October 22, 2014
A regular meeting was called to order by Chairperson Lucien Langlois at 12:00 noon. Members present for this meeting were Commissioner Paul Ingersoll, Commissioner Paul Poulin and Commissioner Michael Caron. Absent from this meeting was ex-officio member Mayor Paul Grenier. Also present for this meeting was Superintendent Roland Viens, Craig Carrigan, Steve Lefebvre and Lynne C. Lessard.
There were no Public Comments. Under Board comments, Chair Langlois said that we are slowly phasing in Craig Carrigan to give the BWW Monthly Status Report at the Board Meetings.
It was moved by Commissioner Caron, seconded by Commissioner Ingersoll, with all in favor, to accept and place on file the Minutes of September 24, 2014.
Under the Berlin Water Works Monthly Status Report dated October 17, 2014, Superintendent Viens reviewed the following with the Board:
1. At the ammo plant, our regular staff improved the connex area and enclosed it in. Chair Langlois said he was impressed with the results.
2. We have spent a lot of time upgrading Ramsey Booster Tank to get more pressure to the Cates Hill housing area. BWW did almost all of the work using our own people.
3. We are down to one customer on Grafton Street left to be hooked up and one on Sullivan for low pressure. This goal was identified in 2000 by BWW staff – Eliminate Low Pressure Customer.
4. Looks like we are going to end the year with $1.5m for capital funding remaining and plus the new $2m loan to be added.
5. We upgraded the RACO system. The problem we have now is that the old SCADA system is 2008 vintage and does not work well with the newer software RACO package. We are told that the SCADA software & hardware system life is less than 5 years for hardware use.
6. We received the Primex Unemployment Compensation Renewal bill for January 01, 2015 thru January 01, 2016. Last year’s member contribution was $30,044., whereas 2015 is now $34,547. During the Budget process we forecasted $39,500.
7. The last of the 4-inch HDPE pipe fuse for the Notre Dame Housing Project has been completed. Meters should be read soon and it will be placed on our monthly billing cycle.
8. Superintendent Viens and Foreman Craig Carrigan attended the City Council’s meeting held on October 06, 2014 regarding the two Kelly property easements on the East Side Road and on the West Side of the River. The City will have their Attorney review prior to signing off.
9. An e-mail was received on October 7th, 2014 from Jarret Roseboom on NHDOT stating that the State is working on design for relocating and upgrading approximately 1 mile section on the East Milan Road.
10. Dan Dudley is leaving and is going to be a construction supervisor for the NHDES on the Wastewater side. He said that he would stay involved with BWW Hydro Project.
11. A letter was received by BWW dated September 24, 2014 from Health Trust and a check was included for $10,111.05 for BWW’s Member Group share as a result of a medical rebate.
12. The Superintendent and staff are working on the NHSRL $2m application and plan to submit before month end.
It was moved by Commissioner Poulin, seconded by Commissioner Caron, with all in favor, to accept and place on file the Berlin Water Works monthly Status Report dated October 17, 2014.
It was moved by Commissioner Ingersoll, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to accept and place the Cashier’s Report for the month of September, 2014. During the discussion of the report, Commissioner Ingersoll stated that he was approached about the entryway to our office and suggested paving outside our doorway. Superintendent Viens stated that we have plans for re-vamping the complete driveway but first would have to install a drainage system. Foreman Carrigan said that we could just pave out front as a temporary fix until we move forward on the project.
Under Old Business:
a. Project Status:
1. NHDOT Projects – Status – Done for 2014: Superintendent Viens told the Board that we completed the Third Avenue connection to Fifth Avenue.
2. Hydro-Bidding & Project Status – Construction On-Going: Superintendent Viens told the Board that we have made a lot of progress. The header was put in, the prv was relocated and everything is running fine. The blow-off that was relocated was done by our employees. Ray’s Electric is in there with their sub contractor and have poured the vault stairs and are ready to pour the floor slab. We still have bids for Electrical and the Instrumentation Controls for review.
3. RUD Grant – Spend Down & Closure Status: We are on target, there is $23,535.33 remaining. We have to pave Third Avenue and determine the paving cost and the balance will be combined with Grafton Street project. Andy Sharpe of Provan & Lorber is working on the closure papers.
b. AFSCME Local 1444 Contract – Status: Superintendent Viens, along with Craig Carrigan and Chair Lucien Langlois, met with Mayor Grenier, Mike Perreault and City Manager Wheeler to review the PERLP Petition and Memorandum of Understanding. City Manager Wheeler is to revise the draft it to express what we tentatively agreed to. The major item is totally based on if Berlin Water Works gets a separate bargaining unit. Also Superintendent Viens said that Mike Blair, the Union business agent / negotiator for three contracts and was supportive of this change, has quit his position. Mark Lapointe, Local President has also been thru the same three negotiations is now promoted to the salaried group and no is longer the union president.
c. Retirement Planning Status – January 2015: Superintendent Viens said that he is still on target for January.
d. 103 Cedar Street Issue – Status: Superintendent Viens and Craig Carrigan met with Mayor Grenier and City Manager Wheeler. He said that we emphatically made the point that it is their process that caused the back-up. We did damage the sewer as it was not marked with Dig Safe from the sewer department. The real issue is that the process of cleaning the sewer was not done properly on the second day. In order to show some support to them, we agreed to consider to pay half of the expenses if the Board approves. We don’t know what the total cost/estimate is yet. The Board would like to review all of the cost at the November meeting. Commissioner Ingersoll suggested tabling this item until we have an itemized list of cost for the Board to
review and approve.
e. Other Old Business: There was nothing to report.
