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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-08-27 Water and Sewer Advisory Committee Minutes&r' WATER & SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES August 27, 1997 A meeting of the Water & Sewer Advisory Committee was held at 7:43 P.M. on Wednesday, August 27, 1997 in the Berger Room, Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA. In attendance was Chairman Gail Wood, Secretary Stewart Chipman, Committee Member Richard Moore, Finance Committee Chairman Jim Keigley, and DPW Director Ted McIntire. Meeting Minutes It was moved by Stewart Chipman, and seconded by Richard Moore and approved by a vote of 3-0 to approve the minutes of July 16, 1997 as amended. Reorganization Ted McIntire opened up nominations for Chairman for the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee. It was moved by Richard Moore that Gail Wood's name be offered for nomination as chairman. The motion was seconded by Stewart Chipman and approved by a vote of 3-0. It was moved by Richard Moore, seconded by Stewart,Chipman and approved by a vote of 3-0 to close the nominations for Chairman for the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee. Gail Wood was elected by Chairman of the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee by a vote of 3-0 Chairman Gail Wood opened nominations for the position of Secretary of the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee. It was moved by Richard Moore that Steward Chipman's name be offered for nomination as Secretary of the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee. It was seconded by Gail Wood and approved by a vote of 3-0. It was moved by Richard Moore, seconded by Stewart Chipman and approved by a vote of 3-0 to close the nominations for Secretary. Stewart Chipman was elected by Secretary of the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee by a vote of 3-0. Stabilization Fund The Committee reviewed the information previously discussed with Town Accountant Richard Foley and the water rate and sewer rate data from the last six fiscal years. The problem has been the use of all available reserve/emergency funds to offset rates. Available funds would be those in excess of the minimum balance of $200,000 in each of the water and sewer enterprise funds. It appears that it would have been better to have limited increases and/or limited decreases in previous years so that the reserve funds could have been built up. Jim Keigley stated that he has received calls of complaints that the billing in August is for usage as far back as March in some instances. It was suggested that we may wish to contact the gas company regarding their continuous billing program. Jim Keigley indicated that the reason he came to meet with the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee was to establish communication between the Finance Committee and this Committee. At this time the Finance Committee does not have enough knowledge on the water and sewer rate setting process. The Finance Committee does not have a liaison to the Department of Public Works due to the resignation of one of its members. D.P.W. staff will submit meeting notices and packages for all Water and Sewer Advisory Committees to a Fincom liaison once one has been appointed. The Committee informed Mr. Keigley that D.P.W. and Finance Department staff is preparing a report on staffing and financial ramifications of increased reading and billing. . The Water and Sewer Advisory Committee has been concentrating on the water supply for the Community and a rate stabilization program. The Committee is preparing a chart showing actual fluctuations in water and sewer rates and what the effects of a stabilization guideline would have done for those fluctuations. Mr. Keigley left the meeting at 9:05 P.M. Stewart recommended that he and Richard prepare information for the Board of Selectmen to be reviewed by the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee prior to the September 17th meeting. Water/Sewer Rate Hearing Richard Moore had read an article stating that there had been no notification of any water and sewer rate hearing and suggested that an article could be put in the Reading Notes identifying the hearing dates. If there was a stabilization fund of sufficient amount the rates could be set early. Production Well Pump Test Pump tests were held wells #13 and #66-8 and no levels of contamination were found in monitoring wells. It is expected that D.E.P. will lift all pumping restrictions on the Town's production wells in the area of the gas spill. Ted informed the Committee that his recommendation to this Committee and the Board of Selectmen would be to remove the present outdoor water use restrictions and request the community go to voluntary restrictions continued on an odd/even basis with no hourly restrictions on the day that watering would be allowed. The Committee endorsed this recommendation. Water Treatment Plant Staffing Ted informed the Committee that a local citizen was hired to for the new position of Operator in Training and had started employment. There are two vacancies presently in this division, interviews had been completed and approval of the Town Manager was received to fill those positions. Both individuals have a grade 4 operators license, one will be starting on September 17, 1997 and the other on September 24, 1997. This will be the first time we will be fully staffed since mid June of this year. It was moved by Stewart Chipman, and seconded by Richard Moore and approved by a vote of 3-0 to adjourn the meeting at 9:55 PM.