Board of Public Works Meeting August 27, 2026

Good morning everybody.

Uh morning.

This is the August 27th, 2026 meeting of the Dartmouth Board of Public Works. Uh this meeting is being held uh virtually by Zoom. Uh and it's being recorded. Uh as such, I will take a role of members.

Mr. Gier present.

Mr. Greenlaw present.

Mr. Anazera here present and I am uh the chair and I'm here. So we have uh a quorum.

Uh we normally have a set agenda uh including um minutes and and approval of warrants and payroll. Uh this morning we have no minutes to look at. Uh, our first order of business is to approve and accept the warrants for bills payable period ending June 29th.

I'd make a motion that we accept uh, excuse me, approve and accept the warrants of bills payable for the period ending June 29th.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Second.

I uh, Mr. Gier moved. Mr. Green Law second. Uh, Mr. Mr. Gier, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Greenaw, yes.

Mr. Asera, yes.

Chair votes yes. Item is approved. Uh, next is approve and accept payroll for weeks ending July 25th, August 1st, August 8th, August 15th, and August 15th. Uh, August 22nd. Do I have a motion? I move the motion that we approve and accept the payroll for the weeks ending July the 21st, August the 1st, August the 8th, August the 15th, and August the 22nd.

Do I have a second?

Second. I'll second.

I have a second by Mr. Aera. Uh, Mr.

Gier, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Ahara, yes.

Mr. Green law.

Yes.

Chair votes yes. The item is approved.

Uh next on the agenda is old business. Item A is a discussion of the scope of an operation operational study. Uh Tim, you want to introduce this?

Yes. So I had sent out a a scope of work for the operational uh study which was previously reviewed and I had recommendations from the select board as well as the board public works. Uh we had we had reached out to a couple of firms to estimate this scope or put a put a fee to it and the the fee was approximately came in with a couple of firms at around $60,000.

Um so we we're looking at maybe reducing the scope a little bit to get that number down reduced. Um, I did speak to one of the firms and ask them to take a look at the scope and maybe reduce uh if if there's anything that they see that could be uh removed or or reduced including the number of uh municipalities comparable municipalities that they look at. I think originally they were they were looking at about 10

comparable municipalities which increases that cost. Um so you know my thought was you know possibly to reduce that number uh to a to a reasonable number uh to bring that cost down. Um has anybody read the the attached scope and have any comments on it?

Board members any comments Mr. Gier? Um, I think one of the very important things is that as Tim has mentioned, it was a consolidated effort between the select board and the board of public works to put together the items that we wanted to look at relative to total operations of the Department of Public Works. Um through the discussions that Tim had with the town administrator and had with our board and Cody had with

his board, uh we put into place the position of the business manager for the Department of Public Works. Um, I think one of the important things we need to do is that we have Tim and Brandy and Cody sit down and see what items in that operational study uh, Brandy is going to undertake because uh, it was obvious that putting a business manager in place and assisting in the analysis of some

critical components of the DPW uh, Brandy was selected for that position. Uh, I think that could reduce the amount or cost of the the study itself.

Um, I actually worked with Brandy for a period of time when I was interrum CFO in the city of Bedford. her talents are exceptional and I think we can get some of the things prioritized in that operational study in both the select board and the board of public works and get updates versus you know waiting for something from a consultant down the road. Um I think you know it's important

it's actually been a year ago that we had a meeting joint meeting with the select board uh to talk about this issue and formulate the plan. We need to get that underway though.

Board members, any other comments?

Uh, I guess I'm just talking about the number of communities. I think it's more important that uh you get approval of the communities. I think three or five should suffice, but you want to get communities that are similar size and complexity uh or versus versus just 10 random. I've se I've seen some of these studies where they pick up communities that have absolutely nothing in or very little in

common. So, I I think it's the uh quality, not the quantity for the for the comparables.

Any other comments?

All right, Tim. Uh, this is not on the agenda for approval. Uh, however, I think the board's direction is pretty clear. Uh, if you could talk to the town administrator and your business manager and settle on a final scope, I think it's close enough that you should move forward with it. uh and perhaps you could inform the board by email uh when you take the next steps.

Absolutely. Like like I mentioned, I did reach out to one of the consultants that had previously uh provided a scope and fee and discussed it with them and they're working on a revision uh to move forward. So, uh once once I have that, I'll also reach out to uh a couple others to get scope and fee from them and and I will submit those to the board that I receive them.

Um I'd like to echo um Mr. Gier's suggestion that it the um a discussion among the business your business manager the town administrator and uh you clarify the actual role that the business manager is going to play. Um, I know the business manager is uh pulled in several directions right now and is busy and I think it's important that um you make clear what additional responsibility she's going to have in

this. Um I think it I think she can play an important role. I agree m with Mr. G on that. But I'm concerned about um uh her span of control and ability to um perform the other functions she's responsible for.

Absolutely.

All right. If there are if there's no other discussion, uh we'll go to item B, storm debris planning.

