Selectmen's Meeting - October 24, 1995
Selectmen Attending: Judith Murdoch, Charles Flynn, James
Haggerty, Chair; Peter Jones; and Catherine Kuchinski, Clerk.
Also: Joseph Nugent, Board of Selectmen's Executive Secretary.
The Chair, James Haggerty called meeting to order at 7:43pm.
I. Holiday Schedule for Clerical Union: Karen Doucette of the
Union also present. Nugent reported Town has received the
Union's clarification letter for which days will be taken per
contract for the celebration of November and December holidays.
For the Saturday, November 11th Veterans' Day, the Union suggests
taking the following Monday. Past practice notes that holidays
which fall on Saturday are taken on the previous work day and
those which fall on Sunday are taken the following business day.
Motion 10/24/95.1: move to set the Veterans' Holiday for Town
Hall personnel (Union and Management) as Thursday, November 9,
1995. Motion made by Murdoch with second by Jones. Motion
carried 5-0.
II. Board of Health - Septic System Repair Grant: Also present:
Board of Health officials Ed Gronlund and Gil Amado with
secretary Karen Doucette. Haggerty noted that the paperwork to
sign for the grant including procedures to administer the grant
was given to him for signature. The decision of the Board was to
be sought this evening, however, he also noted receipt of a
letter today from Old Colony Planning Council informing the Board
that DEP will hold an information seminar on the grant
administration procedures on November 15th and that OCPC also
looks to contract with the Town to administer the grant. Nugent
stated that 6 OCPC communities are eligible for the grant and if
each town pays 10% to administer the grant then OCPC would hire
a person from the funds to administer the grant. It was agreed
by the Board of Health and Selectmen that a decision on the grant
administration would not be made until people attended the
seminar. Kuchinski suggested rescheduling this matter for the
November 21st meeting since deadline for the grant paperwork is
December 31st.
III. Factory Pond Dam update from Conservation Commission
meeting: Also present: Woodward and Pulieo for the Conservation
Commission; Sutter for Finance Committee, Travers for Capital
Improvement Committee. Haggerty recapped the Weston & Sampson
engineer's presentation for Mr. Jones and the audience. There are
apparently three weak areas in the spillway which defies logic
according to the engineer for the dam to still stand. The
engineer's final report including cost estimates are due October
31, 1995. The repair to the spillway is presently estimated in
the area of $60,000 - 75,000 with future costs to be needed for
the embankment of the dam. Those repairs are not as crucial as
the spillway at this time. The Conservation Commission voted the
previous evening to drawdown the pond three feet in the hopes
that a Special Town Meeting could be called to have the Dam fixed
by the end of the year. Hanover ConCom was represented last
evening but no quorum there for a vote, however, Selectman Al
Cavenaugh informed the audience that Hanover was planning a
special Town Meeting for January and that Hanover's monies could
be addressed at that time.
IV. November Special Town Meeting Warrant: At Haggerty's
direction, Nugent had prepared a Special Town Meeting warrant
article addressing the issue of Factory Pond Dam repair.
Motion 10/24/95.2: move to open a Warrant for a Special Town
Meeting to be called November 13, 1995 at 7:30pm. Motion made by
Murdoch with second by Flynn. Motion carried 5-0. Motion
10/24/95.3: move to close the Warrant for the November Special
Town Meeting for one article to be considered regarding Factory
Pond Dam. Motion made by Murdoch with second by Flynn. Motion
carried 5-0.
The estimate of the repair and engineering fee including material
donations may be in the area of $60,000 - 85,000 or possibly
lower. The expenditure reimbursement is tied with Hanover in a
50 - 50 split. At Kuchinski's request, Nugent explained the use
of various lines from previous Town Meeting articles in which
monies were left. These monies would be added to the balance of
the monies left in last May's Town Meeting article for the
engineering line. Presently, $68,000 could be available from
Hanson. Motion 10/24/95.4: move to accept and recommend Article
One for the repair of Factory Pond Dam spillway as written for
the November Special Town Meeting set for November 13, 1995.
Motion by Flynn with second by Murdoch. Motion carried 5-0.
Haggerty noted that Nugent has begun to work on the emergency use
of funding through proper DCPO channels. At Jones' request
Haggerty announced that the STM Warrant would be posted no later
than October 29th and that residents had until 8PM on Friday
November 3, 1995 to register to vote.
V. Taunton River Desalinization / Bluestone Energy presentation:
Mr. Murphy and Mr. Hanson gave their company's presentation to
the Selectmen on this alternative under consideration by DEP for
approval. Murphy mentioned the Taunton River project for which
their method is one of three possibilities. The other two are to
hook up to the MWRA or the diversion of a portion of the Taunton
River. Bluestone has been joined by Eastern Utilities as a co-
developer of the DESAL plant which could be located in either
Freetown or Dighton. The capacity of the plant and pipes is 10
million gallons per day, but plan is to start at a production by
late 1999 at a rate of 5 million per day. Mr. Hanson estimated
that the development cost of the plant and water production of
the 5 million gallons per day would be $31.5 million with an
initial cost to subscribers of $3.27/1,000 gallons. No decision
has been reached on the ENF filed with the state in October,
1994. The plant would be privately developed and then
municipally owned and operated by a yet-to-be established
Regional Water Commission (RWC). Towns could have one vote and
could also participate as Charter members reserving future rights
to use the desal water. After Mr. Hanson stated that currently
water is underpriced in the Taunton River Basin, Murphy noted the
advantages for participating: a Town would have no upfront costs,
it would pay upon delivery of water, minimal environmental
impact, and there would be a cap on the water rate. Each noted
that their mission tonight was educational only, they were not at
the point of a business offering. Questions and comments raised
were on the composition of the RWC, the treatment of water, the
discharge of the unused portion, the location of the plant, and
the need for Selectmen to discuss with the Water Commissioners
their thoughts on the use of this process as an alternative and
how it might affect the lifting of the current moratorium.
VI. Adjournment. Motion 10/24/95.5: move to adjourn. Motion by
Murdoch with second by Flynn. Motion carried 5-0. Adjourned at
9:30pm.
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