February 19, 2014
A regular meeting of the Board of Water Commissioners was called to order by Acting Chairperson Dave Bertrand at 12:00 noon. Commissioners present were Michael Caron and Paul Poulin. Commissioner Lucien Langlois was present by phone. Absent from this meeting was ex-officio member Mayor Grenier. Also present for this meeting was Craig Carrigan, Steve Lefebvre, Debbie Baillargeon and Superintendent Viens was present at the meeting on Skype.
There were no Public or Board comments. Acting Chairperson Bertrand did extend condolences on behalf of the Board and Berlin Water Works to the Caron family.
It was moved by Commissioner Poulin, seconded by Commissioner Langlois, with all in favor, to accept and place on file the Minutes of January 8, 2014.
Under the Berlin Water Works Monthly Status Report dated February 14, 2014, Superintendent Viens reviewed the following with the Board.
1. Staff has done a good job of dealing with cold weather conditions this year and resulting freeze-ups. There are presently 70 customers running water.
2. Brown Farm Well pictures show that the work completed on the Brown Farm well was done as planned and the only outstanding item is the check that we stopped payment on for Liberty Utilities in the amount of $17,838. It was issued last July and was never cashed by Liberty Utilities.
3. Staff has completed the clarifiers and filters clean up work at the Ammonoosuc Treatment Plant and yesterday had the plant at designed usage of 1400 gallons/minute yesterday with no problems. BWW staff’s plan to clean the beads worked well and it is now more efficient.
4. Superintendent Viens informed the Board that as stated in the monthly report four employees were trained in the removal of asbestos pipe recently. Donny Labrecque is also qualified to teach the proper way to remove asbestos pipe.
5. Superintendent Viens stated that Lynne Lessard did an outstanding job of managing the cash flow from December to February without having to use the line of credit.
6. Superintendent Viens stated that the compressed air system has been completed in the Maintenance Garage. Craig Carrigan stated that the bid price to have the work completed was $16,000 and BWW staff did it for $4,000 to $5,000. Inside work at the garage is now complete. Craig Carrigan stated that when the hammer and excavator is moved back to Willow Street, we will start hammering ledge for drain structures to be tied in when ground is thawed in the spring.
Following a correction made by Acting Chairperson Bertrand on Item #9 of the Monthly report the last line of the paragraph should read “This is probably not possible without creating some cash flow problems and because the work at Godfrey should be done during late summer and early fall.” It was moved by Commissioner Langlois, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to accept and place on file, the Berlin Water Works Monthly Status Report dated February 14, 2014.
Superintendent Viens stated that this month is a five week month versus a four week month so expenses are normal when factoring the number of weeks this month. BWW has only one more long term debt payment this fiscal year in the amount of $118,738. Superintendent Viens stated that staff would work on cash available through the summer so it will not create problems with cash flow during the winter months. It was moved by Commissioner Caron, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to accept and place on file, the Cashier’s Report for the month of January 2014.
Under Old Business:
a. Charles Grecco – Burgess Biopower – Review Revised Rates: In discussing with BWW Attorney James Michalik it was advised that we have Burgess Bio Power legal representative talk with BWW Attorney. Commissioner Caron also stated that Attorney Michalik should reinforce the need for the meters so that Berlin Water Works can monitor the water usage on a daily basis as was stated in the original letter under item #9. Superintendent Viens stated that we need to also reiterate the fact that if there is an overall rate increase that the rates for Burgess Bio Power will also increase as listed in the original letter under item #7. It was moved by Commissioner Langlois, seconded by Commissioner Caron, with all in favor, to have legal council invite proper parties at Cate Street Capital to come to an
amicable path forward on the water billing issue. Board directed staff to write to Charles Grecco to have him advise us who we should contact at Cate Street Capital to meet with BWW attorney Jim Michalik.
b. Project Status:
1. NHDOT Projects: Superintendent Viens stated that he had asked Andy Sharpe to prepare a spreadsheet of the NHDOT Force Account Summary. The handout was presented to the Board at the meeting. The Board discussed the spreadsheet and noticed the comparison between the project work proposed in March 2013 versus the proposed work in February 2014. Superintendent Viens informed the Board that we would have an updated spreadsheet that will also include engineering costs at the next meeting. Berlin Water Works is still waiting for payment from NHDOT that was approved on February 17, 2014. The main concern with the NHDOT Project is the BWW 14” water main that is shallow. Superintendent Viens went over four possible options for rerouting the water main. Acting Chairperson Bertrand
questioned why the difference in price between the BWW cost and NHDOT cost and Craig Carrigan explained that some of the work we will do is not directly associated with the NHDOT Project but will have to be completed as a result of the NHDOT Project; BWW will cover the difference in costs through other funds.
a. Greg Placy has accepted the position to work with BWW on the NHDOT Project and Superintendent Viens stated that he would be especially helpful in reviewing the four options for the present 14” water main.