So we have been working on uh on this for quite a while. We started work with the with the Great New Beth Refuge District as they also were putting together a debris claim um for storms. Um and recently our our assistant director Sandy has been working diligently on it and has provided um a a draft plan for me to review. Um once I review it and make comments, uh we'll see if there's

anything that needs to be revised and then we'll submit it to the board for review. We also have we worked on a plan of sites at our last meeting. The board requested um some proposed sites for debris management, processing, uh stockpiling, and we we came up with a number of sites and put them on put them on a plan. Uh community was working on that plan uh over the past week and I submitted that

earlier uh to the board for review.

Board members, any comments?

hearing none. Then Tim, you will be reporting back to us when you have a draft plan that we can discuss.

Yeah. So what what we'll do we'll uh we'll work on uh you know checking the feasibility of each of these site as it's currently a draft and what they what their needs are to be able to stockpile or process materials and and specific materials and we may have to work with the town administrator, park department, other other agencies in towns as well as some some private uh companies in town that have large

commercial lots that that we were looking So the the um the requirement using the army core of engineer uh calculation based on our population is uh 46 acres of site to process and stock pile material. Um and then there's an additional calculation for for buffers and setbacks which which uh the total comes out to 76 acres.

So right now we're we're at the 46 acres of sites, but we'll have to look at logistics on how they how they calculate the the buffers in and and we may have to add a few more sites to equal that 76 acres.

Tim, looking at the map, um I have uh a concern about hall distance of some of those sites given that the in a in a hurricane um emergency, much of the debris is likely to be right along the coast and a number of the uh sites are pretty far inland. And uh I'm wondering if um if it's possible to utilize some private sites that are now perhaps in agriculture or otherwise uh unused. Do

you do you are you in a position to approach land owners at this point uh about being able to use their sites?

We can. We definitely can. We would have to come up with an agreement.

Yeah, private land owner.

All right. Um, yes, especially on the south side. Uh, I was noticing noticing that too. They're just seems where you'd probably get the most uh damage, right? The town doesn't own a lot of land out along the coast and if it is, it's usually wet or marsh um and restricted. Um, so you know using using private maybe private agricultural land might be might be good for some materials.

Well, once you got it on a truck, having it driving out of 10 minutes really doesn't make a difference. I've watched a lot of this hauling in Florida and processing and it seems is like they haul a lot of it to one main site which I've seen in operation two at two different uh occasions u and that's where they bring in the um different types of equipment screeners and things and then from there they haul

out. So, if anything, uh, we may have too many sights because if you got to get it on a truck, it has to drive another 10 minutes. Doesn't make much of a difference. It's the loading that takes the most time. So, um, just from my recent observation over the past 5 years of watching two of those goodsiz operations, uh, where the where the farter guy hit big time 22.

Excuse me, Robert. Please stop sending me stuff.

All right. Um, so I what I can say is so so we have primary sites and then we have secondary sites. I think most of the town owned sites would be the primary sites and then which would be used in in smaller storms and and larger storms. And if if we need additional sites, I think I think you know getting agreements ahead of time for some some other sites is a

good idea to have those secondary sites if needed. And uh and like I said, the acreage will be needed on the plan, right? Because your first priority would be clearing roads.

Correct. Correct.

uh stops.

A lot of um a lot of debris will be on private properties um where anything that's in the road, you know, is what we will be processing. Anything within the right away, we'll be clearing and and moving that material to to sites.

Tim, I had one question.

Sure.

Just if you're looking to uh maybe use some private land sites for processing, uh how do we limit the town's liability for any uh possible pollution of of the uh the site or uh damage to the site?

What would that agreement look like?

Right. So, we would have to uh look at We haven't gotten that far with with land agreements, but we'll look at uh uh other agreements that are in effect.

Maybe talk to uh with town council on some of these agreements. You know, there's a number of materials uh that we have to provide for. Uh so, we have, you know, construction and demolition, municipal trash, um brush and and uh you know, tree related. So I think Russian tree related is uh you know something that we could stockpile and in and then the agricultural partial that wouldn't

have much of an impact uh as far as contamination. Uh there may be disturbance which we would have to come to agreement on on repairing any disturbance. Um other other stuff like white goods uh hazardous materials obviously hazardous materials not going to you're not going to store on an agricultural site. Um, so that would not that that would be on a on a paved site that's secure, whether it's uh the DPW

highway yard or or another site that has a paved surface that can that can be uh encapsulated or secured.

I don't think any homeowner would I mean property owner would uh allow us to use and also sign a hold harmless. If the town's going to use the property, the town's going to be responsible for any damage. Otherwise, they're not going to allow us to use it. I mean, that's foregone conclusion. I wouldn't I don't think any other any other property owner would allow it. If the town goes in,

there's going to be responsible for any damage.

I'm sorry, Jim. I'm sure there are um agreements uh both in the within the Commonwealth and in other states for example uh as mentioned Florida that will provide some kind of guidance as to use of uh private properties some of the liability issues and what those agreements should look like. Um absolutely sure they're in it.

