February 18, 2015
A regular meeting was called to order by Acting Chairperson Michael Caron at 12:07 pm. Commissioners present were Paul Poulin and Lucien Langlois via telephone. Absent from this meeting was Paul Ingersoll. Ex-officio member Mayor Paul Grenier attended. Also present for this meeting was Superintendent Craig Carrigan and Lynne C. Lessard and former Superintendent Viens who was via skype.
Under Public/Board Comments: Mayor Grenier was impressed the way that Public Works Department and Berlin Water Works worked cohesively together for the serious water break event on Sunday, February 15th, 2015. Both entities worked in unity to resolve the situation. Chair Caron stated that there were plenty of community comments that he heard.
It was moved by Commissioner Poulin, seconded by Mayor Grenier, with all in favor, to accept and place on file, the Minutes of January 21, 2015.
Under the Berlin Water Works Monthly Status Report dated February 13, 2015, Craig reviewed the following with the Board:
1. The vacuum system at the plant is working well.
2. Matt Carter has been in training and is now part of the rotation coverage.
3. Charlie Fritz from EII has been at the plant working on the dell hard drive.
4. A new Meter Totalizer for the Burgess Bio should be in this week to insure correct meter readings.
5. The staff has been working on frozen meters. Our first in ground freeze-up on January 9th, 2015. , because of frost in the ground and lack of early snow. We started our first group of nine (9) early running water customers on January 26th and the remaining fifty-five (55) customers on February 4th. The thirty seven (37) severe running water customers were started on February 9th, making a total of 101 customers on the program. More freeze-ups happened since Sunday due to the water main break.
6. The staff met with NHDOT Engineers at their Lancaster office to discuss the permitting for the 110 High Pressure Line. We have been working on obtaining the permit for the last three (3) years. Their concern is that with this project, BWW may have to dig in the road. We are going to provide more detailed drawings.
7. The wall at the office has been completed. We will wait until the spring to install the fencing.
8. We have been looking at entering a three-year (3) service contract with Time Warner Cable instead of using Fairpoint for our internet services.
9. The quarterly water bills were sent out for February 1st with the due date March 3rd.
10. We had been making good progress on the stopped meters, however; due to freeze-ups, we have put this work on hold.
11. The staff attended an Emergency Response Committee meeting to review the consultant’s bid for a Mitigation Plan which the City of Berlin needs to have updated and them approved by FEMA.
12. BWW received the Utility of the Year Award from the NEWWA on January 15th, 2015 at the annual meeting in Concord. An article was printed in the Berlin Daily Sun’s in the January 31st, 2015 edition.
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 13th, 2015.
It was moved by Mayor Grenier, seconded by Commissioner Poulin with all in favor to accept and place on file the January, 2015 Cashier’s report after Craig said that the payroll was higher in January than was in December due to former Superintendent’s severance package. Also under the Expenses, we paid $100k in advance for the RUS #05 Loan and opened a $312k Certificate of Deposit. Also at this time, he stated that the Provan & Lorber Engineering Contract has been paid in full/made whole by both the NHDOT Project and the NHSRL #08 Loan.
Under Old Business:
a. Project Status:
1. Hydro-Bidding and Project –Construction On-Going, Purchase Orders Status: Craig informed the Board that the PSNH inter-connection report is now complete. The generator has not yet arrived. Cross Machine is to connect as part of their contract. The MCC panel is being manufactured. A progress meeting is to be held with Andy Shape of Provan & Lorber, Lee Carroll & Steve Binette of Ray’s Electric.
2. Riverside Drive City Project – Tracing and Water Main Design Status: City Manager Wheeler informed Craig that they are doing more video for this project. There was nothing further to report.
b. AFSCME Local #1444 Contract – Letter sent to Union Status: A letter was drafted and is now for the AFSCME 93 to review.
c. 103 Cedar Street Issue – Primex Additional Payment: City Manager Wheeler informed Craig that the work is complete and residents are moving back in. We have not received the actual cost as of yet. Acting Chair Caron asked if a plan of action was in place in the event another incident was to happen. Craig said that there is a plan in place but he feels the sewer department did not have the equipment to handle the situation correctly. Mayor Grenier stated that a new Vacuum Truck has been ordered and should arrive this spring. Former Supt. Viens suggested that Craig check with the City if they are interested in selling their old piece of equipment as we could utilize this for cleaning out the sludge at the treatment plant. Craig said that he will contract City Manager
Wheeler regarding a purchase.
d. Barry Kelley Easement Status: The staff met with City Manager Wheeler on this issue and he was going to contact Mr. Kelley to finalize the deal. Berlin Water Works will pay for the legal cost for the land transactions from the NHSRL #08 funds.
e. Sign Signature Pages for Emergency Manual & Indemnity Agreements that were approved at the January 21, 2015 meeting – Status: The Board signed the necessary documents.
f. BWW #15-01 - $2m NHDES Loan Approval & Completed Environmental Review – Status: Craig informed the Board that we have been approved and awarded the $2m Loan and that the Environmental Review is complete. We are in the process of submitting a pay request to the State to open the loan.
g. Other Old Business:
1. Craig said that we have three (3) temp employees hired last construction season that are drawing on unemployment. They should be returning this season. The remainder of temp’s hired have found permanent jobs so we are looking for at least four (4) – five (5) temporary employees for this season. Craig has contacted the unemployment office to find interested and qualified candidates that we could hire.
