MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING

 

TOWN OF SOMERS

WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY

P. O. Box 308

Somers, Connecticut 06071

 

WPCA SPECIAL MEETING

3/12/02; 7:30 p.m.

Land Use Office

 

I.          CALL TO ORDER:

 

            Chairman Jim Botellio called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Members present were: Jim Botellio; Elinor Labutis; Charles Colby; George VanTasel; Steve Getman (8:15);

Dan Fraro (8:20). Also present were: Steve Jacobs, Registered Sanitarian and Karen

LaPlante, Arrow Data Services (8:25).

 

II.        APPROVAL OF MINUTES:             2/5/02

 

            Charles Colby made a motion to approve the 2/5/02 minutes, as written. This motion was seconded by George VanTasel and unanimously approved by the Authority.

 

III.       CONNECTICUT DOC - SEWAGE BY-PASS:

 

            Steve Jacobs reported there was a significant sewage bypass at the prison on 2/17/02. Since then, a couple of things have happened. Steve did some water sampling in Woods Stream and did not find any pollution; in fact, the water was almost drinking quality at George Wood Road. Therefore, there are currently no health concerns and no threat to area wells.

 

Steve Jacobs had a meeting with the DEP and DOC on 3/6/02. They will be doing an official bypass notice that will describe what has happened. The DEP asked for additional clean-up of the spill area. Lime will be applied to the area. There was another minor problem on 2/22/02 with leakage from the manhole. DEP is asking DOC to file a report as to what they are going to do to prevent a recurrence of this problem. It was suggested that they put in an additional pump in the overflow tank and pump it to the gravity feed line. Both Steve Jacobs and the DEP are concerned about the backing up of the manholes in the gravity sewer main. The existing 10" main is currently being overloaded.

 

If there is any expansion of the prison, DOC will have to go to a larger main sewer pipe.

DEP would also require that the DOC replace the entire pump station, if prison expansion becomes imminent. Both DOC and DEP have agreed to keep the Town of Somers in the loop by sending copies of all relevant correspondence to Steve Jacobs.

 

Jim Botellio wants to write a letter stating that the present sewer system is already overtaxed.

 

George VanTasel said that Jack Armstrong, DOC Director, is considering a new gravity feed sewer system. George said the Governor is going to back Armstrong on the study of the prison expansion in Somers. George VanTasel feels a complete environmental study should be done before prison expansion is approved.

 

 

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3/12/02

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Steve Jacobs said the DOC would be required to hold a public hearing before they could waive an environmental study. Steve Jacobs also feels that a complete environmental

study should be conducted prior to prison expansion - considering the PCE problem in the Rye Hill area; the present sewer inadequacy; and also the fact that the drainage from the

Northern prison addition is flowing onto Wrights Brook and has caused increased flooding problems.

 

After a lengthy discussion, it was decided that Steve Jacobs will draft a letter to the DEP that will be signed by Jim Botellio, Chairman; Dick Jackson, lst Selectman, and Steve Jacobs, Registered Sanitarian (asking for a reply by 3/27/02) emphasizing that the Town of Somers is in favor of a complete environmental study being done before prison expansion is approved. Copies should be sent to Governor Roland; Senator Kissel; Representatives

Jarmoc and Mordasky; Jack Armstrong, DOC; Enfield Town Engineer Shanley and Enfield's mayor, Mr. Vida.

 

George VanTasel made a motion to authorize the preparation of such a letter; seconded by Charles Colby and unanimously approved by the Authority.

 

IV.       Sewer/Water Billing:

 

            Charles Colby made a motion to discuss agenda item V. before agenda item IV.

This motion was seconded by George VanTasel and unanimously approved by the Commission.

 

V.         CORRESPONDENCE/AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:

 

            Marie Burnette, 82 Rye Hill Circle: said she had the stream tested north of her property by a private laboratory and the testing - received on 2/24/02 - showed effluent.

She also said the manhole was overflowing on 2/13/02 and she had a video camera film

to prove it (which she showed to the Authority).

 

George VanTasel said the two prison complexes use almost a million gallons of water in a 24-hour period.

 

He asked how much the Town pays for hydrant use. Steve Jacobs said the Town pays $16.92/mo. for each hydrant for fire protection. CWC puts them in and leases them back to the Town.

 

Steve Jacobs wrote a letter to Richard Hathaway of the DEP asking that the three recovery

test wells installed in the Rye Hill/Polo View area be added to the proposed annual deep bedrock monitoring program.

 

Received the annual notice of the grants offered by DEP for sewer systems. However, these grantsare prioritized based on population and most of the money is given to large cities with sewer problems.