Yeah. I presume you you you and your staff will avail yourselves to those kinds of uh if you will models because we're we're obviously not inventing something here. And I think the uh observations as to hall distances are very valuable and um when you've got board members with experience, I definitely uh use it.

Oh yes, absolutely.

Okay, any other questions or comments on this?

Okay, that uh concludes our old business uh on our new business uh a Cedardale monitoring agreement. Tim, so this is part of our annual monitoring required by D.

So, ever since we um installed the uh panel wells um and and upgraded the viol wells the state has required that we monitor the Cadidel Lake.

We had last year we had uh purchased uh through a grant some new monitoring equipment and that was that was installed by AECOM uh to continue the monitoring and this $5,000 amendment was amendment one.

Last meeting we approved amendment two and amendment one was also supposed to be included in this. Um it was for the state reporting. I had administratively approved it to move it forward so we could get that report to the state on time. Um but this is the the amendment one to that contract and this was funded through the operating budget through the consult line.

So you're looking for board's concurrence and approval on this.

Yes.

Okay. Board members, any questions? Um um it was either at the last meeting or the meeting before our previous one. It was either you or Ron had brought up the subject of getting from ACOM the data as to whether or not over the period of time that ACOM has been doing that monitoring if they had ever triggered a level in that lake, excuse me, in that pond that uh required the shutdown of

the wells. Uh based on that data, I thought that was a important thing to look at especially as we explore additional opportunities for well groundwater production. We have not we have not ever hit a level that we had to shut down the wells uh with the cedadell lake. And we have a we we do have a lot of data um through through periods of pumping uh through drought periods um through drought periods when the wells

were offline due to uh due to other issues uh and the lake level and and the responses uh with rain events. So we we do have a lot of that data, but we've never had to we've never had to cut the wells down due to due to the lake level since you know we have a significant amount of u municipal wells between viol and peneli in that area and we have authorized further exploration of uh

drinking water supplies. It would be interesting to see that if you pick a site, you know, in that particular watershed um and do the seven-day uh pump test on a possible location to closely monitor, you know, what's happening at Cedar Dell. Um, Vietta was actually the very first well site that the town uh went to after they knew that Chase Road or the Pascam Valley wells were um, you know,

at capacity for the draw down on that aquifer.

Tim, do you think uh AECOM would be willing to provide a uh short historical u overview as part of their annual report that would touch these issues of response of wells and the the pond during different conditions?

I do absolutely in that in that data would be very interesting to see the data for the uh well uh excuse me the pond levels uh compared on the same chart as the drought periods that we experienced over the last whatever five or 10 years because we could then do a better correlation on what potentially or no potential effect is on seated Dell, right?

Yeah.

Yeah. I I'll work with a com to put together a presentation for the board. I think that would be that would be helpful. That'd be great.

Yeah. Did it did the town ever ask a DP to scale back the amount of monitoring and reporting to save some money?

Yes. And they weren't they weren't accepting it. they uh they still require us to do the same monitoring but uh we can we can make that request again.

Yeah, I think depends on the level but if you have all those years of data it was successful on one well site to decrease it substantially on what uh what we're spending every year. So I mean I don't think they eliminate it but if you could reduce it uh reduce it or go to alternate years or something because it's a it's significant cost to the to the water operation.

Yes.

Okay. Tim, could you re report back uh progress on the annual report that u historic summary and uh a strategy to approaching D regarding uh scaling back or eliminating the need for this monitoring?

Absolutely.

Yeah.

Okay.

Any other comments, board members?

Mr. Chairman, I would make the motion that we approve amendment number one to the Cedell monitoring agreement with the company AECOM for the sum of $5,000.

I'll second that.

I have a a motion by Mr. Gier. I'm sorry, who seconded?

Lee.

Ah, second by uh Mr. Asa.

Um, how do you vote, Mr. Gany, yes.

Lee, yes.

Addison, yes.

Chair votes yes. Item is approved. Uh item B, MS4 permit year nine.

So this is our annual uh MS4 assistance agreement with Tying Bond. Uh this is uh for year 9 for our MS4 permit. Um this uh the typical agreement um includes uh field sampling, catchment investigations, GIS mapping, uh elicit discharge detection and elimination, uh BMP inspections and reporting. Um typically we we include the fieldwork and and the GIS mapping. the reporting is separate and this uh this year we

added the reporting to the annual contract. And then um this all this contract also includes a bill prevention control and countermeasures uh plan update which we which we update every five years. Our last update was five years ago. So so we included that into this agreement as well. Uh, so this is funded to the operating budget and this uh this is uh scope and free for uh $60,000 the tying bond

board members. Any questions?

I have one. Uh Tim, do they all do they do they do all the field work or do your staff do some of the field work along with them? We work along with their staff on the field work for for all field investigations, catchment investigations and the BMP inspections and and also the uh any of the IDE work in and the swift work.

Have they found any problem areas so far?

Uh there there have been a couple of problem areas that we've traced back.

Um, and we uh, you know, we're looking at some retrofit uh, storm water retrofit possibilities in a couple of areas. Um and and uh we we haven't we haven't found a lot of elicit protection uh elicit discharges. Uh but you know every once in a while there is one that pops up or or evidence of of one and we investigated as well with as well with bond and then we report it to them and

they report it to the state.

No sewer cross connections.

No sewer cross connections.

Okay, that's good.

All right. I I'll make a motion to approve that.

Can I can I ask one question, Lee, before we uh vote on the um I think this particular subject, MS4, is one of those items that 99% of the people in the community don't know what MS4 is and what the EPA requires. And as you see, we're on year number nine. By most accounts, people would think that's a spy agency versus a regulation from the EPA. Um,

I I would ask since we do pay Tai Bond a substantial sum of money that they produce a two or three page summary of what M so that we can put that up on the town's uh website. probably be a good subject to consider if we're going to be doing some uh you know monthly or bimonthly briefings with the DCTV crew. Um you know people don't realize that what we

agree to which is mandated by the EPA um we're responsible for its implementation.

Um, some of the storm water management requirements that our DPW engineering staff review are directly correlated to these MS4 uh, requirements. And I think this is a a fine subject for some clarification so that folks understand better how these things come about and um, what the implications are. Um there are communities there are communities for their compliance that have actually

had to have a storm water uh utility uh in you know developed and there's a storm water utility charge. Um we go nine years and the public doesn't really know much about MS4. I think it's time we put together some information so that there's a spot on the town web page that people can go and look at it. And I would ask that this subject be put on as

one of the items that we could do with DCTV to better inform the community what public works is about. Absolutely. And uh for everybody's knowledge, you know, the MS4 is municipal separate storm sewer system. So you get the four S's, separate storm sewer system. That's why it's MS4. Um and yeah, I think that that'd be great. Uh we do do some public notification with with Tyion Bond but I think uh you know

an informative packet and uh with some work with DCTV would be great.

You are you I can tell you are working probably with the team the most experienced uh MS4 team in the state.

Yeah.

The this this group this group of mostly uh mostly ladies Emily server leading it they're really uh this is what they do.

They've done it all over the state and they're they're they're quite uh knowledgeable in this area. So, I think you got a good team on.

Absolutely. They're great to work with and uh you know, they do do great reporting and and uh and and we're we've created a great storm water GIS map interactive with them and once it's once it's it's uh fully updated, it'll be a great useful tool. And I'm sure they could easily come up with what with what Mike is suggesting because I'm sure I'm sure they've done it for other communities.

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.

Tim, my observation is that the town is not well educated as to what this is all about, but more importantly, what individual people can do um at their as they're out and about and at their own homes. And I think that educational component is uh essential.

It's one of the six minimum control measures. And uh uh I really think uh what other board members have suggested is is urgently needed to be sure we stay in compliance.

Absolutely. It is and I I I agree and I I think that's a great idea and we'll work with DCTV and and our consultants to get that moving.

Okay. Do I have a motion to approve?

So moved.

I have a motion. Do I have a second?

Second.

Second. Uh motion by Mr. Ainara.

Second by Mr. Gier. Uh Mr. Gier, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Ainera?

Yes.

Mr. Greenlaw?

Yes.

Chair votes yes. Item is approved.

Uh, next item is uh approval of revisions to the approval process of rules and regulations. Tim, yes. So, this is an approval of any revisions. This is the current process uh to approve the the rule and regulations of the water division um has historically gone through town meeting vote. um in speaking with the town administrator and with uh town council that a town meeting vote shouldn't be

needed for a regulation. It's typically for a bylaw. Um so the first step in the process to uh change the process of how this is approved and and make the approval process through the board is to have the board approve that change. So the steps to change that process is this would then have to go to town meeting for to a town meeting to vote to change that process

and a bylaw would need to be created uh through town meeting which would enforce uh these regulations.

Board members, any questions?

Uh that's Tim that sounds in line of uh of the way we worked it in my past life.

So that that that seems to make sense.

You shouldn't have to go to the town meeting every time you need to make a minor change which many times it's minor changes and tweaks that you have to do.

So I think it makes sense that the board would be the ones that would be making those uh those changes but the enforcement part has to be voted by town meeting. Yes.

Absolutely. Yeah. And we would we are looking to uh update these regulations uh rather than just a minor update.

We're looking at at updating them uh making them more current and uh updating some of the enforcement. So I think uh you know moving forward with this we can bring it to town meeting and we work on a bylaw as well.

So Tim, if I understand correctly there there are two issues that will go to town meeting. One is the process for revising the regulations and the second is developing a bylaw for fines primarily. Is that correct?

Yeah, for enforcement. Yes.

Okay. So, we'd have actually two items on the town meeting. And you think we can uh make fall town meeting on this?

I think we can.

Really?

Okay.

Sounds optimistic, Tim.

We're going to push for for fall town meeting. If we if we can't, we'll, you know, we'll we'll get it ready, make sure it's ready for the spring, but uh we're going to push for fall fall time.

Okay. Any uh any other questions, board members?

Do I have a motion?

So moved.

Motion by Mr. Aierra.

Second.

Second. Second by Mr. Gier.