Under New Business:
a. Approve State Revolving Loan #01 in the amount of $83,355.43 (14 of 17), #03 in the amount of $48,874.95 (13 of 16) and #04 in the amount of $101,114.42 (13 of 17) due December 1st, 2014: It was moved by Commissioner Caron, seconded by Commissioner Ingersoll, with all in favor, to approve the State Revolving Loan payments.
b. Review and Approve Proposed Riverside Drive Project Agreement: Superintendent Viens said that we went thru a process and calculated the $41,382 final paving cost for the areas we worked on last year. We drafted a letter on October 22, 2014 to Michael Perreault, PWD. The two options are #01 pay the City in a lump sum, or Option #02 – City of Berlin and Berlin Water Works Labor & Equipment Agreement. During the meeting held with the City Manager, Jim Wheeler said that he would like BWW to entertain some work on the road to tear up the entire old concrete road. Superintendent Viens and Craig Carrigan shared ideas with Chair Lucien Langlois and the gist of this is that BWW supply labor and equipment and then we deduct the labor and overhead using charge
out rates to use up the $41,382. We would supply equipment at no charge but the City would pay for fuel and our mechanic’s routine maintenance. After the money is spent down, then re-negotiate the agreement. It was approved by Commissioner Caron, as presented at $41,392 worth of work with these conditions and seconded by Commissioner Ingersoll, with all in favor, to send the letter if final form to Michael Perreault.
c. Review Credit Card Usage & Cost Data: Superintendent Viens said that the Town of Gorham Water & Sewer Department has gone to a credit card system and that the City of Berlin is considering the same. We were contacted by Patty Chase, the City’s Finance Director and she said that there would be a 2.95 percent per credit or debit card transaction and e-checks transaction would cost 95 cents to be collected thru a third party for the City. Her concern is about the fact that one branch Berlin City government does not charge fees (BWW) and the other does (City). If the City doesn’t have the customer pay the fees then I would think most people will want to pay with plastic. (LL Bean Points, Travel Miles, Cash Back….etc.) For the
City, the fees would be huge and I can’t see how that would be fair to everyone else in terms of the fact that it would have to increase the tax rate. Superintendent Viens said that when we started, this was all new and we wanted to reduce accounts receivables and increase our cash flow and to free up time for office staff to support “force account” activities. He said that basically we have two businesses. The first was the water supply. When the mill shut down so did our finances. The BWW staff required more time to work with construction “force account” business with established construction and equipment rates. The thought was, if we don’t have to track the customers down by second and third notices which eventually lead to shutting off the water service we are continuing to keep our work crews out on projects which is why BWW is not charging fees at this time. At this time Superintendent Viens shared our cost for Northern Data
Computer system (NDS) for all software and hardware to run the business. The cost per year is approximately $20k. He reviewed a spreadsheet showing BWW & City of Berlin “On-Line Payment” Cost Comparison and discussed the monthly process and fees for Berlin Water Works. The Berlin Daily Sun’s article dated October 14th, 2014 wrote that city Council Monday night approved a proposal by Finance Director to add those options to the City’s payment choices. After discussion, Commissioner Ingersoll suggested to table this topic until the City has a path forward.
d. Approve Other & Communications: During the monthly report, Superintendent Viens spoke about the aging SCADA system. We received a proposal from Electrical Installations, Inc. (EII) for two computers and software upgrades in the amount of $24,284.50. Superintendent said we do have the funds in the budget but is also going to speak with NHDES for the HYDRO Project for possible funding. Commissioner Caron suggested that the next budget include a specific line item for “Upgrade for Control Systems”. After discussion, it was approved by Commissioner Caron, seconded by Commissioner Ingersoll, with all in favor to have the Superintendent proceed with the upgrade.
There was no other New Business at this time.
The Board agreed to hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on November 19th, 2014 at noon at their 55 Willow Street location.
There were no Public Comments. Under Board comments, Commissioner Caron asked if the Bio-Mass is up and running at 100%. Superintendent Viens and Craig Carrigan discussed their activities and was said that this was their biggest month as they were only down for three days.
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 Ingersoll, seconded by Commissioner Caron, with all in favor to adjourn this meeting.
The meeting did so adjourn at 1:30pm.
A True Record: Attest:_____________________
Paul Poulin, Clerk of the Board.
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