BWC Minutes

Meeting date: 
Tuesday, September 6, 2016

 

Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners

Town Hall Conference Room

Tuesday, September 6, 2016, 6:00 PM

 

Commissioners Present:  Chair Justina Carlson, Curt Felix, Neil Gadwa, James Hood, Catharie Nass

Commissioners Absent:

Also Present: Gail Ferguson, System Manager Michaela Miteva

Chair Carlson called the meeting to order at 6:03 PM.

Annual Mass DEP Water Tank Inspection

Tabled until and update is available.

Corrpro Waterworks Maintenance Agreement Proposal

After reviewing the maintenance agreement proposal from Corrpro Chair Carlson made the motion to approve Option C of the proposal as presented including the additional $125 for checking and changing the aviation light bulbs yearly, contingent upon a guarantee of functioning bulbs between inspections; Nass seconded; the motion passed 4-0.  Felix arrived after the vote.

Water Tower Repair Bid

All abutters within a 500-foot radius of 95 Lawrence Rd, the WMWS water tower site.  No abutters attended the meeting and no written comments were received.  The abutter who had lodged a complaint when the tower was under construction was notified in person.  She expressed her satisfaction with the current plan and only requested that the work be postponed until after she has left for the season, and asked to be notified if the work takes place on a weekend so she can plan accordingly.

Special Revolving Funds for Connection Fee Abatement

No new information was available.

Master Plan

Miteva suggested that there may be an opportunity to meet with the group that will be reviewing the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) process to have them help with folding the Master Plan into the CIP.

Chair Carlson requested that members come to the next meeting prepared to share ideas of one or two priorities for the Board to work on for the coming year.

Nass suggested that encouraging and getting abutters who currently have access to Town water sign up would be an important priority

Felix stated that he had had a productive conversation with TA Dan Hoort about assisting with the process of generating a viable financial model.  Currently the WMWS Enterprise Fund is being subsidized by the General Fund, 45K going to the Reserve Fund for the past three years. 

Felix suggests coming up with a revenue model that is growth oriented.  He suggested that a new revenue structure may be marginal cost-based by containing user off-sets, a user charge and water usage fees based on operation costs.  These ideas would bring the financial model closer to how typical utilities run.

Public Outreach

The Board reviewed the press release for the information session scheduled for September 20, 2016 at the Wellfleet Public Library.  It was suggested that John Morrissey be invited to participate in the event as he has home insurance information to share.

Miteva mentioned a program she found where abutters to fire hydrants “adopt” them, meaning that they will be responsible for clearing snow and other debris from around the hydrant throughout the year.  The Board expressed interest in pursuing this type of program in the future.

Fire Suppression Regulation Policy

Tabled as resolved.

Update on the Proposed Briar Lane Expansion

Hood did not participate in the discussion.

Outer Cape Health Services sent a letter to the Board of Selectmen in which it was stated that the request for tapping into the Wellfleet Municipal Water System has been withdrawn.

Minutes

Felix moved to approve the 8/16/16 BWC minutes; Hood seconded; the motion passed 5-0. 

Correspondence

An email was received from an abutter on Hiller Ave regarding the sign that was erected during Phase II construction to recognize EPG, Robert B. Our and the USDA funding.  The sign remains in place and the abutters would like it to be removed.  Secretary Spencer stated that the issue has been resolved since the email arrived.

Topics of Future Concern

  • System vulnerability, cyber and physical
  • Impact of the Mayo Creek Restoration Project
  • Software Updates

Agenda: September 20, 2016

  • Public Outreach Session

Agenda: October 4, 2016

  • Operator’s Report
  • Manager’s Report
  • WMWS Status Report
  • FY18 Budget
  • Master Plan
  • Public Outreach
  • System Vulnerability

Next Meeting:

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 from 6 to 7:30 PM at the Wellfleet Public Library.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:54 PM.                         

Public Records Materials of 9/6/16

  1. Corrpro Maintenance Proposal dated 9-1-16
  2. Draft of the press release for the information session to be held on 9-20-16
  3. Email from abutter dated 8-30-16