TOWN OF SOMERS

WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY

P. O. Box 308

Somers, Connecticut 06071

 

WPCA MEETING MINUTES

5/7/02; 7:15 p.m.

Town Hall

 

I.            PUBLIC HEARING:

            a.            103 Main Street - Water Assessment

 

                        Chairman Jim Botellio called the public hearing to order at 7:20 p.m.

Chairman Jim Botellio read the legal notice.

 

Steve Getman asked how the assessment was determined.

 

An estimate was given to Steve Jacobs by the owner for the water use of 500 gallons per day

- only 1/3 going to the sewer line and the other 2/3 going to the greenhouse.  Based on this

estimate and looking at the water assessment ordinance, the water assessment should be

1.67 EDU's - rounded off to 1.7 EDU's.  This would come to a water re-assessment charge of

$1820.00 for the net change of + 0.7 EDU's from the original (1) EDU charge for the property.

 

There were no comments from the audience.

 

Steve Getman made a motion to close the public hearing; seconded by Dan Fraro and unanimously approved by the Authority.  The public hearing ended at 7:24 p.m.

 

II.        CALL TO ORDER:

 

            Chairman Jim Botellio called the regular meeting to order at 7:25 p.m.  Members

present were:  Jim Botellio; Simon Lipton; Steve Getman; Dan Fraro; George VanTasel;

Elinor Labutis and Charles Colby (7:30).  Also present was Steve Jacobs, Registered Sanitarian.

 

III.            APPROVAL OF MINUTES:                 4/9/02

 

            A change was made on Page 2; fourth paragraph; second line:  Change "5/15/02"

to "5/7/02".  A motion was made by Steve Getman; seconded by Simon Lipton to approve the 4/9/02 minutes as amended.  This motion was unanimously approved by the Authority.

 

IV.            DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE APPROVAL;103 MAIN ST; WATER ASSESSMENT

 

            A motion was made by Simon Lipton to approve a one-time water assessment of

1.7 EDU's for Dzen Garden Market II located at 103 Main Street in the amount of $1820.00.

This motion was seconded by Steve Getman and unanimously approved by the Authority.

 

 

 

WPCA MINUTES

5/7/02

Page 2

 

 

V.         175 HIGHLAND VIEW DRIVE - R. Cheney

 

            Mr. Cheney said he is in the process of obtaining a building permit for a new house at 175 Highland View Drive which will be serviced by a public water main with water provided by Hazardville Water Company.

 

Mr. Cheney showed the Authority a drawing of the property - pointing out the location of the fire hydrant and the water line going from the hydrant to the house.  HWC requires that the hook-up comes in at a right angle to the house.  They want Mr. Cheney to pay for extending the water main up the right-of-way to make a right angle into the property.  This is a distance of approximately 120'.  HWC is currently getting a cost estimate.

 

The WPCA has approved public water service to this address and Mr. Cheney has paid his

water assessment fee of $2600.00.  HWC wants the main to extend to the middle of Mr. Cheney's property so that the house next door does not have to pay for extending the water main through the Cheney property - and they expect Mr. Cheney to pay for this extension.

 

George VanTasel said besides the main extension, a blow-off valve would be needed so the water main can be flushed. 

 

Jim Botellio said that HWC does not own the water main, the Town does.  This extension request should be turned over to the Authority and we would decide the least expensive way to provide public water to 175 Highland View Drive.

 

Mr. Cheney said he measured the distance from the hydrant to the property line and it is exactly 16'.

 

George VanTasel said you never leave a valve on a water line dead-ended - you always put a length of pipe beyond it - about 20'.

 

Jim Botellio remarked that if the Authority had known this lot would be developed, they would have had the developer extend the water main.

 

Steve Jacobs thinks it would be better to tap the line where it ends and come up into the house.  Mike Mocko, inspector for the watermain said the line extends about 10'.

 

Jim Botellio said it is better for Mr. Cheney to use one solid piece of copper pipe from the property line to the house; thereby eliminating the possibility of leaks.

 

It was the consensus of the Authority that a letter will be written to HWC asking about the requirement to extend the line to the middle of the property and reminding them that the Town owns the watermain and therefore should determine the best and least expensive way to hook 175 Highland View Drive up to public water.

 

The Authority will advise Mr. Cheney of the outcome of this issue.