Mr. Ainera, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Gier, yes.

Mr. Greenaw, yes.

Chair votes yes. Item is approved. Uh, next item is to resend a tree bid. Tim.

So through our our advertising and bidding process, we had approved uh DBK uh tree work for uh our for our annual tree work uh for removal and pruning and emergencies. Uh at a previous board meeting, uh the our bidding aid, Rosa, has been working uh with GBK to obtain their certificates of insurance and and bonds, and they are have been unable to provide the the required uh certificates of insurance.

Um and we have a letter here from July 31st um that states that they will will be unable to provide the two $2 million in commercial umbrella excess liability uh that's required. Um I've also spoken with our insurance company and you know this is absolutely a must especially for a tree company working in the public way. Um so they had asked to resend the uh the award. So we can uh rebid and

readvertise the tree work for the rest of the year.

You can't go to the next uh next bidder.

No, because the because of the time line it's been since we have awarded the bid.

I bidding a and she recommended that we we re reid it, revertise.

Board members, any questions?

Do I have a motion?

Some moved. I don't think we have a choice.

Mr. Azanera has moved. Uh, do I have a second?

Second.

Second by Mr. Gier. Uh, how do you vote?

Mr. Gier, yes.

Mr. Aierra, yes.

Mr. Greenlaw, yes.

Chair votes yes. Uh, item is approved.

Next is uh approval of a water and sewer abatement. Tim.

Yes. So, Mrs. Miss Dam of 8 Cherry Street um had previously requested through the water division a fire hydrant meter to fill her swimming pool. Um, since there was no fire hydrant available on her side of the street, the water division uh calculated the volume of the pool as 2,840 cubic feet and permitted her to fill the pool with a garden hose uh with the pre-approval that they would abate

the sewer since this water was not entering the sewer system. and the abatement and and request was for $1768.

Board members, any questions?

I have a general observation is and I think this might have come up during my last stent uh which has been 10 years now on the board but um if if this is following typical protocols do we really need all of these to be coming to the board or they should be if this is if we're following uh established procedure uh do we need to make some changes to

allow Tim to sign off on these because I know we have a bunch of them and I remember this coming up for four. Is there a way to change this so that uh as long as it's following established uh rules or protocols that have been approved by the board of public works, I could see there's always there may be exceptions here and there, but for the typical ones so that we don't have to be

taking individual votes on this, they can just be expedited through the office.

Board members, any comments?

Lee, I think that makes sense. Um, the only thing I would ask is that we um have some kind of set of protocols drawn up so we could take a look at them. But I agree uh something of this nature is it's extremely clear. It's not discretionary.

uh you know and I think it's you know something we should dispense with through our staff.

Yeah. As public works director in Mansfield, I probably brought one or two a year to the select board who were my water and sewer commissioners.

Everything else the office would handle and then they would just come to me for signature to to sign off on them. But they the office staff, the building supervisors, they knew the protocols.

They did most of it. they just then I would just sign off. I think it just uh looking at how many of them are on the agenda just seems like it's taking up a lot of time and space. lately. Could you could you get a copy of the protocol that you had um there and that way um we could save some work on behalf of Tim's and his department folks to look at the

protocol they had in uh Mansfield and I I I'll be honest that I'm not sure I'll have to check see if how how well written it is but we had two building supervisors that had been there for a very long time and and everybody understood what needed to be done. So, I I'm not positive it was all written other than they knew we'd been worked together for so long that everybody knew

what the rules were, what or when who what would be considered and what would not. But, uh I'll look into it.

Um we don't typically get a lot of them.

Um they they've always been handled by the board. Um, anything that is requested due to whether it's like an error on on department's part that the water division will handle into the departmentally, but anything out of the ordinary would typically come before the board for approval. I think I think this one uh could have been probably handled into the department mentally as well if we had that procedure in place.

Board members, any questions?

I make a motion that we approve the water and sewer abatement request for eight Cherry Street.

May I just interjected not a water abatement, just a sewer abatement?

I'm sorry.

Exa Exactly.

All right. So, we'll we don't want to We don't want to abate their water bill, especially for that amount of water. Um, the motion would be revised to vote to approve the sewer abatement charge for a charge.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Uh, motion by Mr. Gier, second by Mr.

Aierra. Uh, Mr. Gier, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Aierra, yes.

Mr. Greenaw, yes.

Chair votes yes. Item is approved. Uh, next item is an abatement request for 116 Frank Street. Tim, so Mr. Allison of 116 Frank Street has requested an abatement due to a leak in his water heater and shut off valve.

This bill is for a period is uh $1848 which is significantly lower than the previous bill of $23057.

Um I do not I do not recommend an abatement as the water accounted for entered through the uh through the water system and through the water meter um and is the property's owner and responsibility to maintain you know their appliances for efficiency board members any discussion uh I would agree with them my caveat would be if it was even if it was obvious that there was more water used I

would only entertained the sewer.

Yeah.

And it didn't go down the sewer or entertain the sewer but not the water because the water went through the meter.

Right.

