TOWN OF SOMERS
WATER
POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY
P. O. Box 308
Somers,
Connecticut 06071
WPCA
MEETING MINUTES
7:30 p.m.,
6/3/03
Town Hall
I. CALL TO ORDER:
Chairman Jim Botellio called the meeting to order at 7:30
p.m. Members present were: Jim Botellio; Jim Faust; George VanTasel;
Charles Colby; Steve Getmanl; Dan Fraro and Elinor Labutis. Also present was Steve Jacobs, Sanitarian.
II. MINUTES APPROVAL: 5/6/03
A change was made on Page 2; 5th paragraph; 3rd
line: Insert "DOC" before
garages - remove
"s" from garages and eliminate the words "in Town".
George VanTasel made a
motion to approve the 5/6/03 minutes, as written. This motion was seconded by Charles Colby and unanimously
approved by the Authority.
III. 245 GEORGE WOOD ROAD; LEONARD & ELAINE VIERA;
PROPOSED WATER SERVICE
Mr. Viera is asking for public water hook-up for a new
house at 245 George Wood
Road. Mr. Viera recently did a reconfiguration on
his property and plans to give his daughter the other lot to build a
house. Steve Jacobs said the $2,600.00
water assessment would have to be paid.
Mr. Viera asked if this payment could be deferred until a building
permit is applied for within the next year or so. This could be done by liening the property which would cost an
additional $24.00. The primary house is
not hooked up to public water.
Charles Colby made a motion
to approve service and defer payment of the water assessment until a building
permit is applied for and to lien the property in the amount of $2,624.00 until
the water
assessment is paid. Jim Faust seconded the motion which was
unanimously approved by the Authority.
IV. 40 MAPLE STREET - SEWER MAINTENANCE:
A sewer backup happened in the basement of the
Somersville Mill on 5/19/03. The sewage
came out of the laterals and onto the floor.
The WPCA had been trying to get permission from the owners of the Mill
to go in and work on these pipes. This
request was approved by the Mill Attorney, but access for Wood Construction was
denied.
WPCA Minutes
6/3/03
Page 2
There were open sewer lines
running through the middle of the Mill.
There were no traps and odor was terrible.
After checking with the Town
Attorney, it was decided that this condition was a definite health issue. Wood Construction was hired to repair the
sewer lines and cap them. Someone
removed all the hangers that support the main and stuffed the pipes with
rags. This is how the health hazard was
created. It is now fixed with new caps
and hangers. Steve Jacobs showed the
Authority "before" and "after" photos. There is also an exposed
pipe outside the
building. Wood Construction will come
back and fix it.
This condition has been
reported to the DEP. Two or three
thousand gallons per day pass through these pipes. Leaving open sewer lines is illegal. The Mill owners could be faced with legal action and should
definitely pay for the cost of the repair.
Also, there was a milky,
gray substance discharged into the sewer lines on 5/20/03. We should find out who is dumping illegally
into the sewer line. A sample was sent
to the State Laboratory for analysis.
Wood Construction's bill for
the repairs will run about $1,200.00.
Also, Skip's Septic will have a bill for emergency service.
V. SEWER/WATER BILLING:
a. Collection
Update:
b. Software
Update:
c. Delinquent
Accounts:
Connie McKenna submitted her May report to the
Authority. Collection activity was very
low for the month of May. Connie also
described some of the problems she is having with the new billing system. She is currently working with both Blair
Lawson and Karen LaPlante in order to resolve some of these issues. Karen and Connie have a long list of items
that have to be corrected in the system.
Also, the auditors are asking for information that Connie has been
unable to supply.
Jim Botellio asked Steve
Jacobs if he was confident that the problems with the billing system can be
worked out. Steve said he felt that the
bugs in the system can be worked out so that the system works smoothly and
supplies the reports needed by the Treasurer's Office.
The delinquent accounts
should be foreclosed during June, according to the Town Attorney.
Steve Jacobs reported that
24 Scitico Road has a new owner. The
property is currently assessed 7.79 EDU's which Steve feels is a fair amount to
assess for the new owner. There are (8)
units and (7) are occupied. However,
most of the units are used for warehousing.
WPCA Minutes
6/3/03
Page 3
VI. CORRESPONDENCE/AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:
Jim Botellio and Steve Jacobs have been attempting to set
up a meeting with Bob Flagg of Hazardville Water to discuss hydrant maintenance
and replacement parts for
the Pumping Station. So far, he has not answered Steve's letter
or returned the phone calls. We are
holding the invoice for hydrant maintenance until a meeting is arranged. It is the WPCA's intention to set up a new
agreement whereby the Town maintains the hydrants.
A letter was received from
Dick Jackson that stated the Board of Selectmen approved the new health fee
increases that will become effective July 1, 2003. Contractors have been notified and the new fee schedule has been
posted in the Land Use Department.
The tiller at the Sewer
Plant has broken down. Repairs would
cost $820.11 and a new tiller would cost about $1,000.00. Steve Jacobs recommended purchasing a new
tiller. The tiller is used on the sand
beds on a rotating basis about every (2) weeks.
Charles Colby made a motion
to authorize the purchase of a (7)hp Ariens tiller at a cost of approximately
$1,000.00. This motion was seconded by
George VanTasel and unanimously approved by the Authority.
George VanTasel asked if
there was any State Grant money available for this type of equipment. Steve Jacobs informed him that the Somers
Sewer Plant is too small to receive a high priority for a State grant.
The DEP did an inspection of
the Sewer Plant and received a good rating.
However, the flowmeter needs to be calibrated by the end of June. The meter was calibrated when the new
recorder was installed.
Received an access agreement
from the State to hook up 48 Rye Hill Circle to the public water system. This is part of the Rye Hill Circle
contamination project so the State will pay for the hook-up. We are still waiting for the well
abandonment consent letter which was sent to the property owner.
Received a copy of a letter
that Attorney Carl Landolina sent to Dwight Johnson about the fire hydrant
issue.
The water hook-up and well
abandonment has been completed at 11 Shaker Road.
Steve Jacobs is still
awaiting a reply from the Town on his pension issue.
VII. BILLS:
Arrow Data Services (Jan. thru April) $1,050.00
DEP renewal fee $1,065.00
Skip's Septic
(emergency cleaning at the Mill) $1,205.00
WPCA Minutes
6/3/03
Page 4
Skip's used a high powered
cleaning machine that did an excellent job of cleaning the pipes at the
Mill. Steve Jacobs recommended using
such a machine on the Town's sewer system to remove build-up. A section could be done each year. This should be started
as soon as possible before
there is a large build-up. Steve Jacobs
will put together a plan - starting with Main Street. We could check on renting this equipment and the people to
operate it. The Authority asked Steve
Jacobs to check with First Selectman Dick Jackson to see if we have a
reciprocal agreement with Enfield to borrow equipment from each other.
Enfield may have one of
these jet trucks.
Sonitrol $229.79
Image Max (map copier paper) $117.29
We will hold a bill from
Amco for a chart recorder.
George VanTasel made a
motion to pay the bills; seconded by Charles Colby and unanimously approved by
the Authority.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT:
Motion to adjourn made by Charles Colby; seconded by
George VanTasel and unanimously approved by the Authority. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Dan Fraro, Secretary
Connie Carenzo, Recording Secretary
MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL
UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.