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Steve Jacobs passed out copies of the WPCA approved budget. However, the budget run that he received today is not what we submitted. The Sewer Plant Supervisor figures were too low; no money in the Temporary Food Inspector line item; a new line item was added

for the Land Use Copier. The Selectmen's idea is that copier maintenance costs should be split up so everyone shares the expense. Steve Jacobs thinks the total should all be in one

budget. He will discuss the budget changes with Ed Sullivan. These changes were done without consulting Steve Jacobs or the WPCA.

 

Received a letter from the DEP saying they would hook up 31 George Wood Road to public water. When the homeowner found out he must permanently abandon his well, he may not want to do this anymore. His well is contaminated and he has been on bottled water for (5)

years. The State will try to work with the homeowner on this issue.

 

Steve Jacobs has a well permit application for 94 Hall Hill Road. This lot is part of a proposed subdivision south of Winwood Circle. The developers were told that the Town

would prefer public water for this subdivision because of the water contamination surrounding the area. The developer could come through Lomangino's water line or come off Hall Hill Road. The proposed subdivision is only (6) or (7) lots. The developer would like to drill a test well. If the Town allows wells in this area and pollution shows up, then the Town may be responsible.

 

IV.       SEWER/WATER BILLING:

            a.         Update

            b.         Vendors

 

            Connie Carenzo, Billing System Operator, reviewed her February report with the

Authority. The water assessment billing went out as scheduled. 185 bills were mailed out on 2/1/02. Collection for the month was $40,667.76 - a 76% collection rate.

 

Karen LaPlante, Arrow Data Services, was present. She installed the present BMSI billing system for the Town. She also taught Connie Carenzo how to operate this system. Karen was present during the demonstration of a new billing system which operates in the Windows program. She said this new system could do the job for us. However, she also

feels it is unfair to expect Connie Carenzo to learn a new system when she plans retirement within the next year.

 

Steve Jacobs is definitely in favor of buying this new billing system program which is owned by Connecticut Management Services, LLC - based in Killingsworth, CT. The system operates out of Access in Windows and would be compatible with the GIS system that will be installed in the Land Use Office. If the computers in the Town Hall were networked, water and sewer information would be readily available to anyone on the system.

 

Karen said there might be some problems with the new system that we don't know about. One disadvantage is a new system would be the fourth change of system for billing that the Town has used. Therefore, background information is not readily available for many of the accounts.

 

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The cost of the CMS system would be $5,000.00 plus $250.00/quarter maintenance.

Blair Lawson of CMS said he would install the system and instruct in its operation. He offered free maintenance for the first six months.

 

Steve Jacobs said that while he was reviewing this new billing system which is in use in Vernon, he talked about our lagoon system for septage. The WPCA representative in Vernon said that Vernon might be willing to take our septage for $62.00 per 1,000 gallons - $32.00 more than the WPCA is collecting from the pumpers. It was the consensus of the Authority that the lagoon system supports itself and is working fine and the WPCA will continue to use the lagoon system as long as possible.

 

Steve Jacobs said that there is enough money in the SVO&M account to pay all of the costs for this new billing system, but costs are usually split between Somersville Sewer, Maple Ridge Sewer and Somersville water accounts.

 

It was the consensus of the Authority that the purchase of the new system should be pursued but only after the WPCA meets with the Selectmen to find out if a part-time person could be hired to learn this new system and input the data into it. Meanwhile, Connie Carenzo can continue to work with the current BMSI billing system. BMSI has agreed to

support the present DOS-based system until March of 2003.

 

Steve Getman said he would like a Special Meeting with the Selectmen having only this issue on the agenda. The WPCA needs to have a personnel commitment from the Selectmen before the present Billing System Operator retires.

 

It was the consensus of the Authority that the meeting with the Selectmen should be a Special Meeting with only one agenda issue - replacement of the Billing System Operator within the next year.

 

The Authority agreed to meet next Tuesday for a Special WPCA Meeting to come up with a presentation package and meet with the Selectmen in April. It was also agreed that BMSI

be asked to extend the rates presently offered to 7/1/02 - the beginning of our new fiscal year.

 

VI.       BILLS:

 

            McAlister-Bicknell                                        $69.05

            McAlister-Bicknell                                        $102.87

            American Business Machines

            (printer cartridge)                                           $57.98

            American Business Machines (supplies)      $105.98

            Sonitrol                                                           $218.85

            Ellington Printery (lagoon slips)                    $119.00

 

            Steve Getman made a motion to pay the bills; seconded by Charles Colby and unanimously approved by the Authority.

 

 

 

 

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VII.      ADJOURNMENT:

 

            Motion to adjourn was made by Charles Colby; seconded by Steve Getman and unanimously approved by the Authority. The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m.

 

                                                            Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

                                                            Dan Fraro, Secretary

 

                                                            Connie Carenzo, Recording Secretary

 

 

 

MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING