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Good morning. My name is Robert Almy. I'm the chair of the Dartmouth Board of Public Works. I'd like to call to order our meeting of December 11, 2025. This meeting is being held by Zoom and is being recorded.

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We have today a quorum of two Mr. Gagne, your present. The chair is present.

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All right, our first order of business is to approve and accept warrants for Bill's payable.

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Do I have a motion?

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I have motion by Mr. Gagne to approve and accept warrants for the Bill's payable period ending

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December 1, 8, and 15, 2025.

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The chair seconds the motion.

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All in favor, Mr. Gagne?

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Yes.

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Chair votes, yes.

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Yes, item is approved.

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Next item is approved and accept payrolls.

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Do I have a motion?

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So will the chief set the payrolls as presented?

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We have a motion by Mr. Gagne to approve and accept the payrolls for the week's ending November 15, 22, 29, and December 6, 2025.

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Chair seconds the motion, Mr. Gagne, how do you vote?

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Yes.

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Chair votes yes, item is approved.

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Next item is approved and accept meeting minutes for the following dates June 4th, 2025, June 24th, 2025, September 18th, 2025, and October 23rd, 2025.

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I would move and accept the minutes as presented by the Chair.

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I have a motion to approve and accept meeting minutes by Mr. Gagne, second by the chair.

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Mr. Gagne, how do you vote?

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I vote, yes.

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Chair votes, yes, the item is approved.

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Next item is old business, water enterprise rates, and orderly billing.

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Mr. Barber.

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Yes, so due to the former expenditure of the water budget due to having to purchase excess water from the city of New

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Betsy, we are facing a budget deficit again this year and an effort to reduce deficit. We are proposing a mid-year water rate increase.

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I don't see

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him with us right now, I think we'll move on down the agenda, wait a minute,

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who's that?

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No, I don't see Mr. Hadad with us.

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We were provided a presentation yesterday, but I would prefer to wait until he's with us to make the presentation.

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So with that, we'll move down to all business.

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Be comprehensive wastewater management plan and update Tim.

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The comprehensive wastewater management plan requests for qualifications has been advertised.

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And the treatment facility walkthrough is actually scheduled for this morning at 10.30,

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after the meeting.

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If any other board members or anybody would like to join us for the walkthrough, you're welcome.

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and then the RFUs are due to be submitted by January 13th at 10.30am.

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I know that this has been a lot of work for the staff.

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I'd like to thank Dennis and Sandy and Tim

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and also the town administrative team for the work they've done on this.

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So do we have any questions from the board?

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I was quite an effort putting here.

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Mike, do you have any questions?

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I don't.

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All right, Chair has no questions.

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Let's move back to item all business A, water enterprise rates

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and quarterly billing.

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Mr. Headad, good morning.

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Good morning. How's everyone doing?

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Good morning.

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We're here.

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Right here, Lee.

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That's right.

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No better way to start my day.

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Yeah, really anyway, I'm not sure how bright,

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but we'll see. All right. I'm going to share my screen and be

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able to see my screen. Yes.

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So as you know, I'm joined by our finance director, Derek Guerrero. We've been working diligently.

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So, you know, we ended the last fiscal year in the water enterprise fund in a deficit.

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that we have really made a concerted effort of a team as a whole to making sure we're reviewing

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that because we don't want that to happen again in the current fiscal year or fiscal

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26. As we looked through basically Q1 of the fiscal year, expenses and revenue, we became

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pretty concerned that that was going to happen again.

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Again, so we brought forward to you a couple of meetings ago, the expectation of a mid-year

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rate increase.

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I had mentioned at the last meeting that we anticipated it being around 18%.

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The good news is we've been able to refine those figures and we are going to be recommending

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a 13% increase to you today, but I'm going to go through a give you some background and

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then we'll have an opportunity to open it up for questions.

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So, again, I know the board is familiar with what an enterprise fund is, but for the public,

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right, an enterprise fund is really a business-like municipal service provided entirely, and mostly

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by user fees and independent revenue.

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It keeps the finances separate from the general fund, a tax-levy funded budget, surpluses stay

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in, within the fund, right, that becomes retained earnings to fund future capital improvements,

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It's authorized under Massachusetts General Law, and in the key here, while we're talking today, right, annual revenue

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Must meet or exceed operational expenses. Ideally, you exceed operational expenses to build up your reserves to allow for capital improvements

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Just wanted to start off by here's the operating budget over the last five years for the water enterprise fund

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What you see is significant increases in the operating budget from fiscal 22

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right, to fiscal 26, $4.8 million and $22, we're up to almost $7 million in fiscal 26.

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This is probably the most telling piece. If you take anything away from this presentation,

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this is probably one of the most important things that we really talk about.

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In the dark blue, we have the percent budget increase year over year by fiscal year.

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In the light blue, you have rate increases.

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What do you notice?

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You notice the rate increases have not kept up with budget increases.

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Over pretty much the last four years, the physical 22 was a bit of an anomaly.

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But in it's significant.

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If you look at physical 23, we had almost a 12% increase in the budget.

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rates only increase 4%. Again, fiscal 24, almost 11% increase in the budget, 5% rate increase,

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fiscal 25, you know, we did, we had a 3.7% increase in the budget and we were able to

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recoup some of that, right, with a 7.5% rate increase. But back to that this year, with

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almost a 12% increase in the budget, and a 7.5% rate increase. So if you take one thing

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away. You can see rates have not kept up with our necessary budget increases over the last

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five years, fiscal years. And this is a trend in retained earnings. So you heard me

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mention earlier retained earnings is basically surplus revenue. Obviously being a water enterprise

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fund. We have lots of capital needs for those that were able to tune in and watch the long-term

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capital planning the presentation that Tim put on regarding DPW. We have

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significant capital needs for the water enterprise not only now but we also

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have future capital needs you know in the rain 16 to 20 million dollars over the

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next few years. Again what you see going back over the last five six fiscal

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years right retaining earnings was close to $1.8 million in fiscal 21. And you've

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seen a steady decline in retained earnings.

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Again, we're basically, and we don't have as much physical flexibility.

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We're not building reserves because rates have not kept up with the budget increases.

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In fiscal 25, we had retained earnings of about $240,000, but you recall we had a deficit

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where we had to pull 100,000 approximately from that.

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So right now we're team learning since about $140,000 that that's concerning when five years ago. We were close to two million

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So where are we now giving you some context?

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You know why are we here today? I mentioned it earlier

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We ended up but in fiscal 25 with a budget deficit of about a hundred thousand dollars our team

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projects that if we do not make any adjustments to rates for the current fiscal year

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We will have a deficit of approximately $500,000.

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Now we never want a deficit, but the bigger concern this year would be we don't have

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the retained earnings necessarily to cover that deficit, right?

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Last year in fiscal 25, we may have transferred, you never want to have to do that, retained

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earnings should really be used for capital, but if you need to, it was available.

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We do not anticipate having that flexibility this year, hence with the need to bring forward

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this mid-year rate increase.

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why, right, what's happened over the past few years,

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particularly in fiscal 26, we've talked about it multiple times,

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but reliance on New Bedford's water.

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To give you some perspective, we budgeted $1.6 million

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in the purchase of New Bedford water.

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When I ran a report earlier this week,

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we've spent almost $2 million on New Bedford water

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thus far this fiscal year.

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So right there, you can see, right,

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that's almost $400,000 that we did not,

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our account for. DEP restrictions, you know, as we get into peak water season, we have

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various restrictions, particularly with the past massive river levels. If the river levels

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get below a certain point, we have to shut down some of our wells. That reduces the ability

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for us to produce, and that increases our alliance on New Bedford Water.

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We're fortunate that

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produce. And the other big piece of this which we'll get into is we have annual water restrictions

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and we are seeing increased water consumption from the community that we are not able to

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keep up with again, which makes us be more reliant on nuclear water, which comes at a much

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more significant cost than the water that we produce here in darkness. And there's also

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of other factors, such as energy.

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I mean, you all see it, our residents see it.

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Energy costs have gone up significantly, you know,

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our wells in the facilities that we have

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with the water enterprise fund use a lot of energy.

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So when we see those things increase,

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that's something that we're seeing increased

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in our budgets there.

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Chemicals for the water treatment have significantly increased.

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And again, we also saw, I believe it was an 8% increase

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in the feed that New Bedford was charging us for water this year.

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So again, right off the bat, that increases 8%,

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we only increased our rate 7.25%,

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or we're at a disadvantage once again

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with the purchase of water at such a significant rate.

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You heard me mention water conservation

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and how much water we've been using as a community,

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and I think this is an important piece.

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This compares 2024 and 2025.

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So not a lot of historical data, and this is millions of cubic feet and it's a little

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over seven gallons per cubic foot.

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So we're talking millions and hundreds of millions, right, of gallons of water here.

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And what do you see?

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The dark blue is 2025, the light blue is 2024.

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Now, don't pay attention to December because obviously we only have through when we ran

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this report.

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So December really isn't a good comparison, but we're using pretty much a lot more water

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this year than last year, right?

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And in particular, during those peak months, during your summer months, June, July, August,

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when you can see it doesn't look significant, but when you're talking cubic feet in the millions,

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which equates to millions and millions of gallons of water,

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this is significant.

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And this really is one of the major

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contributory factors of why we're in the place where we are today.

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We're using a lot more water, but we've not had an increase

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in our supply portion.

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So we really need to work on

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making sure the community is aware

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of water conservation efforts and restrictions

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which, you know, we'll get into, but we plan to heavily enforce it.

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All those restrictions going forward.

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All right, you have background, you have an idea of how we got here, why we're here. Now, you know, what does this mean, right, for the average user? We're proposing a 13% increase to all what tiers, right? So we have a tiered water structure here in Dartmouth or 13% increase across the board. Minimum usage right now per quarter, you get 600 cubic feet included, basically.

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in that tier one minimum usage charge, we're proposing to reduce that to 400 cubic feet.