We don't have an amount if there was a leak. Um I believe Mr. Allison is online Mr. Allison.

Yes.

Hello.

Hello. Do you have an estimate as to the amount of water uh was that was leaked?

I think that was the question.

Uh well, to make a long story short, basically I had no hot water for four days.

Not to mention, right, I had to find a plumber that was willing to to just take uh $900 and allow me to have a threemonth payoff plan.

So, I had I had to go through this. The the amount of water that was coming out of my water heater every time I used the water was quite a bit.

Uh that that $280 that you specified, that's that's more than what I should be using.

I I do live by by myself and uh like like I said, you know, uh I had no hot water. I had to look for a a plumber that was willing to take only $900. The final cost came out to $1,900.

So, he was nice enough to take the $900 $900 and I'm still making payments.

So, I had to go through a lot of plumbers to finally find one. The plumber that I found, his last name is Pereira, and he was kind enough to to do this do this for me. That valve also was leaking.

So, like I said, I live by myself. That it should have been a lot less than the 280.

I can tell you I live by myself and I'm I'm away on a regular basis and I'm paying more than that without leaks.

Tim uh I'm looking at his bills and what was given to us. I don't see an amount for sewer. Is he connected?

Okay. So, I live really really close to the line of of New Beth.

My house and the houses that are in Dartmouth, we get our uh sewer through through New Beth.

And do you get a direct billing from them?

Uh that's a good question.

When I do get the bill, it's through the town of Dartmouth.

is combined between uh you know with you know the wa the amount of water that I use plus you know the sewer.

Uh typically we look at abatement requests both in terms of the water cost and the sewer cost depending on the circumstances.

Um, I'm not sure how the other board members feel but to me, this seems like one of those requests that we'd be more interested in looking at and baiting to some extent the sewer charges.

Okay.

One of one of the problems we have here is you you don't have an estimate of how much water was wasted.

um through the leaks and uh that's always very helpful to know even a rough estimate.

Let me ask you this much. Okay, so that 280 that was for the three months right?

That was 184.

Can you say that again?

I believe it was $184.

that the bill we're looking at 18408.

Hold on.

And if uh if you look at the top of the bill, there is a charge for for new Bedford sewer on there, which is the the the sewer charge is $1103.

The water charge is 7103.

So the total amount was how much?

Uh $1848.

Hey, I could have sworn I paid more than that.

the previous bill uh that was due in April was $23057.

This was the uh we were sent the the bill that was due in July, right?

$1848.

That That's water and sewage.

That's water and sewage combined. Yes.

Yeah. Tim, I stand corrected. I see the uh New Bedford charge is $110.3.

Yeah, thank you.

And the bulk of the um 18408 is uh related to the water delivery.

No, it's related to the sewer.

No, the the rest of Oh, yeah.

the rest of it.

Okay. Uh Tim, how do did you look back for the same quarter prior years? That's that's something I always looked at. How does the how's the consumption compare to uh to the same period in 24 and 25?

So we just started quarterly billing this year. So we I wouldn't have a quarter, but I would have a bianual. Um so let's see. So I have so this usage um for a quarter so three months was 104 uh 100 cubic feet and I have the previous uh year um which the the bill was read uh it was read in May of 2025 that usage is 23800 cubic feet.

So, so if anything, it's a little below average, correct?

As as far as the water consumption. So, any any leak had minimal impact because that time a year, you're not using outside water. So, it should be fairly consistent. So, if you use 238 cubic feet in 6 months, uh 3 months, you'd be right around half. So, your water consumption is right in line with the prior year. What what about the sewer though?

The sewer um Yeah. So the sewer is the same usage. Um so we we base the sewer off of your water usage. So all the water that that goes to the meter is also charged the sewer fee. So the the 238 uh for the previous year and the 104 uh for for this that that this quarter um is for sewer and water.

Okay, board members, consistent with the um approach we've used in the past, uh it looks like a certain amount of water went through the meter and therefore should be charged. Um, and then some amount of water because it was a an internal leak would not have have entered the sewer.

Correct.

Do we ha does any do any of us have um a motion that would encompass that philosophy?

Rob, I may be able to look at the daily usages uh for that month uh for for the period where Mr. Allison stated there was a leak and get a get a closer observation on that.

Right.

If that helps.

Board members, any comments?

Uh I would say that if Tim can verify through historical that there was certain amount over a period of a week or two then I would I would consider I would consider abating that portion of the sewer.

I would concur with Lee on that.

Hey Tim Mr.

uh we'll we'll contact you uh and get the dates of the leak um and then we'll we'll uh go back into the uh into the electronic u meter system to to look at the the daily usage for that.

Okay. Thank you. Thanks.

You're welcome. Board members, uh, do you want to see this item back or simply delegate to Tim and his team uh to make the right abatement?

I would make the motion that consistent with the uh discussion we've just had that Tim be given the discretion based upon our our comments to resolve this with Mr. Allison.

I would I would second that based on factual information.

Thank you.

I have a motion by Mr. Gier and second by Mr. Ainiera. Uh Mr. Gier, how do you vote?

