TOWN OF SOMERS
WATER
POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY
P. O. Box 308
Somers,
Connecticut 06071
WPCA
MINUTES
8/6/02;
7:30 p.m.
Town Hall
I. CALL TO ORDER:
Jim Botellio, Chairman, called the meeting to order at
7:35 p.m. Members present were: Jim Botellio; Dan Fraro; George VanTasel;
Charles Colby; and Steve Getman. Town
Sanitarian Steven Jacobs was also in attendance.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 2, 2002
George VanTasel made a motion to approve the July 2, 2002
minutes, as written.
This motion was seconded by
Charles Colby and unanimously approved by the Authority.
III. 31 GEORGE WOOD ROAD - WATER SERVICE:
This is the home with the contaminated well on 31 George
Wood Road. Initially,
the State said the well had
to be abandoned if the homeowner wanted the State to pay for the public water
hook-up. However, the State changed its
mind and will pay for the hook-up without abandoning the well. Wood Construction quoted $4,600.00 - which
included the abandonment of the well.
They have since changed their quote to $3,700.00 without well
abandonment.
Charles Colby made a motion
to approve the water hook-up charge of $3,700.00 for 31
George Wood Road. This amount would include everything except
a back flow preventer -
if this is needed. The quote does not include well
abandonment. This motion was seconded
by Steve Getman and unanimously approved by the Authority.
IV. HAZARDVILLE WATER COMPANY:
a. Operating
Agreement/Service Area:
Jim
Botellio and Steve Jacobs met with Jon Avery and Bob Flagg of Hazardville Water
along with their attorney and our attorney, Carl Landolina on 7/30/02
to discuss our Operating
Agreement and the Service Area. HWC
presented a service area map which designated the service area agreed to in our
February, 1988 contract with HWC.
There is a gray area that
neither party could agree that it was their service area. Both attorneys stated that representatives
from both parties should meet and agree on where the service begins and ends. Carl Landolina suggested establishing the
service area in the gray area by using private property lines. Neither party can go outside the gray area
without consulting the State. Steve
Jacobs and Bob Flagg of HWC have agreed to look at this line and decide where
the boundary should be. HWC wants to
understand what they own and what they do not own.
WPCA Minutes
8/7/02
Page 2
We talked about subdivisions
outside the service area. The main
extension in Enfield on Rte 190 is owned by HWC. Highland View Drive - that is outside the service area - is owned
by the Town. Jon Avery wants to change
the ownership of this area. We have a
contract that shows that we own it at the present time. HWC wants to re-define the line and go back
to the State. This was denied by us -
it was not in our 1999 contract. Any
new
extensions outside the
service area will be owned by HWC. The
contract says that HWC has the right to own the water line - if it is outside
the service area.
The Town is allowed to
charge a connection fee. If HWC wants
to own the system, then the Town can charge the connection fee - only when a
developer ties into a Town-owned main.
Steve Getman verified that
the Town can charge HWC taxes when the water main is owned by them.
HWC questioned our fee of
$2600.00 for connection to the water main.
They feel it is too high and discourages development. This fee was added to the Town Ordinance in
Sections 204-11 and 204-13 in order to cover the cost of bonding for the water
system.
Steve Getman remarked that
if you subdivide a lot a second time, then it becomes a resubdivision.
The Town approved two
million eight hundred and twenty dollars for bonding for a new water main. The bonding agreement does not define a
specific service area.
HWC touched briefly on the
probability that Taylor Road may be developed within the next few years. If this happens, then HWC will be putting in
a new pump station - which will certainly increase our share of maintenance
costs for the existing pump station.
b. Scitico
Pump Station:
The WPCA
is responsible for a portion of the bills for maintenance of this station. We have received a bill for $205.30 for
replacement batteries in the emergency generator. Also, another bill where our share is 53% of the bill or
$525.40. HWC mentioned that the
electronics are old at the pump station and these should be replaced.