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We've been talking about transitioning to quarterly billing for quite some time now.

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We're going to be implementing that in January of 2026.

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All customers would go to quarterly billing.

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As you know right now, residential is twice a year.

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the average bill would rise from $186.66 to $228.81 per quarter, which equates to about $14 per

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month increase. And we are also with the meter replacement project. We have this ion water. You

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can show you've heard Tim and the team talk about this. It's a great tool. But we have there's a fee

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for that. We're required to pay the cellular fee for each meter. So we are looking to add a $3 per

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meter fee per quarter, essentially just to cover our cost.

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This is exactly what it costs us.

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So we need to recoup that cost.

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And as a note, you can see, ion water is not just beneficial in the fact that as a user,

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I can have the mobile application in log-on and see my water usage.

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but it allows us to go to quarterly billing, right, which allows for greater

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budgetary flexibility with our residents. They're able to better plan, get a

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bill every quarter, that would be lower, right, than one they get every two,

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every six months. And then also, this, and I think this is key, there, it allows us

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in the community to detect the leaks sooner, right? So if you have a leak

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potentially, when you don't have access to the live water usage, you may go until a whole

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other bill cycle until you get a huge bill and you realize, wait, something's wrong here.

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Do I have a leak in my sprinkler system? Do I have a toilet that's running? I just have

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it noticed it. This is something we're able to see in our community and residents are able

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to log in and see, hey, I have water running not stop. Something's wrong here.

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and hopefully nip this in the bud, which, again, not only conserves water, but will result

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in hopefully a lower bill for our residents who are experiencing some sort of issue

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leak in their water system in their home.

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You know, we recognize this is not ideal.

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We never want to come forward with a media rate increase.

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We certainly never want to come forward with a 13% media rate increase.

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This is unprecedented and we recognize that this is, you know, it's not great, we don't

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want to have to do this, but we wanted to put together some comparable water districts

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in what that average bill looks like based on 56 hundred cubic feet and this is some data

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that was provided by Tim, the team.

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And so you see New Bedford and Fall River, their outliers, right, their bills are on the lower

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side of things.

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And then you see there's kind of a significant jump, right?

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But Dartmouth is next at, you know, a little over close to $425 for $5600 cubic feet.

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And then it goes up.

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You see Totten, you see Bridgewater out of the door, and it was $500.

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So again, we recognize the increase is not ideal.

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We want to provide high quality services at the lowest cost possible.

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But I think this shows the board and the community what we're looking to do, you know, it's not unprecedented in the fact that this is what other water districts are having to do to provide quality water to their community.

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A few other things that we want to mention because this is not sustainable, right? We cannot come forward with large increases like this annually.

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And we need to sustain the operation, we need to sustain the finances.

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So you've heard we mentioned a lot about water conservation, and we need to focus

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on that, right?

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Efficient use of water, the tail's responsible design with landscaping, appliances, irrigation

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equipment, and all the devices in your home that use water.

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And it really is incumbent on our individual users to use water wisely and minimize waste.

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We do have water restrictions that, you know, we post every year, we're going to do a better job this year getting that information out there and we will be finding people.

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We are going to be taking an aggressive approach to violations of those restrictions.

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We are legally allowed to find up to 300 dollars per offense and you will see the water department out there enforcing that strictly going forward, particularly as we get into the spring and summer.

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And a lot of this, again, it really is the irrigation, right?

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That's the biggest thing when there's certain times of day that we ask you to use your irrigation.

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We're actually, we're pretty liberal in the sense that there's some communities

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when they have water restrictions. You can only use your irrigation system on certain days

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or there's some that even you can't use it at all during peak season.

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and where our restrictions are not at that point yet,

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we just have certain times of the day

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where we require that you use it,

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which are essentially out of peak demand times.

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So we can provide the water that's necessary

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rather than relying on new bedfurt water.

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So we'll get more information out on that,

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but I just wanna make it a point,

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water conservation is key here

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and we're gonna be really working towards that

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going into 2026.

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We're reviewing our supply costs.

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You saw me in the average bill, New Bedford has one of the lower water bills, right, for

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a resident in the region.

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We want to work with New Bedford to get that breakdown for the town of Dartmouth.

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We buy a significant amount of water.

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You heard me say, we purchased almost $2 million this year in New Bedford Water alone fiscal

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year, I should say.

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We need to negotiate a rate that works for both communities.

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So Tim, in the team, or in the process of working with New Bedford on updating our agreement,

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which likely would include the rate itself.

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We have several wells that are down currently, you know, existing wells in the community

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from one reason or another, whether it's lightning strike, whether it's issues, or making

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sure quality is there in some wells.

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We have wells that are down, well, we are working to get those wells back online.

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and we have three key wells that we anticipate being back online before the end of this fiscal year.

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So again, that is relief that we expect in the next fiscal year.

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Doesn't necessarily help us now, but we are planning and working towards a solution.

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And then there's a few other wells that we need to make upgrades to and work through

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and we'll be doing that over the next several fiscal years to get those online

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and also increase production where we can to provide water for our community.

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And then we've heard this, we need to look at investigating further opportunities for water

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supply and the community. It's how and has relied on the water from the city of New Bedford

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for some time now. That's not a new thing, right? It hasn't been to this level last year. It was

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almost 50% of our water was coming from New Bedford at some times. Historically it was around

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20, maybe 30. But we want to look at opportunities to provide our own water to our community and not

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have to rely on another community on a regular basis. So we are in the feasibility stage of looking at

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an interconnection with the City of Allrue, Westport, some of our work there, so that may be an opportunity.

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And we need to go for funding at future town meeting to really conduct an analysis on how we can't produce more water in our own water.

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And just as a note, I've said it a few times, but we recognize the significant financial burden that this may have on some households in the community, particularly on our elderly and low income.

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and so we are looking at programs and opportunities to provide reduced billing, starting in fiscal year 2027.

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That's something that we do not offer right now with our water bills.

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You may be familiar with the smart billing, the trash billing, but we do not offer with water bills and sewer,

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so we are going to be investigating that to see if it's something that we can offer.

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And I expect him and the team to bring something forward to the Board of Public Works, hopefully sometime in the spring.

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Again, timeline, this, the rates as approved by the board and structure would be effective

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with the first billing in 2026.

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We have developed an online bill calculator for our residents.

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So with the updated percent increase, proposed 13% increase, we will be launching that on

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the water department page.

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It allows you to essentially go in.

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You have to select your meter size, which most of our residential meters are one inch to him, right?

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Yes, most of us, some old meters are five, eight, and three core, but yes

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Yeah, so but your bill, if you have a previous bill, your bill will tell you what your

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00:25:10,990 --> 00:25:16,610
Peter size is and then you can put in your usage and you can again, you can get that from previous bill

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This is based on monthly usage, so if you're looking at a bill, a semi-annual bill,

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divide that by six right and put that in here and this will give you an idea of

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what your build look like or you could even plug in. If I use more water in

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the summer, what would my build look like? So kudos to the team for putting this

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gather, I think it's a valuable tool to provide your community and then after the

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Board of Public Works proves a rate increase, Tim and the water team will be

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sitting down with DCTV, putting together an informational video, which we will plan to launch.

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We want to make sure that residents are aware of this, and this is not just a one-time

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approach. We need to work on water conservation and long-term stability of the water and

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enterprise fund, because right now, we need to bring that stability back. And lastly,

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before I open up for questions, this is what you can expect a revised bill to look like

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with the 13% increase, so the back of your bill has basically the breakdown of what the bill charges are based on your meter size, and then there's the tiers on the right side for the wire usage.

308
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So with that, I know that's a lot of information.

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I hope this gave you an idea of how we got here, why we're here, but we can open up to

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questions.

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I appreciate Tim, Gary, and Steve have been instrumental in working long hours to make

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sure we put forward something that is least impactful to the community, yet makes the water

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enterprise bond solid and financially stable going forward.

314
00:27:03,530 --> 00:27:04,510
Thank

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you, Cody.

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Great presentation.

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Oh, you're muted, Rob.

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Yep.

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Mr. Gagne, any questions?

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Not so much questions, but a comment.

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The retained earnings at $140,000 is extremely concerning because the department of revenue makes recommendations

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on what you should have in your service and it's based upon generally what the budget is.

323
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Similar to what they do with the levy and the regular tax-funded annual budgets.

324
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That an 8 million dollar budget, $140,000 and retained earnings is extremely concerning,

325
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and well below the Massachusetts Department of Revenue's recommendation for that.

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So that would be the first point I would make.

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The second point is, generally, since you do have a substantial amount in cost of capital

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improvements that must be done to meet DEP and federal drinking water standards, the

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matter becomes very concerning because generally you would put up some of your retained earnings,

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but since the projects are so expensive, you don't fund all of it from retained earnings

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generally you go out and you borrow the money under a debt service, which the

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debt service is funded by the sewer enterprise fund, and you're going to have

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to make the annual payments on that debt service. And there's no way you're

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going to do that with any kind of retained earnings and the tight budget that

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you're seeing right now. The forecast that Cody and Gary and Tim came up with, even

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at that I'm concerned and I would ask them to watch that on a monthly

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basis because that's very concerning. It's necessary. It probably should have been done

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some time ago, but I think these individuals had done a good job with an excellent presentation,

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and I would ask that they probably encourage the Dartmouth News reporter to view the presentation,

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and then that way they can write an appropriate story with all this information and a link to this

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presentation. But like I would say the presentation is exceptional. Thank you.

342
00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:59,560
I'd echo Mr. Guineas comments. Excuse me. I'd like to add one of my own and then a suggestion.

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The first is that the cost of purchasing water from New Bedford is roughly 10 times the cost of producing our own water. And therefore, when we purchase more water from New Bedford, and we have estimated it, very quickly throws our budget out of balance. And I think that's...

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Our piece here is that in the past, New Bedford has modified or raised its water rates

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after the adoption of our budget.

