Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners
Minutes of Meeting of October 19, 2006
Senior Center Conference Room
Present: Mark Berry, Chairman; Emily Beebe, Lynn Hiller, Erik Mitchell
Absent: Moe Barocas
Chairman Mark Berry called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Preparation for STM Articles
The Board discussed some of the recommendations by other Town boards for the water Articles on the Special Town Meeting (STM) Warrant. Next, they considered wastewater management, the Mass Estuaries Project (MEP) study, nitrogen-loading in the harbor. From the floor, Ben Gitlow discussed with the Board the Chatham nitrogen study, wastewater site proposals that had been made for Wellfleet, the capped landfill, TDML, harbor flushing, opening up blocked areas of tidal waters, affects of algae on marine life, and degraded oxygen levels in the bay water.
Beebe said clarity on the wastewater issues was necessary preparation for STM. Mitchell said there was data on drinking water, but questions still exist on where to treat and how much to treat wastewater. Gitlow discussed DEP wastewater requirements for nitrogen loading. Erik Mitchell explained the methodology of the Mass Estuaries Project study. Beebe suggested presenting a worksheet on wastewater and volunteered to create this with Mitchell.
Mark Berry discussed the material to be printed for hand-outs at the hearing and STM. There will be the MEP or Wellfleet Wastewater Planning hand-out by Beebe and Mitchell. Figure 3-1 will be printed. Figure 3-4 references Figure 3-5, so Berry wanted to include Figure 3-5 as an informational hand-out. Beebe suggested stapling together a pamphlet that includes the Articles, the charts and explanatory material. Beebe wanted to include Figure 3-2 in the hand-out.
Berry discussed costs to the general taxpayer. Gitlow discussed MGL requirements on projects that do not serve an entire town. He mentioned betterment fees, priorities of hook-ups, money appropriated for the system in the past, capacity, the Coles Neck well appropriation. Further capital expansions, he said, would only benefit a limited number of people. Beebe said BWC could ask Town Counsel about 1.) betterments, 2.) proceeding with the design phase for a project that did not serve the whole town and 3.) costs. Berry said betterment fees or hook-up fees would eventually pay the costs. The current Articles’ request is for design of the system, he said. When the actual construction plans come before Town Meeting, the law Gitlow was referring to might come into play.
Berry said he will talk to the Town Administrator about budget for FY08 and money now for printing up hand-out materials.
Berry planned the points he would like to cover in the presentations of the Articles. He outlined: the need for water for several Town projects including 335 Main Street, the fire and police stations, and senior housing to go forward; the need for consistent quality of water; incentives for people to hook-up when there was the capacity to do so; flipping the 80:20 ratio of cost; the inter-relatedness of the three Articles; the possibilities for development; and the time limits on the permit for the Boy Scout Camp well.
Berry addressed the issue of neighborhoods that are not included in the plan. He could envision little local systems in those areas. If the Town does not go forward with the system, Berry questioned if the Town would rebate the tax assessments of properties waiting for water. Mitchell said the Board of Health would grant variances for septic systems in that case. Berry decided that question didn’t have merit after all. Another issue Berry raised was the fairness of the municipal building only policy that exists right now when people who are on the waiting list cannot hook-up.
Berry said Board members should bring to the next meeting other items of merit for the presentation.
Minutes of 9/7/06 and 10/5/06
Berry moved to approve the minutes of September 7, 2006. Hiller seconded, and the motion carried 3-0.
Berry moved to approve the minutes of October 5, 2005, and Hiller seconded. The motion carried 3-0.
Other Business
Benjamin Gitlow distributed a paper he had prepared reviewing the history of the municipal water system and outlining his thoughts on what should be done to the water system. Although he was in accord with the BWC about the need for a water tank, he did not agree with the other Warrant Articles. He said more options should be explored, and he engaged the Board in a lengthy debate about what should be done. Topics included: funding, MEPA and DEP standards, the original water restriction intent of the 4” main, approval of the Master Plan by Town Meeting, USGS studies on the Coles Neck and Boy Scout Camp sites, capacity requirements for fire protection, branches off the water main in the Central District, redundancy, and the SCADA system. Whereas Gitlow wanted to see more alternatives, the BWC stressed that
the Articles were for design phase to explore just that. The major difference between Gitlow’s ideas and the BWC was that he did not see the need for another well.
Berry thanked Gitlow for his study and presentation to the Board. Gitlow said he may put the information into a letter.
Adjournment
Mitchell moved to adjourn. Berry seconded. The motion carried unanimously 3-0, and the meeting adjourned at 10:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Mark Berry, Chairman
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