TOWN CENTER SEWER ACTION GROUP
A Sub-Committee of The Harvard Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes Monday April 13, 2009
Meeting called to order @ 8:00am at Hapgood main meeting room
Attendees: Chris Ashley, Carrie Fraser, Wade Holtzman
Meeting Summary
We discussed the current feedback from town residents
Concerns of residents:
1. Residents are concerned about large charges up front and costs in general.
Here are some responses to that:
- Grinder pumps: we can and plan to finance grinder pumps with town bond money. The pumps could then be paid for over time by those who connect
- Installation of grinder pumps: the state’s local revolving fund title V money would enable Harvard to apply for monies to be loaned out for this purpose and paid back over time
- Decommissioning of a septic system: the state’s local revolving fund money described above could also be applied here
2. Residents are concerned about lack of control over implementation and governance issues going forward
The selectmen have suggested an interim sewer implementation committee be put in place at town meeting to address continuity should the articles pass. This group would have seven representatives including two from town center, one from board of health, one from finance committee, one from TCSAG, and two at large with a selectman liaison. They would act as a bridge group for implementation work and begin the governance work (rules, regulations, communications) that the sewer commission once appointed will take up.
3. People who have recently made a large investment in a septic solution and want to know if they can have exceptional handling in the betterment.
Review FAQs
We reviewed and approved answers to the FAQs as drafted by Wade. We edited answers and added some new questions.
Town Meeting Handouts - Content
Latest Sewer Map (1 page)
Narrative of recommendation including implementation committee structure (1 page)
Principles and circuit breakers (3 pages)
Engineer’s project estimate (1 page)
Financing and cost approach and projections from taxpayer and district resident perspective (2 pages)
Meeting minutes approval:
Meeting minutes from March 26., April 2 and April 7 were reviewed and approved.
Future meetings:
There are two informal meetings tonight – one with concerned residents re: plan at the Salter home (Chris and Tim to attend) and another where Pat will meet with the residents who have a shared septic system.
Next group meeting:
Morning of April 30th at 8am.
New Actions:
¨ Pat and Wade to call people on the list we haven’t heard from or seen.
¨ Carrie to use FAQs to develop 2 or 3 newsletters before town meeting
¨ Chris to finalize draft content for town meeting before leaving on vacation (see section above)
¨ Wade to post “Basic town sewer facts”
¨ Chris to update, circulate and post FAQs
Old Actions:
¨ Draft article posted on the town web site DONE
¨ Wade to drive update and publication of the FAQ list TO BE DONE THIS WEEK
The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 am
Minutes recorded and submitted by Carrie Fraser - secretary, TCSAG
Accepted by the TCSAG before adjournment April 13, 2009
| 