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And I think as we move forward, there needs to be embedded in our agreement with them

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for water purpose purchases some mechanism to have them indicate the cost of water

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well before we adopt our budget.

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That seems prudent and fair and so those are two comments.

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The last is, when I look at the excess use charges in the proposed billing, I notice that

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the highest water use is above 2,125 cubic feet at nearly $90 per 1,000 cubic feet.

352
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I suggest that at some point in the future there be an additional step added that increases

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a new top rate with a much higher cost per thousand cubic feet to recognize that higher

354
00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:15,800
level of water use is likely to be included or to trigger additional purpose purchases

355
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from New Bedford. And also is likely to be associated with irrigation and controlling

356
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irrigation in the summer. I think is something that we need to focus on. Cody, you mentioned

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that in your presentation, I couldn't agree with you more, but I still think we should

358
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have an additional top rate that is specifically set up to encourage conservation of outdoor

359
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water use through financial means. That seems to be effective. It's proven to be effective

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over many decades and other parts of the country, and I think we ought to take a hard

361
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look at that for next year's rates.

362
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Anyway, those are my comments.

363
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Any comments from the public?

364
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Any questions from anyone else?

365
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Am I allowed to speak?

366
00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:27,880
Absolutely.

367
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You're a member of the public, sir.

368
00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:30,200
Thank you.

369
00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:34,820
First of all, I was shocked by what I heard.

370
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I had no idea where we were in such dire straits in regards to our water uses.

371
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And in his comments, I think it was an excellent presentation, by the way.

372
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And it's unfortunate that the entire community couldn't hear it, but in any case, he brought

373
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up a lot of factors that I just wasn't aware of.

374
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And it's interesting because in our community, country way, and

375
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pay near makers, we are considering putting in wells because we recognize the

376
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irrigation issues that we're having there and the results of the water bills.

377
00:34:21,740 --> 00:34:26,760
The pandemic case, my point was going to be that as much as that information

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that could be made to the public, I think, the better off the entire community would be.

379
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And I don't know how to effectively do that, but if there are ways to, again,

380
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communicate that to this entire community, I think it would be helpful.

381
00:34:43,620 --> 00:34:46,320
For the records, sir, could you state your name?

382
00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:47,680
Ron Winnick.

383
00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:50,380
Okay, Mr. Winnick, thank you very much.

384
00:34:50,380 --> 00:34:58,940
I think you saw in the presentation there was a slide about getting the word out to the public.

385
00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:04,280
One of the key presentations will be to the Select Board Monday evening.

386
00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:16,780
And as hard as it is to compete with media these days, hopefully the local newspaper will pick this up.

387
00:35:16,780 --> 00:35:24,660
And we have discussed ways to get it out on the town's cable network as well.

388
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So I absolutely agree with you that this is, it's very important to get this out.

389
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And it's probably a message that we'll have to continue with all the way through the spring and into the summer.

390
00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:39,300
Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more.

391
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The more often you can spread the word, I think the better off you'll be.

392
00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:56,220
Absolutely. And may I make a comment as well? Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Winick and Tim Bauer. So, also, you mentioned possibly going to Wells, I'm

393
00:35:56,220 --> 00:36:08,140
sawing Wells at Crunchy Way. And while the restrictions that we impose are imposed on on private Wells, they should, but the

394
00:36:08,140 --> 00:36:14,360
recessions should be followed. As a drawing peak water, we're all pumping out of the ground,

395
00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:23,640
and we're restricted during May and September to restrict some of our wells to allow the

396
00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:31,600
ground water to recover from the draw. So I always encourage private well users to follow those

397
00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:37,480
restrictions as well on irrigation times, so you're not irrigating during peak usage time

398
00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:45,140
and also hot times of sonic exposure, which helps evaporate water rather than allow it to

399
00:36:45,140 --> 00:36:52,260
get back into the ground. Yeah, I think that information needs to be more widespread.

400
00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:59,440
For example, I couldn't tell you what the best times to irrigate are, although we try to do it at night,

401
00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:06,320
And in regards to how frequently you should water, I think that would be helpful as well.

402
00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:18,180
And typically our restrictions are, you can water between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m., so non-essential

403
00:37:18,180 --> 00:37:24,540
water use should be restricted during between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

404
00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:28,380
All right.

405
00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:30,060
Are there any other questions or comments?

406
00:37:32,820 --> 00:37:40,860
Mr. Haddad, thank you very much. Excellent presentation. And I think we can have a conversation

407
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about the presentation to the select board as well. Anyway, thank you very much.

408
00:37:49,460 --> 00:37:55,280
Okay, thank you. Just as I know, so we're going to present this to the board on Monday night,

409
00:37:55,280 --> 00:38:00,040
if the Board of Public Works is available, it's certainly going to be great for you, I think,

410
00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:07,400
to attend, and also it would be great for you to take a vote on a recommended rate in

411
00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:08,860
the structure here as proposed.

412
00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:19,620
Well, as to your first comment, I have it on my calendar, and then if there are other board

413
00:38:19,620 --> 00:38:26,080
members that are there, we will attend the select board as individual members.

414
00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:34,800
so that we won't run into problems with the noticing unless you recommend we

415
00:38:36,500 --> 00:38:43,860
attend as a board but you think about that and have a conversation with Mr.

416
00:38:44,020 --> 00:38:50,740
Barber about what you think the right way to do it is. Rob, one of the things

417
00:38:50,740 --> 00:38:57,020
you might want to consider, as since Cody did make, you know, a mention of the recommendation.

418
00:38:58,140 --> 00:39:06,560
If you post that, if you post that meeting for Monday night, after the presentation to the

419
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psych board and our recommendation, we could actually then take the vote. I think it would be nice to hear

420
00:39:14,780 --> 00:39:21,320
the comments and thoughts of the select board and my feeling is as a board we would then be able

421
00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:25,080
to take a vote after hearing that. So just an idea.

422
00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:33,260
Mr. God, do we have time to post a Board

423
00:39:33,260 --> 00:39:39,340
of Public Works meeting for Monday evening? Yes. Yeah, just you would need to get a post

424
00:39:41,180 --> 00:39:44,180
and then Mr. Ganya, are you available?

425
00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:45,880
I will be there.

426
00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:52,040
Okay, so we will have a quorum and if you want to post our meeting

427
00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:57,100
and perhaps what we could do is call our meeting to order

428
00:39:57,100 --> 00:40:00,940
at either at the beginning of the select board meeting

429
00:40:00,940 --> 00:40:03,000
so we don't get in the way of process

430
00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:08,180
or just before this item comes to the select board.

431
00:40:08,180 --> 00:40:09,920
Yeah, absolutely.

432
00:40:10,720 --> 00:40:10,880
All right.

433
00:40:12,020 --> 00:40:36,220
Okay, now with that, I believe we are not going to formally approve a 13% increase in the rates at this meeting that we're going to defer that until Monday evening after we hear any comments from the select board and any additional comments from the public.

434
00:40:36,220 --> 00:40:36,900
Is that correct?

435
00:40:37,540 --> 00:40:40,380
I think that's a good way to approach it in that way.

436
00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:46,160
You know what the slide board members have to say and that they see the presentation.

437
00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:52,340
And I certainly take the coverage of the slide board meetings is quite good.

438
00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:59,560
And the public will certainly be made aware of the concerns and the items identified in that presentation.

439
00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:00,340
Thank you.

440
00:41:01,020 --> 00:41:01,800
Yeah, I agree.

441
00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:11,740
All right, so then we will defer action until our next meeting and that is tentatively

442
00:41:11,740 --> 00:41:15,600
planned to be Monday evening in association with the Select Board, Tim.

443
00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:22,980
You and Mr. Hadad can figure out the posting and take care of that.

444
00:41:24,240 --> 00:41:27,000
Yes, we'll take care of the posting today.

445
00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:27,400
All right.

446
00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:29,640
Anything else on this item?

447
00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:31,160
No.

448
00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:38,580
Okay, I'd like to thank the administrative team in the past.

449
00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:46,960
There have been some questions about the level of cooperation, I think, with the new team on board.

450
00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:54,560
Things, at least from my perspective, are much better.

451
00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:56,860
So, thank you. I appreciate it.

452
00:41:57,500 --> 00:41:58,100
Thank you.

453
00:41:58,340 --> 00:42:00,720
Like you said, it takes a team, so we appreciate it.

454
00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:06,000
We appreciate the opportunity and we will, you know, if you're fortunate, you get to go through

455
00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:06,380
this twice.

456
00:42:06,380 --> 00:42:08,280
You get to hear the presentation again on Monday.

457
00:42:08,720 --> 00:42:10,800
Well, I have some ideas.

458
00:42:11,140 --> 00:42:13,900
Maybe it won't be exactly the same presentation.

459
00:42:14,580 --> 00:42:14,980
No, okay.

460
00:42:15,060 --> 00:42:17,060
Well, we look forward to any feedback that you may have.

461
00:42:17,340 --> 00:42:17,700
Okay.

462
00:42:17,940 --> 00:42:18,500
Thank you.

463
00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:19,280
All right.

464
00:42:19,340 --> 00:42:19,780
Take care.

465
00:42:19,900 --> 00:42:20,360
Have a good day.

466
00:42:20,900 --> 00:42:21,120
All right.

467
00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:29,120
And then we will move on to item C, an update on the operational study, Tim.

468
00:42:32,980 --> 00:42:53,760
So I did have a chance to sit down with Mr. Gagne to discuss the operational study and potentially working on the scope due to the cost of the extensive scope.

469
00:42:54,560 --> 00:43:06,440
This may have to be advertised as a request for qualifications or request for proposal, so I, you know, I recommend we can work on the scope to tighten it up a bit to get that cost down.

470
00:43:07,540 --> 00:43:13,340
Unless, unless we choose to advertise on our institute.

471
00:43:18,310 --> 00:43:20,050
Mr. Ganyane, any questions or comments?

