Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners
Minutes of Meeting of March 16, 2006
Town Hall, Room 205 & Conference Room
Present: Mark Berry, Chair; Moe Barocas, Lynn Hiller, Jean Schaefer
Absent: Erik Mitchell
Mark Berry convened the meeting at 5 p.m. at Town Hall, but the GIS computer presentation did not go forward without Erik Mitchell. The members present discussed Rules & Regulations changes. One suggestion for 3.1 was to add a D section that says: “Applications shall be approved by signatures of a majority of the Board of Water Commissioners.” The Board discussed making other changes regarding capacity to be reserved.
Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners
Minutes of Meeting of March 16, 2006
Continuation at
Senior Center, Long Pond Room
Present: Mark Berry, Chair; Moe Barocas, Lynn Hiller, Erik Mitchell, Jean Schaefer
Also Attending: Dale Donovan and Helen Miranda Wilson, members of the Select Board and former Water Commissioners
Eastham Presentation
Karl Weiss, Chair of the Eastham Water Resources Advisory Board (WRAB); Bill Nugent, Sandy Bayne, Marcel Boelitz and Bruce Whitmore, Chairman of the Waste Water Management Planning Committee (WWMPC); joined the Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center. Karl Weiss gave a Power Point presentation which covered the Eastham WRABs early years; non-residential districts; annual water testing program for nitrates; survey results; nitrate levels from 1984 to 2001; the municipal water supply and hook-ups. Mr. Weiss answered a number of questions regarding their Phase 1 and future phases. Both boards discussed funding for their systems and hook-up protocol Mr. Weiss’ presentation continued with a map of public water supply well sites. Eastham’s gallons per day (gpd) usage
exceeds their supply, and they are looking towards regional solutions or land swaps with the National Seashore in their next steps for development. Eastham focuses on water as a “community” issue, according to Mr. Weiss. The Outer Cape Water Management Project which proposes to evaluate water supplies from Orleans to Provincetown was also a topic.
Wastewater management, handled by the WWMPC of Eastham, was the last topic in Mr. Weiss’ formal presentation. Since 2005 the WRAB and WWMPC have been working together and are planning to consolidate because of their common concerns.
In an informal session, the boards discussed nitrates; phases for wastewater management; Wellfleet Harbor testing results; working with Eastham on mutual well sites; looking towards regional wells within the Seashore; grant writing; drought periods and peak tree season; build-out in terms of water; zoning bylaws that restrict growth; the aquifer; and the prospect of over utilization. Lynn Hiller gave information about World Water Day on March 22, 2006.
Mark Berry thanked Eastham for their input and called for a short break.
At 9 p.m. the Board reconvened to discuss other business.
Other Business
Erik Mitchell explained what he believed happened to the GIS computer password.
Mark Berry asked the two selectmen in attendance for the status of the Charter Review. Dale Donovan and Helen Wilson offered their thoughts on the Charter changes that will be brought to Town Meeting as a petitioned article.
Berry said an application for a new hook-up presented some procedural problems for the BWC. Donovan said that since the application was not going forward, the Board didn’t have anything to consider. Donovan also suggested that the Water Commissioners approach things as a whole board. Wilson agreed that the Board should be operating this manner.
The Board discussed the need for further information from Town Hall files and about changing certain regulations through public hearings. They also discussed hook-up procedures with Donovan and Wilson.
Minutes of March 8, 2006
Berry moved to approve the minutes of March 8, 2006 as amended. Mitchell seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.
Adjournment
Barocas moved to adjourn; Hiller seconded. The motion carried 5-0, and the meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________ _____________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Mark Berry, Chairman
_____________________ Date
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