2. Hydro: Pre bid meeting was held at BWW on January 30, 2014 and the bid opening is tomorrow at BWW office. Superintendent Viens stated that we are expecting two bids. Acting Chairperson Bertrand asked how we will determine if the two bids are within range, and Superintendent Viens stated that we can refer to a similar project that was completed in Keene recently.
3. Water Main Work planning for 2014 and 2015: Superintendent Viens stated we have prepared a draft form of work to be completed and that we recently found out that Rural Development wants us to have the grant portion of FY 2009 Loan and Grant spent by July 31, 2014. He stated that we may need an extension. He does not see a problem finishing the grant amount this construction season by completing Third Avenue and Hinchey intersection, the Railroad crossing from Second Ave to Hillside Ave and Grafton Street.
4. Raw Water Transmission Main – Status: Nothing to report.
c. AFSCME Local 1444 Contract Status: Attorney Jim Michalik had Vincent Wenners contact the City of Berlin Attorney and Superintendent Viens asked Attorney Michalik to make sure that Michael Blair has an opportunity to see the draft and contribute to the joint petition to PERLB.
d. Retirement Planning Status: Superintendent Viens stated that Ralph Lapointe will be working his last day next week. BWW will not be posting any bids for the position.
e. Working on Additional Solar Energy Credit Pay Systems – Approved by NH PUC: Board acknowledged that they did receive the letters of approval in their board package for today’s meeting.
f. Under other old Business: Superintendent Viens informed the Board that Attorney Michalik had completed the easements for the River Crossing and they were presented to all parties including the City Manager of Berlin.
Under New Business:
a. Willard Pine LLC letter to Board of Water Commissioners: The board received the letter in the board package for today and they asked for staff input. Steve Lefebvre explained to them that Mr. Sorrentino had a high water bill for the November Quarter. He called us to check on the meter. When Berlin Water Works went over on 11/14/13 the meter person saw that the meter was spinning. They knocked on all the apartment doors and asked everyone not to use water at that point the meter stopped spinning. The reading on this first visit was 829 so they had used 18700 since the reading October 1, 2013, still running high. November 26, 2013 Mr. Sorrentino called BWW again asking to have a new water meter. We went to the property on December 5, 2013 and the reading on
the old meter was 842. Usage was back to normal they used only 1300 cubic feet from November 14 to December 5, 2013 a period of 21 days. We did change the meter, the new meter reading was 0 and reading for the February quarter billing on 1/10/14 was 11 for a usage of 1100 cubic feet for a period of 36 days. The Board discussed the situation and determined that since the usage was back down to normal between the days we checked on the meter in November and when the meter was replaced in December that the water did go through the meter. BWW abated the assessment by $1,629.00 for the November Quarter and the balance of the billing is due. Board directed staff to write a letter to Mr. Sorrentino to let him know that the balance on his water bill is due.
b. Sealed bid sale for City Properties – Water amount due on the properties: The Board discussed the situation and it was moved by Commissioner Caron, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor to have staff write a letter to the City of Berlin requesting a meeting with the City to discuss proposed percentage of sealed bid sales of city properties be reimbursed to BWW for water charges.
c. Other new business: Craig Carrigan read a letter from the Planning Department regarding a hearing about the addition of three wind towers on Jericho Mountain. BWW received the letter because the Treatment Plant abuts the property. Commissioner Langlois stated that his only concern was that the power lines to the Ammonoosuc Treatment Plant are not disturbed by power surges. It was moved by Commissioner Langlois, seconded by Commissioner Caron, with all in favor to have staff send a letter to the Planning Board stating that BWW needs reliable power service to the Treatment Plant.
The Board also discussed under new business the problem with flooding in the Kilkenny area. George Pozzuto representing the selectmen of Milan stopped by to speak with Craig on the behalf of Mrs. McKenzie and Doctor Glenney. It has been determined that the flooding was due to ice build up. The Milan selectmen were contacted to ask BWW to continue chopping ice at the Godfrey Dam rather than use the bladder to prevent further flooding. Craig Carrigan and City Manager Jim Wheeler both observed the problem. BWW believes the problem to be caused by brook ice that actually changed the course of the river, it is not a problem caused by the Godfrey Dam. George Pozzuto also agreed that the problem was not caused by the Godfrey Dam and therefore, the Milan Selectmen did not request BWW to not use the bladder at the
dam.
The Board agreed to hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on March 26, 2014 at noon at their 55 Willow Street Office.
Under Public Comments, Steve Lefebvre invited the Board of Water Commissioners to attend a lunch on February 28, 2014 here at Berlin Water Works to celebrate Ralph Lapointe’s retirement.
There were no Board Comments.
The Board did not enter into a non-public session.
There being no further business to come before this meeting at this time, it was moved by Commissioner Bertrand, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to adjourn this meeting.
The meeting did so adjourn at 1:15pm.
A True Record: __________________________________
Paul Poulin, Clerk of the Board
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