Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners
Senior Center Conference Room
Thursday, February 7, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Chairman Mark Berry, Moe Barocas, Emily Beebe, Celeste Makely, Assistant DPW Director Paul Lindberg
Absent: Julia Willecke
Chairman Mark Berry called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Water Tank
Mark Berry examined the Option 3 site plan for a water tank at the Lawrence Rd. location. He said he considered Option 3 the best option presented. Mr. Gary Sorkin of the Housing Authority was present to discuss use of the old Senior Center on Long Pond Rd. and coordinate Affordable Housing plans for that property with the water tank placement, particularly the access road. The Housing Authority will be requesting the Senior Center property from the Town. Paul Lindberg suggested that as the water system becomes bigger, it will need a water department and office space. The old senior center would also be suitable for a water department office, he said. Multiple use of the building is another option that could be considered. Berry moved to endorse the Housing Authority’s petition for the use of the
former senior center (Map 14, Parcel 2.1) with provisions: a.) there be access space provided to the top of the hill to the potential water tank sites and b.) office space for growing water department be available. Makely seconded. Discussion continued on the best tank site plan. The motion to support the Housing Authority’s proposal carried 3-0.
The location of the school well needs to be indicated on plans before selection of the best water tank site. The various plans of Options 1 through 5 were studied. The Water Commissioners wanted to choose the optimum spot for the tank so that the Selectmen can direct the Environmental Partners Group (EPG) to plan accordingly. Berry moved to choose Option 3 with the tank at the highest elevation. Barocas seconded, and the motion carried 3-0. Berry will request EPG redraw Option 3 with the school well location, a rescaled soccer field to boys’ soccer field specifications, a proposed truck access road (40 ft. easement) from Long Pond Rd. from the middle (preferably) of the road frontage or from the far eastern corner, taking into consideration possible Housing Authority use of land along Long Pond Rd.
Berry outlined a letter to the Selectmen notifying them of BWC’s decision in favor of Option 3, the rescaled drawing that will be coming to them, and asking that Selectmen endorse the plan.
Upcoming Meeting with School Committee
Emily Beebe, Julie Willecke and Celeste Makely will attend the February 12 meeting with the School Committee. Possibly a representative from EPG will be there.
Methods for Payment for Water System
The Water Commissioners considered the methods of payment for the water system: betterments, hook-up fees, or a combination of these. Beebe discussed liens that are transferred with the property. Time period for payment of loans, availability of hook-ups, water capacity, fees for the Area to be Served (ATBS), the seven hook-ups based on Board of Health studies, determination by “residential equivalents,” getting costs in line with other towns, reversing the 80-20 ratio were discussed. The Board looked for ways to reduce the cost of hook-ups while still covering the expense of the infrastructure needed to support residential and commercial buildings. Taking into consideration seasonal or premium rates for peak demand were discussed. The Board agreed they needed clear numbers on betterments, hookup fees,
peak usage, and an actual ratio. Add-in spurs or loops also need to be calculated. Selling water to neighboring towns is another possible method of raising money to cover costs of the system. Berry said a public hearing could be held when the cost options were more concrete. Berry moved to ask EPG to give some examples of how other towns have structured costs.
Betterments, the Brewster Water system, liens at property transfers, a loan program for hook-ups and EPG figures will be on the next agenda.
Open Space Request
The Open Space Committee had requested comments on placement of Town-owned property (Map 28, Parcels 80 and 82) under Conservation Commission control and management. Barocas moved that the BWC had no recommendation to make. Makely seconded, and the motion carried 3-1.
Minutes of 1/17/08
Berry moved to approve the minutes of January 17, 2008. Beebe seconded, and the motion carried 3-0.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 9:23 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________________ __________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Mark Berry, Chairman
__________________________
Date
These minutes were approved at the BWC meeting 2/21/08.
| 
