Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners

Town Hall Conference Room

September 16, 2005

Minutes

 

The Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioner’s meeting was called to order at 3:00 pm by Town Administrator Tim Smith.  This is the first meeting of the newly appointed Board of Water Commissioners (BWC), as authorized by the May 2 2005 annual town election that approved an amendment to the town charter establishing a BWC separate from the Board of Selectmen (BOS).  The charter revision gave the BOS the responsibility to appoint the members of the new Board to staggered 3 year terms.

 

Commissioners present:  Mark Berry (3 year term), Erik Mitchell (3 year term), Jean Schaefer (1 year term), Lynn Hiller (2 year term), Moe Barocas (2 year term).

 

Commissioners absent:  none.

 

Other attendees of note:  Dale Donovan, Selectman & Helen M. Wilson, Selectwoman, both past Water Commissioners chairmen; Ben Gitlow, chairman of Water Issues Advisory Committee; Tim Smith, Town Administrator.

 

Adoption of Rules of Procedure:  The new BWC reviewed and/or established that: 

 

1)                  BWC meeting will be held the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month, unless the BWC decides otherwise.  The meetings will be held in the Senior Center conference room, 7pm - 9pm.  (Next meeting does not conform to this schedule - see below).

2)                  Quorum needed to have a meeting is 3 BWC members.

3)                  Town employee, Mary Rogers, will only be available to take minutes of BWC meetings between 8 am and noon, Monday - Friday.  Consequently, Ms. Rogers will write the minutes using an audio tape of the evening meetings.  Procedural details will be worked out between the BWC secretary and Ms. Rogers.

4)                  Approved minutes & requests to post future meetings (48 hour notice required) will go to Town Clerk’s office.  Approved minutes will be distributed to BOS, Town Administrator and (hopefully) posted on the town web site.  Agendas will go to Linda Smulligan for posting on town web site.  (Posting of minutes and other materials on the web site will be worked out with Rex Peterson.)

 

Annual Organization:  Election of Officers:

Chairman:  Mark Berry (5 - 0 in favor)

Vice Chairman:  Erik Mitchell, (5 - 0 in favor)

Secretary/Clerk:  Jean Schaefer, (5 - 0 in favor)

 

Near Future Focus for BWC:  Educational process to bring all members up to the same level of understanding.  This would include (among others):

1)      Review & discussion of materials provided by Tim Smith which was: 

a.      US Geological Study Scientific Investigation Report 2004-5014 (USGS SIR 2004-5014),

b.      5/24/05 legal opinion by Attorney John Giorgio (Kopelman & Paige, PC, Wellfleet’s Town Council)

c.      Preliminary Water System Master Plan by Environmental Partners (EP)

d.      MGL Chapter 41, Section 69B

e.      Procedures & form to file minutes with Town Clerk and others.

f.        Wellfleet Municipal Water System (WMWS) Rules and Regulations

g.      Wellfleet Harbor Area Municipal Water system (WHAMWS) Rules and Regulations

h.      Town of Wellfleet Charter, amended 5/2/2005

2)      Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) offer to meet with the BWC to provide instruction and assistance.

3)       Ben Gitlow’s offer, on behalf of the Water Issues Advisory Committee (WIAC), to assist the new BWC in whatever way the Board would like.  Other members of WIAC are Robert Hubby and Tom Flynn.  (The mission of WIAC is to protect groundwater quality by advising the Board of Selectmen and/or Water Commissioners on rules, regulations, policies and proposals.) 

 

 

Next Meeting:  Thursday, September 29, 2005, Senior Center Conference Room 7pm.

 

            Agenda items:

                        Definition of:  Scope and/or Mission and/or Purpose

                        Duties & Responsibilities:   which includes a review of the legal opinion written by Attorney John Giorgio (of Kopelman & Paige, Wellfleet’s Town Council,) concerning the extent of the powers and duties of the newly appointed BWC considering Mass General Law (MGL) and Wellfleet’s Town Charter.

                        Explore possible ways to determine the need and demand for municipal water in Wellfleet.  That will include a review of past efforts, such as questionnaires sent to property owners.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Jean Schaefer, BWC Secretary/Clerk