-mail to contacts he knew in the NE region, and asked them if they required a pilot study to go from lime to caustic and was told that they would not require that. Lee then asked for Woodard& Curran to look into the increased cost of caustic for budget reasons. This information will be needed by February. Lee asked if it would have to go out to bid. Carl said that it is part of the chemical consortium so it would not be necessary to go out to bid. Lee then talked about Wayne Sawchuk wanting to dig for wells around the reservoir. Paul said that the DEP would not approve wells and Joe said that it would change the reporting but still we would be running the plant. Lee wants a list of what has been done for the year for the year-end report. Joe & Carl will work on that and make it available at the next meeting. Joe supplied the board with the contract for engineering of Phase 2 of the caustic conversion. The commission signed the contract. Motion made by Lee to adjourn at 11:30,this was 2nd by John all in favor. Respectfully Submitted, Brenda Douglas, Recording,Secretary Approved By: Date: 1 �` Jo Steinmetz, Clerk Co asset Board of Water Commis 'one s 339 King Street, Cohasset, Massachusetts 02025 Tel: (781) 383-0057 Fax: (781) 383-2906 www.cohassetwater.org