472
00:43:20,050 --> 00:43:26,670
I had a good meeting with Tim on this. I gave Tim a set of notes that I had come up within

473
00:43:27,530 --> 00:43:35,090
trying to scope the degree in nature of what the Dartmouth Public Works Department does

474
00:43:35,810 --> 00:43:42,690
because I think it's extremely important to cover all of the facets. Our Public Works Department

475
00:43:42,690 --> 00:43:49,070
covers a lot more than many municipalities, public works departments. I think it's important

476
00:43:49,070 --> 00:44:04,930
that the consultant that selected has experience with the type of a community we are in public works and has that information that I think it would provide a better steady outcome.

477
00:44:05,870 --> 00:44:06,390
Thank you.

478
00:44:09,890 --> 00:44:17,270
If there are, I have no questions, does anyone else have any questions about this?

479
00:44:18,330 --> 00:44:23,390
The only thing I note is that we've been working on the scope for a while and trying to

480
00:44:23,390 --> 00:44:27,610
get this done and this is a priority of the select board.

481
00:44:27,910 --> 00:44:32,910
So Tim, whatever you can do to keep it moving, I think is appropriate.

482
00:44:33,530 --> 00:44:40,190
We had requested some quotes on the scope and they were exceeding some of the procurement

483
00:44:40,190 --> 00:44:40,570
limits.

484
00:44:41,290 --> 00:44:45,210
I guess I would maybe have to tighten that up a bit so we can meet procurement.

485
00:44:46,290 --> 00:44:46,510
Okay.

486
00:44:47,290 --> 00:44:53,850
If there are no other questions on the operational study, item D storm debris management, Tim.

487
00:44:54,510 --> 00:44:57,510
At this time, there are no updates on the storm debris management plan.

488
00:44:57,510 --> 00:44:59,970
We plan to have more of this.

489
00:45:02,400 --> 00:45:10,020
Item E, 33, Sagamore Drive. This item was completed last meeting and was placed on the agenda

490
00:45:10,420 --> 00:45:11,020
in error.

491
00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:19,100
Okay. Next item, item F, Water Pollution Control Composting.

492
00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:27,200
As an update to the board on our ongoing Water Pollution Control Composting Filesolids

493
00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:35,540
There has been some recent correspondence from DEP in regards to the completion of a recent

494
00:45:35,540 --> 00:45:43,820
study that included sampling, effluent, influent, and sludge at all massachusetts, it's a lot

495
00:45:43,820 --> 00:45:52,020
of pollution control facilities that discharge to surface waters and in regards to tube

496
00:45:52,020 --> 00:45:58,900
and the study is available in the way that it was in their packets.

497
00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:12,080
And Sue of this study also included future options and associated costs for disposal of, you know,

498
00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:14,940
slides and waste lot of biosolids.

499
00:46:15,660 --> 00:46:21,420
There's also a link to that report, and we had touched based on some options, you know,

500
00:46:21,760 --> 00:46:31,440
including trucking, incineration, and other options that are all extremely expensive.

501
00:46:31,640 --> 00:46:34,700
And if you look at the costs in that report, it's pretty alarming.

502
00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:41,400
So we plan to continue to work on alternative options for file solids disposal,

503
00:46:41,400 --> 00:46:48,620
including working with our consultants and our vendors for the best options and hopefully

504
00:46:48,620 --> 00:46:49,560
least amount of costs.

505
00:46:54,200 --> 00:46:55,820
Mr. Guineany, any questions?

506
00:46:57,320 --> 00:47:02,140
You know, I just want to probably reiterate a comment I made on the previous meetings

507
00:47:02,140 --> 00:47:12,880
is that that plan was upgraded in 1995, specifically encompassed that composting measure and operation

508
00:47:12,880 --> 00:47:22,120
into that and knowing what communities are paying to have like with sludge trucked away to

509
00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:31,160
various incineration facilities. I think it makes all the sense for us to consider doing a

510
00:47:31,160 --> 00:47:38,700
solicitation for the same material that used to be taken by Kassala and I think it was Kassala and

511
00:47:38,700 --> 00:47:46,200
And I did happen to go out of this area and looked at a couple of facilities that actually

512
00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:53,440
produce a mix for the materials that they sell.

513
00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:58,040
And I think there is a market out there, maybe not with the company we've used for years,

514
00:47:58,580 --> 00:48:03,460
but I think you would be surprised because you're going to need those revenues that you get

515
00:48:03,460 --> 00:48:10,960
for that material and have a revenue coming in versus an expense going out.

516
00:48:11,480 --> 00:48:16,300
It really should work very, very hard to continue the whole model

517
00:48:16,300 --> 00:48:19,080
why we did the plant where we did in 1995.

518
00:48:19,660 --> 00:48:21,280
So I think there's an opportunity there.

519
00:48:22,060 --> 00:48:26,760
And if we can avoid additional expenses by another company select in this material,

520
00:48:26,760 --> 00:48:29,180
I think it would be great for the revenue you need.

521
00:48:29,180 --> 00:48:35,960
And it might be a company that's not based on Massachusetts because of the regulations

522
00:48:35,960 --> 00:48:40,200
that are coming down are regarding, you know, weighing use of the biosolids.

523
00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:50,880
So, I think that's a good idea and we're looking to move forward with soliciting the biosolids

524
00:48:52,160 --> 00:48:54,220
disposal for compost.

525
00:48:58,070 --> 00:48:59,290
Any comments from the public?

526
00:49:01,470 --> 00:49:08,930
Tim, I think if you could keep us surprised of what's going on and we're entering now

527
00:49:08,930 --> 00:49:17,850
a process for evaluating wastewater disposal overall for the town and I think this is

528
00:49:17,850 --> 00:49:25,990
an important element of that and I think we'll as we go through the conference of wastewater

529
00:49:25,990 --> 00:49:27,110
management plan.

530
00:49:27,110 --> 00:49:34,450
And I think this will be a piece that will make a big difference from the standpoint of

531
00:49:34,450 --> 00:49:40,750
the finances, as you point out, but also the design of the upgrades or replacement of

532
00:49:40,750 --> 00:49:41,450
the facility.

533
00:49:42,210 --> 00:49:42,370
Yeah.

534
00:49:42,770 --> 00:49:42,890
Yeah.

535
00:49:43,130 --> 00:49:50,430
We plan to see some recommendations in the comprehensive way thought I made the plan, but that's a little

536
00:49:50,430 --> 00:50:00,410
So I think looking at estimating trucking costs, we're looking at around $1.3 million

537
00:50:00,410 --> 00:50:04,610
increase in our budget for those costs.

538
00:50:05,130 --> 00:50:13,310
So if we can, you know, if we can disguise these for cheaper costs

539
00:50:13,310 --> 00:50:19,450
and it would work in the beneficial, hopefully maintaining our composing process

540
00:50:19,450 --> 00:50:28,090
because it is a great process and it allows you know us to use the residents brush for the compost

541
00:50:28,090 --> 00:50:34,490
which is at at no cost for the residents and and then we produce a grade A product that you know

542
00:50:34,490 --> 00:50:35,610
that's been used the years.

543
00:50:38,170 --> 00:50:41,800
Yeah just make sure the consultant's got a good crystal ball and they

544
00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:42,420
need it.

545
00:50:42,780 --> 00:50:42,940
Correct.

546
00:50:44,200 --> 00:50:44,800
Okay.

547
00:50:45,500 --> 00:50:46,300
Thank you.

548
00:50:46,420 --> 00:50:54,840
With that, we'll move on to new business item A, wastewater consulting agreement.

549
00:50:55,400 --> 00:50:59,340
Mr. Chairman, I know we're going into new business.

550
00:50:59,620 --> 00:51:02,720
Mr. Winnick is, he wasn't just here for the presentation.

551
00:51:02,720 --> 00:51:08,120
He's also here because he had filed for a water and sewer payment request.

552
00:51:08,120 --> 00:51:17,360
So I recommend if we can take this out of order to move Mr. Winnick's

553
00:51:17,360 --> 00:51:20,720
abatement request along since you've been here since through the meeting.

554
00:51:21,500 --> 00:51:23,560
That would be item C, Tim.

555
00:51:24,280 --> 00:51:25,700
That would be item C, yes.

556
00:51:26,240 --> 00:51:28,040
Yeah, okay. If you're going to introduce that, please.

557
00:51:29,500 --> 00:51:35,820
Item C is water and sewer abatement application, the 65-country way.

558
00:51:36,820 --> 00:51:44,400
Mr. Winnick has stated that the usage through April and May of 2025, as far as seated, they

559
00:51:44,400 --> 00:51:50,820
typically usage from previous years, Steve Sullivan concluded that this may have been a

560
00:51:50,820 --> 00:52:01,670
toilet leak issue, as I guess the volumes were kind of estimated at that type of use.

561
00:52:01,670 --> 00:52:10,650
The prop, Mr. Winnick also noted that during this increase in use, the house was vacant until

562
00:52:10,650 --> 00:52:14,990
June 1st and somehow the floor stopped on its own.

563
00:52:15,650 --> 00:52:20,310
The usage is shown on the graph in your packets.

564
00:52:20,310 --> 00:52:22,290
I can bring up a graph as well.

565
00:52:22,910 --> 00:52:30,430
If you'd like to see it, the usage from April 1st to 2025 to October 28 was

566
00:52:30,430 --> 00:52:49,110
was $20,732 feet with a total bill of $2,712,773 with $1,173,997 from sewer and $1,538,776

567
00:52:49,110 --> 00:52:59,730
from water. Looking at last year's usage for this time period, it looks like the usage was about

568
00:52:59,730 --> 00:53:09,290
13,720 cubic feet, or a total bill that included water in sewer for $1,630 from 92 cents.

569
00:53:12,120 --> 00:53:22,980
I have a question, I'm sorry, in the request it refers to an MBR toilet, can you give us

570
00:53:22,980 --> 00:53:26,380
a little bit of background on what that is and how it functions?