I vote yes on that motion.

Mr. Azera, I vote yes.

Mr. Greenaw, yes.

Uh chair votes yes. Uh we have approved to delegate to Tim uh action on this item.

Uh the next item is uh water and sewer baitment request for 257 Russell Mills Road.

Tim, so yeah, so so this abatement is is a little different and we've seen it a couple times uh recently. Uh Mr. Kaisman Kaiserman of Sharon Mass is the owner of uh 257 Russell Mills Road. Um he's he he had leased out the the property uh to a tenant who at some point the tenant um was able to change the billing into the tenants's name rather than the property owner's name. Um, we haven't

been able to confirm where that took place. Um, but the tenant then did not pay the bill and I believe uh Mr. Kaisman said that the tenant is no longer at the property. The total bills and the the water was used and went through the meter and went through the sewer. The total bill um due was uh $1,55520 and this is over a n number of months in a number of bills.

Mr. chairman.

Um, I think it was two meetings ago, we had a similar situation out on Elm Street, and I become concerned that agreements and leases between tenants and landlords seems to end up before our board where those matters are appropriately before a housing court on an action by the the landlord against the le um I think this would be an excellent example of what Lee has just mentioned um where we shouldn't be chasing uh

situations where in fact we it doesn't have any correlation to our function and our operation. Uh I would ask that when we consider the provisions that we would give uh discretion and uh authority to the review staff and the superintendent instead of coming before us that we take up this specific issue because we shouldn't be seeing these members. Any other comments? I will uh I' I'd also like to say that um we I

worked with the water division and the collector's office and we're no longer allowing uh anyone to make changes to a billing um name and address without the property owners authority and and I think does does that also include that when they when they make the change that it does not remove the respons responsib ultimate responsibility of the property owners being liable for the bill.

Correct.

Okay. I I I went through something similar like this too where it was just uh you know we should have shut him off and we didn't and w up we wound up abating water because uh we made the mistake of not shutting it off when the property owner I think was saying to just shut him off.

What is the situation? May I make a comment?

This was shut off and then the tenant created he the tenant requested a payment plan right for this and then kept using the water.

So Mr. Mr. Kaisman is here. He can explain it better to the board if the board allows.

Thank you. I appreciate everyone's time and this is a bit unusual and I'm not denying that water went through this meter. The issue was that yes they were allowed to change it into their main their name but also if this water was shut off this bill would not have been accumulated like this.

So the water was not shut off. The water was put in their name and then they were allowed to open a payment plan which they also defaulted on which I was unaware of. You know I can understand and take full responsibility for any water that goes through that meter. But once it's in someone else's name and then they open up a payment plan, uh I believe there should be some compromise and some responsibility taken

by the town and the different departments that allowed this to get to a $1,500 bill. So, um I would appreciate any compromise. Um it is an issue where uh they defaulted on an agreement with the town uh as well as with myself.

Um so you know if there's any compromise I would appreciate it and uh this won't happen again due to the changes put forth uh within the water department and we appreciate that. Thank you.

H how did the board handle the prior case?

Similar you said you had a similar case recently.

at that particular case. Uh Lee, the boy denied it.

Tim, is there um a way to understand how much, excuse me, how much water was used after the town agreed to a repayment plan?

I don't have that information handy, but I can I can work with the water division to break that up.

Uh I have a a bit of a difficult time uh understanding the reason for any abatement.

Um I assume when the lease of the property was made that the owner assumed the cost of the water and sewer that that seems to be the case. So the water and sewer were you were used during that period. Um why isn't he responsible to pay for it?

The town entered into an agreement with this person and they allowed it. It never should have been allowed. The water should have been shut off and there should have been no payment plan.

I think I think this matter needs further research. Uh Mr. Giserman uh raises some uh issues here that I'm a bit concerned about in that uh water agreement was made for payment.

Uh I would ask him to agenda this for the next meeting so that we can get a little more detail when when this happened. So, how much was incurred prior to the lease entering an agreement and what was consumed in the cost before that happened? So, I would make a motion that we table the matter until our next meeting so we have more information.

Motion by Mr. Gier, second by Mr. Aera.

Mr.

I think Mr. I think Mr. Green Law beat me to it this time around.

I'm sorry. Second by Mr. Green Law. Um, Mr. Gier, how do you vote?

I vote yes to table the matter to the next agenda of our board.

Mr. Greenlaw, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Ainera, I vote yes. And I I would recommend that uh may may as Tim looks further into this that maybe he get together with um with Mr. Giserman and maybe come back to us with some recommendation.

Chair votes yes item is is tabled.

In the spirit of compromise, anything that was done after the agreement, I'm willing to pay. If you send me that figure, we'll make it done. I'll free you gentlemen up to uh take care of other matters. So Tim, if you want to reach out to me via email or or sell whatever you like, more than happy to pay whatever was u passed through that meter um prior to the agreement.

I will work with the water division to see if we can uh calculate that number.

Thank you, sir. Thank you.