 

WPCA Minutes

5/7/02

Page 3

 

VI.            CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION:

            a.            PCE Mitigation Update

            b.            Sewer Repair Update

            c.            Prison Expansion

 

            a.            Steve Jacobs received the quarterly report on the PCE mitigation on the prison property.  Deep bedrock well 8D - influent to the treatment system - there is a gradual downward trend.  The system continues to be effective.

 

Perimeter testing shows essentially no change - either none detected or very low levels on Bittersweet Hill.

 

Groundwater performance of the dual vacuum extraction system shows levels have dropped down - (7) wells down to (1) well reading over 1,000.

 

DEP made comments on the proposed work plan.  They are in agreement with the Town to add the (3) mitigation wells in the Rye Hill Circle area to the annual testing plan.

 

Total expenditure:  5.7 million dollars.

 

Fuss & O'Neill monitoring report.  Monitoring for the MD-50 SWIA area - appears to be effective in reducing the levels from 63,000 back in July of 1999 to 32,000 at this time.  There have been similar drops in other wells.

 

DEP has approved a work plan for some additional investigation up by the maintenance garage where they had pulled tanks.

 

Nothing changed on the perimeter wells.  Polo View Drive is all potable.  George Wood Road is improved.  The leading edge of the plume is definitely dropping off.

 

            b.            We received a copy of more specific standards for what they are going to do for the back-up system.  We have not heard whether DEP has approved these standards.

 

A watertight cap has been put on the manhole cover.  It is at least 10' high and is a definite eyesore. The DOC said they did clean the pipes and found no blockage.

 

 

            c.            The response from DPW said they will comply with the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) and will give us the opportunity to express our concerns.  We still want an environmental impact assessment before the prison expansion begins.  The Authority should be in the loop and be given updates on how this is progressing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WPCA Minutes

5/7/02

Page 4

 

 

VII.            SEWER/WATER BILLING:

            a.            Delinquent Accounts

            b.            Software Update

 

            a.            Connie Carenzo, Billing System Operator, reported that a delinquent mailing for both water and sewer accounts was sent out on April 18, 2002.  Most of the small balance accounts have paid up.  Two of our hard-core delinquents made sizeable payments (one for $1500 and the other for $900) in order to avoid foreclosure.  The other (6) accounts have not responded.  Both Romano and Oliver are making payments on a regular, timely basis.  There were two pay-offs during the month.

 

The Authority instructed Connie Carenzo to contact the Town Attorney with current statements for these delinquent accounts and request that he proceed immediately with foreclosure.

 

b.            The Access program was installed in Connie's computer.  Blair Lawson from Connecticut Management Services met with Steve Jacobs, Karen LaPlante and Connie Carenzo to resolve some issues.  He has installed most of the data from the BMSI program onto his laptop.  Karen went through the system with him.  He also installed the lagoon septage program onto Connie's computer.  This is supposed to be a fairly simple program, but we have not had the time to review it as yet.  Mr. Lawson is still working on installing the CMS billing program into the Access program on Connie Carenzo's computer.

 

VIII.            CORRESPONDENCE/AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:

 

            There was no correspondence.

 

            Steve Jacobs said the Connecticut Food Standards have been made more stringent.

All establishments serving food must have training in food preparation and serving.  This would involve the actual cooks - not waitresses.  Temporary food servers are exempt from this requirement.

 

IX.            BILLS:

 

            Quill (grant - map file)                                                                              $399.88

            Quill (credit because they sent the wrong color)                            ($399.88)

            Lloyd Power Equipment                                                                  $20.72

            Journal Inquirer (public hearing notice)                                     $78.70

            American Business Machines (supplies)                                            $20.60

            American Business Machines (supplies-billing system)                        $61.48

            Avery Septic (cleaning pump station)                                                  $65.00

            Professional Equipment (thermometers)                                             $207.90

            Quill (grant)                                                                                     $31.99

 

           

WPCA Minutes

5/7/02

Page 5

 

 

The supply account is running low.  Steve Jacobs presented a transfer of $100.00 from lagoon operation to finish off the fiscal year.

 

Charles Colby made a motion to pay the bills; seconded by Steve Jacobs and unanimously

approved by the Authority.

 

Charles Colby made a motion to approve the transfer of funds; seconded by George VanTasel and unanimously approved by the Authority.

 

X.            ADJOURNMENT:

 

            Motion to adjourn was made by Charles Colby; seconded by Steve Getman and unanimously approved by the Authority.  The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

 

                                                            Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

                                                            Dan Fraro, Secretary

 

                                                            Connie Carenzo, Recording Secretary

 

 

 

MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.