571
00:53:27,400 --> 00:53:33,060
I may ask Mr. Winick, if you could speak for that.

572
00:53:33,680 --> 00:53:35,280
Mr. Winick, could you help us with that?

573
00:53:35,280 --> 00:53:47,300
Yeah, it's the massive bedroom toilet apparently yeah apparently there was something that was in the I guess the structure of the toilet

574
00:53:47,300 --> 00:53:56,620
But I'm not disputing that with the water was used. I mean the meter is the meter and I'm not disputing that I just I wasn't

575
00:53:57,500 --> 00:54:04,080
We go to Florida from October to June and so the house was vacant and

576
00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:08,260
And I have no idea why it started, I have no idea why it's got.

577
00:54:10,640 --> 00:54:17,840
And I assume that, you know, in the structure behind the ball, there's all kinds of different

578
00:54:17,840 --> 00:54:20,420
fish that control the flow of water.

579
00:54:21,080 --> 00:54:25,980
Something must have gone screery with that, I would assume that it caused the flow of water.

580
00:54:27,540 --> 00:54:33,440
Again, I guess my timing on this couldn't be worse because of the issues with water and

581
00:54:33,440 --> 00:54:39,520
community, but the bill, as you can see, is extremely high and I was looking for some relief.

582
00:54:40,620 --> 00:54:48,820
Right. The reason I asked about NBR is it turns out NBR is shorthand for a very specific kind

583
00:54:48,820 --> 00:54:57,140
of toilet that has higher treatment. And I wanted to make sure that we were talking about a standard

584
00:54:57,140 --> 00:55:06,310
toilet. Oh okay. One of these real fancy. No. It's your best. Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

585
00:55:07,860 --> 00:55:15,820
Jim, anything else on this for us? No, it looks like you know after that usage and you know

586
00:55:15,820 --> 00:55:22,500
when you ride back home there was that was an increase in usage, not near as much as the usage through

587
00:55:22,500 --> 00:55:34,360
may. So I assume this is irrigation. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Mr. Ganya, any questions? I'm

588
00:55:34,360 --> 00:55:41,340
sorry. Curious if we apply the same principle that we did with the gentleman from Emerald

589
00:55:41,340 --> 00:55:48,200
Drive a couple of meetings ago. Where would the number arrive at Tim?

590
00:55:50,880 --> 00:55:52,080
I think what we did

591
00:55:52,080 --> 00:56:00,740
on that one as we looked at the sewer portion and then we abated on only the sewer portion but not

592
00:56:00,740 --> 00:56:03,640
the actual water consumption. Right.

593
00:56:06,160 --> 00:56:10,920
Yeah and I also think there was consideration of what

594
00:56:10,920 --> 00:56:17,480
normal water use for that period of time was and that was subtracted out as well.

595
00:56:20,820 --> 00:56:25,180
So Tim, can you get that information for us?

596
00:56:25,680 --> 00:56:25,840
Yes.

597
00:56:26,600 --> 00:56:34,680
I did list the usage of the last year's billing period,

598
00:56:34,800 --> 00:56:39,460
at this time as well, which was about 7

599
00:56:41,540 --> 00:56:42,800
,000 to the key less.

600
00:56:44,710 --> 00:56:57,230
I can, I can work up the costs associated with last year's use based on this year's rates.

601
00:56:59,620 --> 00:57:01,260
Yeah, not the new rates, Tim.

602
00:57:01,620 --> 00:57:04,240
No, no, no, that's why 25 but July.

603
00:57:05,000 --> 00:57:05,420
Right.

604
00:57:05,620 --> 00:57:06,900
One 25 rates, yes.

605
00:57:07,100 --> 00:57:09,560
Okay. And then can you bring that back to us?

606
00:57:09,700 --> 00:57:12,420
And the payment is held in a payment, is that right?

607
00:57:13,240 --> 00:57:19,860
Yeah, we do. We do recommend that name. It's a made. They can be refunded based on the payment so, you know, but

608
00:57:23,030 --> 00:57:27,590
The just so, you know, there are interests and the man's place on the account

609
00:57:28,390 --> 00:57:35,330
And then and we can work with the we work with the collective office as well on that. Yeah, I paid the bill. Okay. All right

610
00:57:35,890 --> 00:57:42,850
Right so so it this is important because we get these requests from time to time and

611
00:57:43,950 --> 00:57:50,430
We need to be consistent so we're fair with everyone that we that comes before us.

612
00:57:51,930 --> 00:57:57,690
And there's also a wide range of reasons this happens in the next item.

613
00:57:59,050 --> 00:58:04,190
It was an irrigation system and that raises different issues there.

614
00:58:05,730 --> 00:58:13,310
All right, are you comfortable, sir, coming back next month and when we have more information

615
00:58:13,310 --> 00:58:15,890
in front of us and we can actually make a decision on this?

616
00:58:16,530 --> 00:58:16,930
Sure.

617
00:58:17,950 --> 00:58:18,170
Okay.

618
00:58:19,170 --> 00:58:21,650
And I can reach out, Mr. Winnick, once we have a

619
00:58:21,650 --> 00:58:24,290
mad calculation to inform you of it.

620
00:58:25,090 --> 00:58:25,930
Yeah, that'd be fine.

621
00:58:26,330 --> 00:58:27,410
Okay. I appreciate you work.

622
00:58:27,830 --> 00:58:28,410
Yeah, thank you.

623
00:58:28,770 --> 00:58:28,970
Absolutely.

624
00:58:29,130 --> 00:58:31,190
Yeah, Mr. Winnick, we want to get this right.

625
00:58:32,130 --> 00:58:34,070
You know, there's a fair amount of money involved and we,

626
00:58:34,250 --> 00:58:38,430
as I say, we try and treat these kinds of requests

627
00:58:39,330 --> 00:58:40,530
consistently and fairly.

628
00:58:40,530 --> 00:58:52,110
So. Very good. Thank you. All right. Thank you. We'll hopefully we'll see you next month. Yes, sir. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it. Right.

629
00:58:54,530 --> 00:59:03,090
Tim is the owner of 15 Puritan street with us. Do you see?

630
00:59:03,850 --> 00:59:11,910
I don't see them here. We were unable to get in touch with them. We didn't have any email

631
00:59:11,910 --> 00:59:18,890
just so we can continue to try to contact them and I can put this on the next meeting unless

632
00:59:18,890 --> 00:59:26,050
they view show up later in the meeting. Yeah, I'd like to have the property owner here when we

633
00:59:26,050 --> 00:59:34,990
talk about this in case there's anything else that comes up all right and then Tim this by the way

634
00:59:34,990 --> 00:59:44,430
this item 15 period in street looks a little bit like the one we did last month or in terms of

635
00:59:44,430 --> 00:59:55,810
it's an outdoor water use and so there wouldn't be any implications to the sewer so it would seem

636
00:59:55,810 --> 00:59:59,970
appropriate to handle that pretty much the same way as the other one so if you could come back

637
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:29,820
We're back with a specific recommendation. Yeah, the only difference is, is that just time to send you back to the sewer. So we have you, right? We have to be also with you. Right. Can you and is that that stands for separate process? Yes. Can you initiate that process and make that part of the report back? Yes. Okay. Thank you. All right. Let's go back to item.

638
01:00:29,820 --> 01:00:33,720
new business, A, wastewater consulting agreement?

639
01:00:37,120 --> 01:00:44,100
So this agreement is specifically for the consultation review and analysis of proposed

640
01:00:44,680 --> 01:00:52,100
discharge to sewer from the over on Sherwitz company facility located on Fonskontrol

641
01:00:52,100 --> 01:00:52,660
Road and Dartmouth.

642
01:00:53,380 --> 01:01:00,680
The facility has an overflow on their cooling tower system that currently discharges to the

643
01:01:00,680 --> 01:01:06,340
outside the facility, which was found by MAST-CEP by routine inspection, which was followed

644
01:01:06,340 --> 01:01:14,240
up by correspondence with us regarding this issue and request the resolution in the

645
01:01:15,840 --> 01:01:26,200
form of possibly connection to sewer. Due to this charge being from an industrial facility,

646
01:01:26,200 --> 01:01:38,340
We involve our consultant stand-tech to analyze their process and sampling to determine

647
01:01:38,340 --> 01:01:44,220
what nutrients or metals or any chemicals, anything, or NPH levels that are in that

648
01:01:44,220 --> 01:01:51,700
discharge to make sure that they do align with our human facility requirements and the cost

649
01:01:51,700 --> 01:02:00,160
for this it is $4,200 and I have also given this agreement to Oberon

650
01:02:00,160 --> 01:02:07,240
Sherwer's for their review and payment. We would not enter into this agreement

651
01:02:07,240 --> 01:02:15,760
with Pantek until Oberon does pay the funds that we can put into a 53G account

652
01:02:15,760 --> 01:02:18,020
and use that for fun the concomitant work.

653
01:02:19,600 --> 01:02:22,540
Okay. Mr. Gagne, do you have any questions?

654
01:02:23,440 --> 01:02:29,740
Oh, I would make the motion that we approve the agreement for consulting services of

655
01:02:29,740 --> 01:02:31,980
Sure Work's standard for $4,200.

656
01:02:33,020 --> 01:02:38,120
Motion for approval by Mr. Gagne, the chair seconds the motion.

657
01:02:38,600 --> 01:02:44,840
Tim, before we actually take a vote on this, when was this facility built, roughly?

658
01:02:44,840 --> 01:02:54,020
Well, the facility is located in the old Vinny Fair building on Ponce, Cona Road.

659
01:02:55,440 --> 01:03:07,600
It was typically with a change of use when landlords leased to tenants including commercial

660
01:03:07,600 --> 01:03:08,700
and industrial usage.

