TOWN CENTER SEWER ACTION GROUP
A Sub-Committee of The Harvard Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes Thursday April 2, 2009
Meeting called to order @ 8:03AM at Hapgood room
Attendees: Chris Ashley, Carrie Fraser, Wade Holtzman, Joe Sudol
Meeting Summary
Schedule new meeting for April 9th at 8am
New Business
Town Meeting
The sewer articles will be covered in the regular town meeting on May 2.
Connection rates and mandating connections
1. We have consolidated the paper surveys and the online surveys are consolidated. From these, short term and long term connection favorability seems to be about 60%, with about 27 out of property owners providing input. The results were 54% said they would connect immediately, 12% later, and 15% possibly to connect.
2. Given that 40% connection rate represents a significant improvement vs doing nothing for the town in terms of taxpayer burden, we need to emphasize this with town stakeholders. We do not believe connection incentives, although recommended as a tool if needed up the road, are needed in the proposal at this time. The connection rate data we have and its impact on the municipal cost is sufficient.
Communication plan
In the next newsletter, need to cover:
Mandatory connection rate – not needed, include details about survey data
Fincom support gained on Sat Mar 29
Warrant article finalized Tues Mar 31 at BOS. Check town web site
The draft act contained language providing authority to the town to establish a framework for betterment deferrals.
Meeting on financing alternatives
Not yet scheduled
Future meetings:
Meeting with selectmen Tuesday night April 7
New Actions:
¨ Develop property owner cash flow graph with capital and O&M components shown separately: Carrie, Chris and Lorraine
¨ Develop municipal cash flow graph with capital and O&M components shown separately: Carrie, Chris and Lorraine
¨ Get historic O&M costs from Lorraine updated to current (have up to 2005 right now): Carrie
¨ Principle and circuit breaker summary: Chris
¨ BOS meeting prep: Chris
¨ Post the warrant to the town web site – will occur naturally
¨ Outreach actions: Wade to start thinking about a phone outreach campaign to capture input from the rest of the district
¨ Carrie to publish next newsletter
Old Actions:
¨ draft article posted on the town web site NOT DONE
The meeting was adjourned at 10:31 am
Minutes recorded and submitted by Carrie Fraser - secretary, TCSAG
Accepted by the TCSAG April 13, 2009
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