2. As a note from the above topic of the Indemnity Agreement, Craig did contact Dave Witham of Primex and was informed that this is more of an “in-house” agreement and something that the insurance company would not cover. Former Supt. Viens suggested that Craig contact City Manager Wheeler as to what the City has in place.
3. The Board received a copy of the “Governance Letter” from our Auditors, Melanson-Heath dated January 5th, 2015. The Auditors said that this is a new professional standard that they must adhere to. It lays out what was required of the firm throughout the audit. Mayor Grenier said that is standard and more extensive than the Management Letter that the Board received.
Under New Business:
a. Review & Approve Red Flag Policy: The Board reviewed and signed the Red Flag Policy. This program is intended to identify red flags that will alert our employees when new or existing accounts are opened using false information, protect against the establishment of false accounts, methods to ensure existing accounts were not opened using false information, and measures to respond to such events. Craig informed the Board that Commissioner Langlois comments were added to the Security Procedures in that Item #06, which in part reads that the Fire Department has a key for the treatment plant facility. He stated that they have keys to all of BWW’s Knox box locations.
b. Review and Approve Construction Charge Out Rates: After discussion, the labor rates have dropped this year because of the cost for employee benefits package and one of the higher employee rates used has retired and that the health insurance plan was also a factor. The equipment only rate remains the same but a change for the 3/4” tap has increased from $80.00 to $125.00. It was moved by Commissioner Langlois, seconded by Mayor Grenier to approve the new rates effective April 1st, 2015 thru March 31st, 2016. Please note that the funding agencies also receive BWW’s Charge out Rates for construction projects.
c. Set up meeting with City Council to update BWW plans (as suggested at 09/24/14 meeting): After discussion, the Berlin Water Works will meet with the Mayor and Council in the near future.
d. RE-Decking River Street Bridge: Craig is looking at various options to replace the bridge decking as this is the route we use to store construction materials on City land. We will try to have this funded thru the SRL #0231010-08. Estimated to be about $10k.
e. Non-Union Employee Reviews: Craig informed the Board that he will begin the reviews later this month.
f. Approve Other and Communications: Robert Daniel has since replaced Dan Dudley for the State Revolving Loan Projects. There was nothing else to report.
The Board agreed to hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on March 18, 2015 at noon at their 55 Willow Street Location.
Under Public/Board Comments: Craig and the Board discussed the water break that occurred Sunday night February 15th, 2015 on Jericho Road. Craig said that we followed our procedures in trying to isolate the break. The leak was finally located off the road. The cracked water main was about thirty (18) feet in length and water loss of approximately 5,000 gallons of water per minute. The backup well on the East Milan Road were activated adding about 1,000 gallons back into the system. Treatment Plant Operator Donny Labrecque called Rick Skarinka of NHDES. Wade Pelham called on behalf of Rick and wanted BWW to do some random samples in the City for bacteria. Twelve (12) samples were taken and all passed. As part of Standard Operating Procedures, NHDES has to be
contacted for major breaks in the system. Also, as part of the procedure, we address the water needs for the Androscoggin Valley Hospital, Nursing Homes and both prisons. Dave Patry, Superintendent of Gorham Water Works came out on Sunday night, to offer assistance. Gorham crews assisted BWW on Monday to help with customer freeze-ups. Bryan Lamirande, Administrator for the School System and Mike Perreault, Public Works Director were also out helping to locate the leak. The Public Works Department crew was instrumental in helping thaw valves with their boiler. Former Superintendent Viens suggested that BWW should look into purchasing a “steam jenny”. The community support was fantastic. People were bringing crews food and drinks. There was a lot of positive feedback from the public. Mike Perreault thinks that a protocol to involve other parties, such as the Police Department, etc. in the event of an emergency. A meeting
will be scheduled by Mr. Perreault. The Board was pleased with the community support.
The Board did not enter into a non-public session.
There being no further business to come before this meeting, it was moved by Mayor Grenier, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to adjourn this meeting.
The meeting did so adjourn at 1:00pm.
A True Record: Attest: ___________________________________
Paul Poulin, Clerk of the Board
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