661
01:03:08,700 --> 01:03:18,240
It's, they've been around for quite a few years and sometimes, you know, this, this step

662
01:03:18,240 --> 01:03:24,080
of notification gets missed from, from when it's permitted through, say, like the building

663
01:03:24,080 --> 01:03:31,980
department for zoning to come and to, as it's changing use, where it's not a new construction.

664
01:03:32,800 --> 01:03:36,700
So sometimes we don't, you know, we don't get those notifications.

665
01:03:36,700 --> 01:03:47,260
So, that's one of my notes said, this is important that we get notified on any change

666
01:03:47,260 --> 01:03:56,660
of views, because it could have an impact on our sewer system, and whether it's, whether

667
01:03:56,660 --> 01:04:04,460
it's this type of industrial use or a restaurant with fat soils and greasers, you know, so we know

668
01:04:04,460 --> 01:04:07,220
So all these, all these viscars has impact our sewer.

669
01:04:07,400 --> 01:04:09,560
So we really do need to need to modify it.

670
01:04:10,540 --> 01:04:17,520
Yeah, and I am uncomfortable that the change in use occurred

671
01:04:17,520 --> 01:04:20,620
and there was an actual surface discharge.

672
01:04:21,620 --> 01:04:24,520
You know, a wastewater discharge at the surface

673
01:04:25,340 --> 01:04:28,940
and it was caught by a state inspection.

674
01:04:29,120 --> 01:04:31,480
That suggests to me

675
01:04:31,480 --> 01:04:39,520
that whoever was responsible for inspecting this project and the permitting really did

676
01:04:39,520 --> 01:04:40,320
miss something.

677
01:04:41,800 --> 01:04:48,840
And I just hope that the discharge isn't so serious as to require a site cleanup.

678
01:04:50,740 --> 01:04:51,960
Anyway, okay.

679
01:04:54,040 --> 01:04:57,540
So we have a motion and a second for approval, Mr. Gagne.

680
01:04:57,740 --> 01:04:58,180
How do you vote?

681
01:04:59,000 --> 01:04:59,420
Yes.

682
01:04:59,420 --> 01:05:03,880
Yes. Mr. Ganya votes yes. Chair votes yes. Item is approved.

683
01:05:05,140 --> 01:05:13,140
And just one last comment. We've, you know, I've recommended numerous times to the company

684
01:05:13,540 --> 01:05:20,560
in the interim that they provide some containment for the discharge. It's not a lot of discharge

685
01:05:20,560 --> 01:05:27,720
so and they don't know the volume. So sometimes to figure out the volume and contain it would

686
01:05:27,720 --> 01:05:28,740
be beneficial.

687
01:05:31,800 --> 01:05:33,300
So they're also working on that as well.

688
01:05:35,410 --> 01:05:40,650
Okay. All right. Moving to item B, sewer

689
01:05:40,650 --> 01:05:42,690
betterment notice, Tim?

690
01:05:43,490 --> 01:05:45,770
Yeah, so this is a sewer betterment notice,

691
01:05:46,250 --> 01:05:49,670
lean discharge for 56 lakeside avenue.

692
01:05:50,590 --> 01:05:54,890
So the requested for the notice, a sewer

693
01:05:54,890 --> 01:05:58,630
betterment, which was estimated prior to the

694
01:05:58,630 --> 01:06:07,570
construction of the sewer project at $11,998.7, which is separate from the order of

695
01:06:07,570 --> 01:06:15,670
betterment, which is recorded out for the project. We need a exact betterment amount of $11,017.7,

696
01:06:15,970 --> 01:06:25,010
as shown in your board packet. So typically the order of betterment includes the lien which is

697
01:06:25,010 --> 01:06:31,210
which had paid off typically either paid off at the time or it taxes through the assesses office

698
01:06:31,210 --> 01:06:36,490
and they would discharge that wing. The order of adamant, the notice of adamant is us

699
01:06:37,570 --> 01:06:44,210
notifying all residents that there will be a adamant coming in and you know if there are any

700
01:06:44,210 --> 01:06:51,610
transfers of property that goes with the deed. So this property is going through a transfer

701
01:06:51,610 --> 01:06:55,910
in there are requesting the release of the notice, which I recommend.

702
01:06:57,470 --> 01:07:03,250
All right, so you included a form.

703
01:07:04,190 --> 01:07:07,150
Do all board members need to sign that form?

704
01:07:08,630 --> 01:07:10,310
I think at least two.

705
01:07:10,610 --> 01:07:12,590
All right.

706
01:07:14,190 --> 01:07:15,570
Any questions, board members?

707
01:07:16,410 --> 01:07:16,830
Mr. Gagne?

708
01:07:17,850 --> 01:07:19,930
I would move that we follow the recommendation

709
01:07:19,930 --> 01:07:24,530
the situation of the superintendent on the discharge of the lane on Lakeside Avenue.

710
01:07:25,250 --> 01:07:33,190
I have a motion to approve by Mr. Gagne, Chair Seconds.

711
01:07:33,550 --> 01:07:34,590
Mr. Gagne, how do you vote?

712
01:07:35,090 --> 01:07:35,330
Yes.

713
01:07:36,390 --> 01:07:38,130
Chair votes, yes, item is approved.

714
01:07:40,990 --> 01:07:46,710
We have already dealt with item C. We've continued item D.

715
01:07:46,710 --> 01:07:54,930
The next item is item E, a discussion of the FY 2027 operating budget and CIP, Tim.

716
01:07:55,670 --> 01:07:55,790
Yes.

717
01:07:56,070 --> 01:08:01,730
The Finance Committee and Finance Director has set the required submittal date for fiscal

718
01:08:01,730 --> 01:08:08,810
year 27 operating budget and capital improvement plans to be submitted no later than December

719
01:08:09,770 --> 01:08:10,610
26th.

720
01:08:10,610 --> 01:08:18,510
So, all of our department heads are currently working on proposed operational budgets in capital

721
01:08:18,510 --> 01:08:26,650
plans, senior capital plans, and I'm scheduling to meet with department's beginning on tomorrow

722
01:08:26,650 --> 01:08:33,450
and morning and early next week to move to finalize the budgets.

723
01:08:34,190 --> 01:08:39,290
Once the proposed budgets and CIPs are finalized, we'll also submit them to the boardroom here

724
01:08:41,310 --> 01:08:44,870
and they will hopefully be on the next meeting.

725
01:08:46,530 --> 01:08:48,930
All right. Mr. Ganya, any questions?

726
01:08:49,770 --> 01:08:53,390
The only thing I would ask Tim and those budgets are extensive.

727
01:08:53,610 --> 01:08:59,270
You showed me a copy of the budget book for the current fiscal year.

728
01:08:59,490 --> 01:09:06,630
I would just ask if the department heads would just make a one sheet on the most significant items

729
01:09:06,630 --> 01:09:12,630
that have changed in cost and value for their department,

730
01:09:12,910 --> 01:09:15,650
not interested in the issue of the salary,

731
01:09:15,910 --> 01:09:16,930
so as a contractual,

732
01:09:17,610 --> 01:09:22,710
I'm more interested in looking at what expenses are rising significantly.

733
01:09:23,150 --> 01:09:28,150
It gives us a better opportunity to put into a focus such things

734
01:09:28,150 --> 01:09:31,590
as we mentioned in the previous presentation on the cost of chemicals,

735
01:09:31,910 --> 01:09:34,510
electricity, those items there.

736
01:09:34,510 --> 01:09:41,470
So I think a sub-reshape would be very helpful and we also put it we do have a summary notes at the bottom

737
01:09:41,470 --> 01:09:47,730
That I request from any any departments that are requesting an increase in a line item

738
01:09:47,730 --> 01:09:52,470
As to why that item of being increased or being requested for increase

739
01:09:52,990 --> 01:09:56,150
For the same reason. So yes, thank you. We can do that

740
01:09:58,770 --> 01:10:04,630
All right, so Tim we expect that on our next agenda. Is that right? Yes, sir. Okay

741
01:10:04,630 --> 01:10:16,010
Okay, you might, since we're going to be talking about budgets, make sure that the public

742
01:10:18,440 --> 01:10:19,240
is noticed.

743
01:10:21,450 --> 01:10:31,140
We're talking a lot about large financial issues at this board, and I'm not entirely

744
01:10:31,140 --> 01:10:44,080
sure that the public is well aware of the scope of what we're talking about here. So if you

745
01:10:44,080 --> 01:10:53,740
could coordinate with the town administrator and the finance board and have somebody just pick

746
01:10:53,740 --> 01:10:58,720
up the phone and tell Dartmouth weekly that we're going to start talking about budgets if they want

747
01:10:58,720 --> 01:11:06,360
to listen in. I think I believe that the financing meetings are public and

748
01:11:06,360 --> 01:11:12,240
televised as well. Yeah. Yeah. If if but we need to somehow we need to get the

749
01:11:12,240 --> 01:11:21,320
word out and be sure that the people who have any interest at all are aware and

750
01:11:21,320 --> 01:11:28,300
and remind them that we are we're meeting and discussing these issues. As I say I'm

751
01:11:28,300 --> 01:11:34,240
I'm not entirely sure that I don't know how to put this politely.

752
01:11:34,400 --> 01:11:37,700
I'm not sure that the public is really paying attention to what's going on

753
01:11:37,700 --> 01:11:40,520
from a budgetary standpoint at this time of year.

754
01:11:41,280 --> 01:11:47,120
In other words, it all seems to come to a head at town meeting.

755
01:11:49,000 --> 01:11:52,240
But all of the work is done starting now.

756
01:11:53,260 --> 01:11:58,320
And the best time to have input or comment or raise issues

757
01:11:58,320 --> 01:12:04,340
is now, as opposed to a town meeting, which is a lot harder to make changes or influence

758
01:12:04,340 --> 01:12:06,820
the direction of things that are going on.

759
01:12:07,700 --> 01:12:10,220
All right, thank you, Tim.