Presently, there is a Federal grant and we would pay a portion of the balance
after the grant. HWC will be asked to
apply for the grant and the WPCA will pay 53% of the balance due after the grant
is applied.
c. 175
Highland View Drive:
Rick
Cheney, owner of 175 Highland View Drive, was present at the meeting. HWC would not budge on their requirement
that the owner of this property pay for extension of the water line at least
half-way into his property. In view of
this fact, Mr. Cheney has opted to apply to the State for a variance in order
to install a private well.
WPCA Minutes
8/6/02
Page 3
Also, there is a developer
who would like to put in a subdivision off Hall Hill Road about one-half mile
up Hall Hill Road. He is currently
negotiating with Mr. Lomangino
whereby he would pay for 400
feet of water line extension. HWC would
like this developer to put in 2,600 feet of water main extension, down to Rte
190 - this would give HWC another (50) customers that they could add on at any
time.
George VanTasel asked who
pays for the hydrants. Jim Botellio
said the Town owns the hydrants but the developer has to put them in. HWC does not own any hydrants - except for
the ones on Rye Hill Circle. This will
have to be discussed further. A meeting
will be set up with the DPUC, CWC, HWC and the WPCA to discuss the issue of
maintenance on fire hydrants associated with the Rye Hill System.
Reverting back to 175
Highland View Drive, the Authority said it would support Mr. Cheney's variance
for a private well. Steve Jacobs said
the Town would require VOC testing of the well water as well as the normal
water tests. Rick Cheney asked about
water pressure in his area and was told an average of 10-12 gallons per minute
and an average depth of 140 - 160'. He
also asked about contamination in the well water. Steve Jacobs told him that traces of contamination were found on
the LaFleur property near him, but the water is potable. The VOC testing will show any evidence of
contamination.
V. SEWER/WATER BILLING:
a. Update:
The
Authority reviewed Connie Carenzo's Billing System Report for June of
2002. The annual reports were completed
and given to the Treasurer. Blair
Lawson of
CMSS (new billing system) is
expected to be in the office tomorrow to do the annual reports on the new
billing system. Then a comparison will
be made. Until this is done, none of
July payments will be credited in the BMSI system. Connie will then back-date the system and
credit the payments made in
July.
b. Connecticut
Management Services Software
Blair
Lawson, Karen LaPlante, Steve Jacobs and Connie Carenzo will be meeting
sometime in August and we should have a report ready for the next WPCA
meeting.
There was a brief discussion
about a long-term replacement for Connie Carenzo, who plans to retire in March
of 2003. Jim Botellio feels that this
new person should be on board at least by December - in order for Connie to train
her properly.
VI. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS:
a. Prison
Expansion:
Public
Works set up a public hearing with DOC personnel, Board of Selectmen and the
public to go over an environmental study that is planned before prison
WPCA Minutes
8/6/02
Page 4
expansion commences. Dick Jackson, First Selectman, said he was
satisfied with the issues discussed at this public hearing - which was really a
scoping meeting.
It was recommended that the
Staff meet with DOC to go over specific issues of concern.
Both the DPW and Bay State
Environmental are willing to meet with the Staff to go over
certain issues. DOC has agreed to do a full environmental
impact study. Jim Botellio asked to be
included in the meeting with the Staff and DPW.
George VanTasel said the
State Statutes outlines what is included in an environmental impact study.
The date for this meeting
has not been set; George VanTasel said it should be before 8/21
or 8/22 so that Dave Elliott
can review the results. The issues of
sewers, water, traffic, etc.
were all discussed at the public
hearing. A list of the items to be
discussed at this meeting
could be faxed to the DOC by
8/8/02 in order to be in on time. These
issues could then be discussed at a later date
A revision was sent to the
State on the relocation of the emergency back-up pump because of the relocation
of underground utilities.
b. PCE
Mitigation Update:
A final
report was received on the pilot test for the HRC program. This report is in the Library or a copy is
available in Steve Jacobs' office. The
system is working well. This is the
hydrogen release program and it is breaking down the PCE contamination.
