Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners
Senior Center Conference Room
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Present: Chair Emily Beebe, Steven Gazzano, Lori Vanderschmidt, Jean Schaefer
Also Attending: Finance Committee Liaison Dan Wexman
Chair Emily Beebe called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m.
Connection Fees
The BWC had gone forward with announcing its stimulus package at the public meeting of April 6, Beebe said. The schedule will be the same, but the approach to it has changed. There will be a 10-year period for discounts on connection fees. Gazzano said the final document should be put in the Rules & Regulations. Beebe explained the old fee schedule and the new pricing system which will be put in place according to residences and the commercial equation that works by residential equivalents according to Title 5 flow.
Vanderschmidt brought up the need of Preservation Hall and Outer Cape Health to have connections to the WMS. She also reviewed the DEP specifications on nitrates, which had been discussed at the April 6 meeting. Double plumbing for irrigation purposes had been another topic considered at that time, and the Board continued to discuss the issue.
Returning to the connection fees, the Board determined that they could be set after Town Meeting. Beebe suggested adding to the March 5 decision on connection fees. Vanderschmidt moved to rescind the March 5 vote for Approach 2, Option B. Schaefer seconded. The motion carried 4-0.
Beebe moved that the residential connection fee be $10.000 per SFR (Single Family Residence) and $5,000 per REU (Residential Equivalent Unit) for Commercial properties. Schaefer seconded. A residential equivalent is 155 gallons per day. This is defined in Rules & Regulations and in the Master Plan. The multi-family and municipal connection costs will be determined at a future time.
Beebe amended the motion to add the $5,000 meter charge per 5/8th inch meter which has the meter ratio of 1.0, which is multiplied by $5,000. A 1 inch meter has a meter ratio of 1.4, times $5,000 which equals $7,000. A 2 inch meter has a meter ratio of 2.9, times $5,000 which equals $14,500.
Schaefer seconded the amendment. The motion for the amendment carried 4-0.
The motion as amended states that the residential connection fee be a flat $10,000 per SFR (Single Family Residence), and the commercial connection fee calculated as follows: $5,000 per REU plus a meter charge of: $5,000 per 5/8th inch meter which has the meter ratio of 1.0, which is multiplied by $5,000 which equals $5,000; a 1 inch meter which has a meter ratio of 1.4, times $5,000 which equals $7,000; a 2 inch meter which has a meter ratio of 2.9, times $5,000 which equals $14,500. The amended motion carried 4-0.
Gazzano moved to vote on the incentives as presented at the April 6 meeting offering discounts on all connection fees of 50% the first year, 40% the second year, 30% the third year, 20% the fourth year, !0% the fifth year. Beebe seconded. The Board will define the term of “first year” when the system is in place. The motion carried 3-0-1.
Vanderschmidt moved to add dollar amounts to the motion above on connection fees. Gazzano seconded. The Schaefer said the rates would be included in a hand-out at Town meeting. The motion did not carry 1-3.
Term of Financing
The time spans for the connection loans were taken under consideration. A connector in the first year has 10 years to amortize the debt. Jean Schaefer will work on a draft amortization schedule. This will be considered at a future meeting.
The last point in financing is the interest rate. A flat administrative fee might be a part of the cost, Wexman suggested. Gazzano moved that the same rate of interest be offered to connectors as the Municipal System receives. Beebe seconded, and the motion carried 4-0.
Other Business
Beebe discussed home owner questions on costs and flexibility for connections to streets that come off the actual line. She reported on the meeting with the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, April 7. Commercial owners expressed interest in connections at that meeting, she said. Beebe discussed future need for businesses. Beebe also discussed the USDA grant and the phases that need to be met. The Pleasant Point Public Water Supply System had received grant money, she said. EPG (Environmental Partners Group) are willing to work on a pre-proposal for grants for the Wellfleet Municipal System.
Planning for Town Meeting
The Board planned contacts to make and scheduling publicity in preparation to Town Meeting.
Abutter Letter
There were three versions of an abutter letter that the Water Commissioners reviewed to choose the best draft to refine and send out. More information will be printed on the back of the letter. Jean Schaefer said she would prepare the mailing.
Minutes of 3/5/09, 3/12/09 and 3/19/09.
Gazzano moved to approve the minutes of March 5, 2009. Beebe seconded, and the motion carried 3-0.
Schaefer moved to approve the minutes of March 12, 2009. Beebe seconded, and the motion carried 4-0.
Schaefer moved to approve the minutes of March 19, 2009. Gazzano seconded, and the motion carried 3-0.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 9;00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________ __________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Emily Beebe, Co-Chair
__________________________
Date
The Water Commissioners approved these minutes at the meeting held 5/19/09.
| 