760
01:12:11,400 --> 01:12:15,120
Next item is water connection fees?

761
01:12:16,420 --> 01:12:20,440
So, kind of in line with the discussions on water reading increases.

762
01:12:20,440 --> 01:12:29,040
I was just kind of pulling the board to see if there's interest in the review of our existing water connected fees.

763
01:12:29,420 --> 01:12:36,360
This was done back in 2023 when we also compared sewer connection fees.

764
01:12:37,800 --> 01:12:45,700
And while sewer connected fees were dated and lower than a lot of comparable communities,

765
01:12:45,700 --> 01:12:54,280
a water to seem more in line at that time but you know it's a couple years old

766
01:12:54,280 --> 01:12:59,740
and they want to research that again and see if we need to update any of our water

767
01:12:59,740 --> 01:13:00,760
connections as well.

768
01:13:02,840 --> 01:13:03,560
Mr. Ganya.

769
01:13:05,680 --> 01:13:10,580
My interest is not so much in the area of the

770
01:13:10,580 --> 01:13:16,080
residential. I think it would certainly be helpful to see what other communities get

771
01:13:16,080 --> 01:13:23,320
on the residential connection fees. I really would like to see some research done on

772
01:13:23,320 --> 01:13:30,610
communities that are having substantial apartment complex developments and

773
01:13:31,260 --> 01:13:40,700
what they are charging for those apartment complex units. We're seeing some

774
01:13:40,700 --> 01:13:45,540
and very, very significant growth in that particular area.

775
01:13:46,300 --> 01:13:50,000
And I really would think it'd be beneficial for us

776
01:13:50,000 --> 01:13:53,160
to know probably around the Metro Boston area

777
01:13:53,950 --> 01:13:55,260
and some of the suburbs,

778
01:13:56,150 --> 01:13:58,880
what are departments and sewer departments

779
01:13:58,880 --> 01:14:02,300
at getting for those particular types of units?

780
01:14:04,740 --> 01:14:06,840
I agree completely.

781
01:14:06,840 --> 01:14:35,080
I think it, I have also an interest in understanding the purpose of the connection fees and if we are limited by any regulations as to the amount of connection fees and how they relate to the actual work of say inspection.

782
01:14:36,080 --> 01:14:46,300
in the meter itself, or whether the fee can also be applied toward future capital projects

783
01:14:46,300 --> 01:14:50,900
that might be necessary additional water supplies in the case of water.

784
01:14:51,720 --> 01:14:59,960
I'd like to know that, and also whether a portion of the fee can be of the sewer.

785
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:28,960
Connection fee be put toward future waste water treatment facility upgrades. So if you could bring that information back to us, that would be very helpful. I'd also like to know if we do adopt new fees when they would be effective. And importantly, if there are any projects that are in the pipeline that would be affected by the new fees.

786
01:15:30,660 --> 01:15:39,000
We did have a discussion with a developer a few months ago about a fee increase and I'd

787
01:15:39,000 --> 01:15:44,940
like to make sure that we understand whether we would be facing that kind of a discussion

788
01:15:44,940 --> 01:15:45,320
again.

789
01:15:46,380 --> 01:15:46,500
Yes.

790
01:15:47,340 --> 01:15:52,960
I think the other fact that you've got to take into consideration, I believe Tim said to

791
01:15:52,960 --> 01:15:59,640
me based on the projects we know that our apartment or condo projects that were somewhere

792
01:15:59,640 --> 01:16:07,100
in the range of about 1400 units in Dartmouth. One thing that's going to do is it's going

793
01:16:07,100 --> 01:16:13,040
to trigger those capital items that you just spoke about in that presentation to have to

794
01:16:13,040 --> 01:16:19,820
be put into place a lot sooner than you know a house built here and a house built there.

795
01:16:19,820 --> 01:16:23,100
I mean, we're on a very accelerated schedule

796
01:16:24,160 --> 01:16:26,120
with these permitting for these units.

797
01:16:27,000 --> 01:16:29,840
And I think it's, we're gonna have to deal

798
01:16:29,840 --> 01:16:31,900
with a substantial capital cost.

799
01:16:32,440 --> 01:16:34,180
And you're gonna have to have the revenues

800
01:16:34,180 --> 01:16:35,940
to meet that debt zones.

801
01:16:37,140 --> 01:16:38,100
Great, absolutely.

802
01:16:39,980 --> 01:16:43,700
Okay, tall order, Tim, but we know you can do it.

803
01:16:45,660 --> 01:16:47,840
All right, anything else on this item?

804
01:16:47,840 --> 01:16:53,140
All right, so next item is committee updates, Tim.

805
01:16:55,270 --> 01:17:00,730
I don't have any other than the Finance Committee request for budgets.

806
01:17:02,890 --> 01:17:07,170
I have no updates. Mr. 98, do you have any updates?

807
01:17:07,670 --> 01:17:11,910
No. All right, next item is the Director Update?

808
01:17:13,250 --> 01:17:23,770
I can see 5.79 for us, board, road, reconstruction product, our upgrade project is still underway.

809
01:17:24,430 --> 01:17:31,150
The CT-Piple fall-on pipework has been completed on the X-area and they're working on interior

810
01:17:31,150 --> 01:17:31,750
work.

811
01:17:32,190 --> 01:17:39,990
We're looking to expedite getting that fully connected, tested, sampled in the operational

812
01:17:39,990 --> 01:17:49,390
as soon as possible to be able to work with DEP to get those three wells back turned online for the near future.

813
01:17:51,720 --> 01:17:58,160
Tim, what is the actual role of DEP in bringing those wells back online?

814
01:17:59,860 --> 01:18:10,880
They, you know, since they were shut down due to a bacterial pit, they'll need to know

815
01:18:10,880 --> 01:18:22,620
that those wells are connected to a CT pipe infrastructure and also, you know, sanitized

816
01:18:22,620 --> 01:18:30,600
and we'll have the test and we'll report our analysis on our samples.

817
01:18:32,480 --> 01:18:40,120
So is there role simply to look at samples and sign off on the sampling system?

818
01:18:41,840 --> 01:18:44,560
Or do they have to come out and do physical inspection?

819
01:18:44,560 --> 01:18:44,660
question.

820
01:18:47,360 --> 01:18:51,060
He would know that but I don't think they come out into physical inspection.

821
01:18:51,260 --> 01:18:57,640
It's more on our reporting and basically being permitted to turn those wealth back online.

822
01:18:58,160 --> 01:19:07,800
Okay. So then it sounds to me like this is a matter of a few days or weeks as opposed to

823
01:19:07,800 --> 01:19:09,180
some kind of longer process.

824
01:19:12,310 --> 01:19:16,110
I'm hoping it's a short process. Once we get everything

825
01:19:16,110 --> 01:19:21,210
Everything's sampled, connected, sampled, and ready to turn back online.

826
01:19:22,210 --> 01:19:22,290
Okay.

827
01:19:23,030 --> 01:19:23,170
Yeah.

828
01:19:24,820 --> 01:19:25,410
All right.

829
01:19:28,830 --> 01:19:36,510
It's also the Hawthorn Street Reconstruction Design Project is currently under view by MassDOT's

830
01:19:36,510 --> 01:19:45,850
intersection control team to see if control upgrades are needed at the Silicon Road intersection.

831
01:19:46,650 --> 01:19:55,730
So we worked with our consultant to put that into our scope and submit that to ICE or

832
01:19:55,730 --> 01:19:58,030
intersection control evaluation from ASDAW.

833
01:19:58,590 --> 01:20:05,450
So that partly underweighed and will be planned to meet with our design team in the near future.

834
01:20:08,540 --> 01:20:10,220
Any questions, Mr. Gagnier?

835
01:20:10,900 --> 01:20:15,780
All I can say is that hot thoughts look and road intersection is one scary intersection.

836
01:20:15,780 --> 01:20:22,700
action. If you're coming westbound on Hawthorn Street, you're going to make a left turn

837
01:20:22,700 --> 01:20:29,820
on to Soakum Road. Take a deep breath because the two lanes coming at you from the north on

838
01:20:29,820 --> 01:20:34,940
Soakum Road and you're not always sure one of them is going to take a left turn. I avoid

839
01:20:34,940 --> 01:20:41,340
that constantly. I just experienced that as well the other day. I tend to go through there,

840
01:20:41,340 --> 01:20:47,640
maybe now an end to look at the traffic in that intersection.

841
01:20:48,940 --> 01:20:49,280
Absolutely.

842
01:20:50,200 --> 01:20:52,920
So, you know, in the...

843
01:20:52,920 --> 01:20:56,720
And we had done a SERP head signal war analysis.

844
01:20:58,000 --> 01:21:03,040
And their analysis did meet, you know,

845
01:21:04,100 --> 01:21:12,630
intercession control, so that's what triggered us to also submit that to the Master Start.

846
01:21:13,530 --> 01:21:19,090
I've become very concerned with parents that are picking up children at the Quinn School

847
01:21:19,090 --> 01:21:27,170
that are coming up on the hearth on, and it needs to be addressed, I think specifically

848
01:21:27,170 --> 01:21:28,610
from a safety standpoint.

849
01:21:28,610 --> 01:21:29,570
moving

850
01:21:35,620 --> 01:22:04,120
on to the cross-road reconstruction project, so that project has moved into the 75 percent design phase, so we're working towards that with our consultant and hopefully we're going to expedite this design and get that expedited on the tip as well for future construction.

851
01:22:07,280 --> 01:22:21,140
As you know this year, we did overlay a little into the project area because of the flooding

852
01:22:21,140 --> 01:22:25,080
in that area and in the road conditions.

853
01:22:25,500 --> 01:22:37,260
So we did some temporary stormwater work to alleviate some of that and as well as the

854
01:22:37,260 --> 01:22:39,680
I'm telling the project is underway.

