BWC Minutes

Meeting date: 
Tuesday, October 20, 2015

 

Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners

Town Hall Conference Room

Tuesday, October 20, 2015, 6:00 PM

Commissioners Present:  Justina Carlson, Chair, Neil Gadwa, James Hood, Catharie Nass, Lori Vanderschmidt

Commissioners Absent:

Also Present: WhiteWater Manager Roy Maher, System Manager Michaela Miteva, Tufts Graduate Student Maria Ucciani

Chair Carlson called the meeting to order at 6:06 PM.

Operator’s Report

Maher presented the operator’s report.  New connections, hydrant flows and pumping and usage for July and August were discussed. 

The Wellfleet Fire Department is requesting information on hydrant flow rates in order for them to color code the new hydrants according to state standards.  WhiteWater has produced an estimate of costs involved in flow testing the hydrants in question.  Miteva will report back to the Board as to whether TA Terkanian agrees that the Fire Department will have to find the funding for the flow testing and the painting of the new fire hydrants.  As it stands the WMWS does not have those expenses budgeted, and as it is not a Water District, there is no mandate for the BWC to procure the funding.

Tower Inspection and Paint Update

Miteva summarized the memo written by TA Terkanian that updates the BWC on his communications with Chicago Bridge and Iron regarding the condition of the water storage tank. 

2016 ATM Warrant Article Planning

In order for the BWC to go forward with repairs on the water storage tank, an article would have to be written to procure funds to pay for the repairs which include resurfacing and repainting rusting seams on the upper hemisphere of the tank.

The other article that was discussed would be the appropriation of funding for a professional engineering firm to update the expansion plan.  This would be a capital expense request, and these requests are due on Nov. 2.

Nass pointed out that the BWC needs to call on the support of the Wellfleet Fire Department in order to help make a case for expansion.

Budget Planning for FY17

Miteva presented the budget worksheet draft and a Projected Revenue document that will be used to create the FY17 budget.

Tufts Project

Ucciani presented her work-to-date on her master’s project which includes a study of the prevalence nitrates and sodium in Wellfleet ground water and private wells.  She also discussed her next steps which include creating a model of the current system using engineering software, to then create expansion models as extrapolations of the existing system.  She will return in December to present her final results. 

Ucciani requested a letter from TA Terkanian as proof of her work with the WMWS/BWC in order to fulfill a degree requirement.

The Board would like Ucciani to cost out three areas of Wellfleet: Rte 6 to Eastham for hydrants, the rest of the Central District, and Indian Neck.

Master Planning: Review 2003 Master Plan & 2015 Updated Wellfleet Map

The Board agreed to procure five more laminated copies of the existing WMWS map that includes properties, hydrants, and existing mains in order to have more tools to use for planning.

MA Open Meeting Law

The Town Counsel’s PowerPoint presentation on the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law given in June was distributed to the Board in preparation for a future discussion.  Counsel’s recommendation is that all committees and boards review the Open Meeting Law yearly.

Minutes

Nass moved to approve the 10/6/15 BWC minutes; seconded by Gadwa, the motion passed 4-0-1. 

Correspondence

none

Agenda: November 3, 2015

  • Master Plan Update Presentation
  • OCHS water needs
  • Herring River Restoration
  • Budget Planning
  • ATM Articles:
    • Tank Painting Appropriation
    • Master Plan
    • 2 Additional BWC Members

Agenda: November 17, 2015

  • FY17 Budget finalized
  • 2016 Meeting Schedule Draft

Agenda: December 1, 2015

  • Review of WMWS Rules & Regulations in relation to leak mitigation and customer liability forgiveness (Dec.)

Next Meeting:

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 6:00 PM at the Wellfleet Town Hall in the 2nd floor Conference Room.  

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:36 PM.                          

Public Records Materials of 10/20/15

  1. WhiteWater Operator’s Report, dated 10-20-15
  2. Memo to M. Miteva from TA Terkanian re: Water Tower Seam Rusting, dated 10-16-15
  3. FY17 Budget Worksheet
  4. Water Enterprise Fund FY17: Projected Revenue
  5. Kopelman & Paige’s (Town Counsel) presentation on the Mass. Opening Meeting Law, dated 6-1-15