This seems to be a quicker
method of cleaning out the PCE.
Received a quarterly report
from the prison. The PCE concentrations
in the original deep bedrock well are hanging at 150 - 180 parts per billion -
so they have gone down considerably.
DVE system levels are 480 -
1600 parts per billion. The fluctuation
is probably due to seasonal change in groundwater.
Quarterly monitoring of
perimeter wells show no appreciable change in the levels of contamination -
there are no traces of any new contamination.
The perimeter of the plume appears stable at this time.
DEP approved the work plan
for the groundwater work for the maintenance garage. They will do monitoring for another year.
RHC area test wells are
indicating that PCE levels are dropping overall. There were (7) wells over 1,000 PCE parts per billion and now
there is one.
In the SWIA area, the levels
are 110 and 220 parts per billion. This
was one of the highest contaminated areas - at one time being over 60,000 parts
per billion.
WPCA Minutes
8/6/02
Page 5
To date, 5.8 million dollars has been spent on this
project.
Also received the quarterly
report from Malcolm-Pirnie - which indicates no appreciable change.
VII. CORRESPONDENCE/AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:
Per Steve Jacobs request, Charles Colby made a motion to
set a public hearing date for the sewer budgets for 9/3/02 at 7:15 p.m. This motion was seconded by George VanTasel
and unanimously approved by the Authority.
Steve Jacobs reported that
there is a Microsoft Access Training Seminar to be held on
8/23/02 that he feels would
be very useful to attend because the new water and sewer billing system is
based on the Access program. The
seminar is for one day at a cost of $38.00 per person. The Authority felt that both Steve Jacobs
and Connie Carenzo should attend this seminar.
Charles Colby made a motion
to approve attendance and payment for both Steve Jacobs and Connie Carenzo* for
Traveler's Access Training Session to be held on 8/23/02 in Hartford, CT. This motion was seconded by George VanTasel
and unanimously approved by the Authority.
*Connie Carenzo will be
unable to attend this seminar as she will be on vacation. Steve Jacobs will bring back the information
handed out at the seminar and review it with Connie.
We received a one-line
message from Somersville Mills' attorney giving the Town permission to go in
and make the necessary repairs to the sewer system. Wood Construction will be sending in a quote to do these repairs.
Steve Jacobs sent a memo to
Dick Jackson requesting that Connie Carenzo be relieved of any ZBA meeting
responsibility because it is time-consuming and interferes with completion of
her work for the Land Use Staff. Mr.
Jackson has assigned the ZBA meeting responsibility to a part-time Town
employee.
Steve Jacobs talked with CWC
about their Customer Advisory Council.
CWC said they have not been holding meetings because the members of the
Council have not shown an interest in having meetings. CWC just sends various reports to the
Council members. The
Town of Somers has the
option to appoint a member to this Council - should they so desire.
CWC received a temporary
permit from the DEP to divert water from their Gulf Road well because they had
to shut down their Preston Well for about a month. The Preston Well has elevated iron in the water to discolor the
water. Steve Jacobs received a
complaint from the Plaza Restaurant about the water being discolored.
WPCA Minutes
8/6/02
Page 6
VIII. BILLS:
Hazardville Water (53% of maintenance cost) $341.55
Greg Woodruff, Marshal (delivery of certified mail) $69.59
Lloyd's Power Equipment $36.90
Avery Septic (cleaning pump at Plant) $65.00
BSA Blue Book $60.73
HWC (pump station - 53% of maintenance cost) $525.40
Charles Colby made a motion to approve payment of the
bills; seconded by George
VanTasel and unanimously
approved by the Authority.
IX. ADJOURNMENT:
Motion to adjourn was made by Charles Colby; seconded by
Steve Getman and unanimously approved by the Authority. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dan Fraro, Secretary
Connie Carenzo, Recording Secretary
MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL
UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.