855
01:22:40,740 --> 01:22:47,060
I'm glad you did that Tim, because that curve that's there hices up because of the water

856
01:22:47,060 --> 01:22:53,640
that lays on the pavement and I agree, I mean, it's a measure, you know, temporarily

857
01:22:53,640 --> 01:22:58,720
for you're getting in the water off that road, but I was very glad to see that, because that

858
01:22:58,720 --> 01:23:05,880
is one scary curve if you're heading east on crossroads and you come to that curve and it's

859
01:23:05,880 --> 01:23:08,100
I see you're gonna go right into the westbound lane.

860
01:23:08,740 --> 01:23:10,440
Yeah, especially during the winter when you have,

861
01:23:10,560 --> 01:23:12,320
you know, you have any precipitation

862
01:23:12,320 --> 01:23:13,260
then it freezes.

863
01:23:13,640 --> 01:23:17,200
So, you know, our highway crew did a great job

864
01:23:17,200 --> 01:23:19,340
out there constructing the snow water

865
01:23:19,340 --> 01:23:21,040
to get that functioning.

866
01:23:22,580 --> 01:23:25,780
So we can, you know, hopefully have a safe winter

867
01:23:25,780 --> 01:23:27,820
and move forward towards this construction.

868
01:23:28,860 --> 01:23:29,620
Thank you.

869
01:23:34,180 --> 01:23:36,280
Lastly, staffing, we continue to work

870
01:23:36,280 --> 01:23:42,680
with human resources department, they've been really working

871
01:23:42,680 --> 01:23:46,440
hard with us throughout the whole town.

872
01:23:46,660 --> 01:23:49,460
You know, there's been turnover and stuff.

873
01:23:49,680 --> 01:23:55,940
So I think we've had a lot of ebb and flow lately with staff

874
01:23:55,940 --> 01:23:58,780
leaving and new staff coming on board and we're working

875
01:23:58,780 --> 01:24:02,460
to on board everybody and train everybody.

876
01:24:02,460 --> 01:24:08,820
and hopefully move forward with our operations.

877
01:24:09,340 --> 01:24:15,280
We have a new associate engineer coming on board on Monday,

878
01:24:15,800 --> 01:24:18,080
which is specifically exciting news.

879
01:24:18,800 --> 01:24:24,360
And then we also did offer the assistant superintendent of water

880
01:24:24,360 --> 01:24:28,780
and sewer position to a candidate who were looking to get on board

881
01:24:28,780 --> 01:24:29,680
by the end of the year.

882
01:24:32,170 --> 01:24:43,230
That's good news. Tim, if you have time to read the Boston Globe, there have been some

883
01:24:43,230 --> 01:24:49,750
interesting articles on town financing over the last few weeks.

884
01:24:50,690 --> 01:24:58,570
And there is a theme, a recurring theme of difficulty in bringing people on board because

885
01:24:58,570 --> 01:25:08,590
of pay scale and medical insurance costs, so it doesn't necessarily make us feel any better

886
01:25:08,590 --> 01:25:15,550
to know that other people have the same problem, but clearly other towns have the same set of problems.

887
01:25:15,550 --> 01:25:25,530
Yeah, and the town is working on a committee to evaluate the health care cost and medical

888
01:25:26,070 --> 01:25:35,110
insurance and look at possibly other programs to reduce the cost.

889
01:25:35,730 --> 01:25:41,990
So that's their focus currently and also, you know, we're going through a compensation

890
01:25:41,990 --> 01:25:49,830
and reclassification study, which was originally scheduled

891
01:25:51,880 --> 01:25:53,760
to be completed by the end of the year,

892
01:25:53,900 --> 01:25:56,260
but it looks like it's been extended at least a month.

893
01:25:57,360 --> 01:26:00,840
So, we'll be looking forward to getting that information that we're reviewing next.

894
01:26:02,280 --> 01:26:08,320
Moving forward with that as well, and then coming into this next year,

895
01:26:08,320 --> 01:26:16,100
You know, union negotiations will have to kick off as well for the fiscal, the new fiscal year.

896
01:26:18,170 --> 01:26:29,290
Tim, going back to the reclassification study, I recall that the last time the town did a reclassification study,

897
01:26:29,290 --> 01:26:38,270
there resulted some systemic problems in how the study was implemented.

898
01:26:39,530 --> 01:26:45,870
And I also recall that it seemed impossible to correct those problems.

899
01:26:47,550 --> 01:26:57,550
Can you give some thought about how the board could be most effective in helping the town

900
01:26:59,450 --> 01:27:16,350
develop any changes that make sense because some of the stuff just didn't seem to make any sense, but I also got the feeling it was kind of locked in and there was a lot of shoulder shrugging about making changes.

901
01:27:18,510 --> 01:27:19,890
So that's a request.

902
01:27:20,410 --> 01:27:20,850
Absolutely.

903
01:27:21,230 --> 01:27:23,470
And hopefully it's not rushed.

904
01:27:23,630 --> 01:27:28,830
Even though we need to get it done and expedited it, we need the time to review it as well.

905
01:27:29,290 --> 01:27:33,090
And make sure that all the information is correct and done properly.

906
01:27:35,310 --> 01:27:35,450
Yeah.

907
01:27:35,610 --> 01:27:39,610
There's an old saying, if you don't have time to do it right, when you're going to find time to do it over.

908
01:27:40,150 --> 01:27:40,450
Correct.

909
01:27:42,770 --> 01:27:43,210
100%.

910
01:27:44,410 --> 01:27:49,530
One of the things that you really should ask them to look at is two communities that

911
01:27:49,530 --> 01:27:56,590
I've been working with, and one of the problems is your senior long-term employees get

912
01:27:56,590 --> 01:28:03,410
debt-ended, have a scale compensation scale that's short, let's say 10 steps.

913
01:28:04,750 --> 01:28:10,590
You really should ask them because there's a problem with that because for one an employee

914
01:28:10,590 --> 01:28:18,030
debt ended. It's a core, the core covers or doesn't cover the cost of the insurance increases

915
01:28:18,030 --> 01:28:24,630
that are running double digit year after year. You should ask them to maybe if they're not doing

916
01:28:24,630 --> 01:28:34,710
it but at least do a 12 or a 14 step so that those valued top scale employees feel like they're in

917
01:28:34,710 --> 01:28:36,490
In fact, continue to be recognized.

918
01:28:37,490 --> 01:28:44,590
I know a couple of communities in fact have lost long-term employees because they were

919
01:28:44,590 --> 01:28:49,490
dead ended at a step 10 on their particular classification.

920
01:28:51,450 --> 01:28:58,130
It's very beneficial because if you can keep that employee for another four years, especially

921
01:28:58,130 --> 01:29:03,850
if they're essential valued employees, from going to another community.

922
01:29:03,850 --> 01:29:07,370
I think a longer number of steps is helpful.

923
01:29:08,610 --> 01:29:18,450
And as long as those steps aren't just, you know, the same, I guess, increased, extended

924
01:29:18,450 --> 01:29:22,850
over a longer period of time because what if small increases aren't?

925
01:29:23,210 --> 01:29:24,710
No, I'm not talking about that.

926
01:29:24,890 --> 01:29:30,190
You take the incremental increase between the existing 10 steps and you make that incremental

927
01:29:30,190 --> 01:29:33,150
mental increases for three or four more steps.

928
01:29:33,450 --> 01:29:34,430
No, I could be with you.

929
01:29:35,350 --> 01:29:36,450
Don't stretch it.

930
01:29:38,510 --> 01:29:40,110
I think that's what's been done in the past.

931
01:29:40,430 --> 01:29:42,030
So, you know, I hope that's all right.

932
01:29:43,310 --> 01:29:43,430
Nope.

933
01:29:45,730 --> 01:29:46,590
I'm on an app.

934
01:29:46,650 --> 01:29:48,810
We're working on hiring a, you know,

935
01:29:49,150 --> 01:29:53,850
a couple more workers at highway drivers.

936
01:29:54,350 --> 01:29:56,210
And also we are.

937
01:29:57,010 --> 01:29:59,550
Admin Clark, Stephanie Robello has started.

938
01:29:59,550 --> 01:29:59,850
and head.

939
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:00,040
Given the specific details, it will not accept any questions

940
01:30:00,040 --> 01:30:00,100
so due to the Pfizer trials, by the way, has anybody that wants to

941
01:30:00,100 --> 01:30:09,460
She's been a great job catching up in on oil and getting trained, it's a

942
01:30:09,460 --> 01:30:19,630
really task oriented and demanding position. So it's just doing a big job and working out well.

943
01:30:23,800 --> 01:30:26,700
Any other questions, Mr. Gagne?

944
01:30:28,360 --> 01:30:35,940
One question I have to have the connection application for Delano apartments. That was for 50 units.

945
01:30:49,220 --> 01:30:56,500
It looks like it is a second building going up, and it's an LSH building, so it's all one

946
01:30:56,500 --> 01:30:56,780
building.

947
01:31:00,000 --> 01:31:05,800
Typically, you don't see that many units in a single building, but so this is a

948
01:31:05,800 --> 01:31:10,700
I think they built the front section and now they're building the back side.

949
01:31:11,360 --> 01:31:12,860
Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

950
01:31:16,980 --> 01:31:21,840
All right. If there are no other items and if there are no other comments,

951
01:31:22,940 --> 01:31:26,040
I will entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting.

952
01:31:26,640 --> 01:31:30,160
I make the motion that we adjourn the Board of Public Works meeting.

953
01:31:30,740 --> 01:31:37,140
Mr. Gagnier has moved the adjournment. The chair seconds the motion. Mr. Gagnier, how do you vote?

954
01:31:37,140 --> 01:31:44,560
I vote yes. Chair votes yes. Thank you very much. All of you for being part of this and

955
01:31:45,370 --> 01:31:52,300
all the work you guys do in providing necessary services to the town. I appreciate it. I really do.

956
01:31:53,800 --> 01:31:57,540
Okay. With that, the meeting is adjourned.