Uh Mr. chairman in lie of uh that do you want to reconsider so that we don't have to take up the matter again Mr. Gier, I think I'm I'm I'm more interested in seeing how much was incurred when that agreement was arrived at with the leasing. Um I I I'd prefer that we just hold on it until the next meeting where we have more information. Thank you.

Okay.

Okay. So we'll see that this uh item back at our next meeting.

Yes.

Uh next is consider a license utility layer application.

So I'm going to put a uh a hold on the license utility layer application as we're still waiting for their uh workers comp certificate. Um if we if we can get that before the end of the meeting, I will come back to that. Is that okay?

Okay. So, we'll continue this item.

Can I can I ask one thing here? Um as Tim mentioned earlier, why uh a contract was being cancelled for insurance coverage issues or lack of insurance coverage issues? Tim, when when was the last time our insurance or our insurance risk advisor looked at how much insurance and bonding you were requiring on this?

They they actually we we actually discussed it quite often.

Good.

Uh and I actually I reached out I reached out to the insurance company regarding some of these questions as well. So, thank you. Absolutely.

Okay, Tim. The next uh item is item H.

Uh, wait a minute.

So, so what you want us to do is continue item H, the license.

I ask that we continue item H to the end of the meeting.

Okay. I make a motion that we continue the matter of the request for utility license application for WC WC excavation LLC to our next meeting.

Okay. Motion by Mr. Gier.

A second.

I'm sorry.

I I second the motion.

Yeah. Second by Mr. Azera. Um Mr. Gier.

Yes. Uh, Mr. Azera, yes.

Mr. Greenaw, yes.

Chair votes yes. Items continued.

Okay. Next item is item A I sorry I uh presentation on the inflow and infiltration study. Tim.

So, we have been working with um Hazen and Zorya uh for quite a while on our inflow and infiltration uh program where we've started, you know, with with mapping and and and prioritizing some areas and we've gone through uh flow studies um and some smoke testing and we're ready to move to the next step and do some camera work. uh Hazen uh Ben Agal and Mitchell Martin are here for um a presentation on our findings and

our next steps.

Okay. Uh Mr. Agarwal.

Hi, good morning.

Good morning.

Morning. Good morning. So, like Tim said, we have a presentation kind of go over the results of the study.

Who uh who's going to be sharing? Is it is it you or Mitchell?

Mitch, do you mind pulling that up?

If you can't let me know, I'll He's all set.

All set. Yes, you should be all set.

Thank you.

Okay, we're ready to go. Thank you.

All right, so like Tim said, just kind of a quick summary of what we've been doing. Um, Mitch, you can go to the next one.

Oh, seems like we lost Ben there for a second.

I think Yeah, he seems to be frozen, but uh I can get us up to to where we are as of as of now. So, there were a couple of previous studies in around 2018.

um which were mostly focused on I don't know if you can see my mouse cam in this uh upper western region uh of the town um very targeted II studies um which didn't yield uh many conclusive results and then in 2024 we undertook a larger sort of systemwide project to find inflow and infiltration regionally um using a a much larger number of flow meters and level sensors. Um and we created

this heat map here that you can see to sort of identify where the most II is occurring. um and then use some metrics to determine what the likely types of are of iodine in those regions.

Um so that was the 2024 project. 2025 project was looking at the highest priority regions um and doing some follow-up studies uh looking at the infiltration in individual pipe segments using flow isolation um for the regions where uh our IA metrics from our metering showed that there was likely mostly uh infiltration and then doing smoke testing in regions where there were um faster response times suggesting u

inflow. That was really only uh the case in that F5 meter shed which drains um east to New Bedford.

Um just a quick overview of flow isolation.

It's basically the a crew will go in um into every pipe and they'll put a weir uh at the downstream end of every pipe and they'll compare what the flow is at the up and downstream end of every pipe.

And they'll do this sometime in the middle of the night when there's the the least flow occurring from um from sewer users.

And so that that incremental flow is um basically entirely infiltration during dry weather periods.

And here we have the results for this flow isolation. Um in our in our various meter sheds here.

uh this meter shed that we're calling F4 which is along uh Tucker Road uh in a in a cross country line mostly along Tucker Road uh had about 43,000 gallons per day of infiltration um during the flow isolation period which uh should be noted was was actually a relatively dry antisement period. uh which would suggest that during wetter years or wetter parts of a year you may see even more um infiltration

um and and we have that metric also normalized by the inch diameter miles of the pipe. So that's just sort of surface area of the of the total pipes within this region. So that sort of tells you how leaky the the pipes are normalized by the number of pipes in this region. So, this is this is one where there's there's certainly some regions that are that require some um some work and there was a a relatively

large singular point leak of about 29,000 gallons per day um that was found near I want to say it's 8th green temp.

Does that sound right?

Yes.

Yeah. That's that's definitely a high priority. Thanks.

F5.

uh is a region with actually a a fair amount more infiltration that was isolated almost 110,000 gallons per day. You can see that the uh gallons per day when normalized by the amount of pipe is is quite a bit higher like four times as much.

um including several individual pipe segments that are contributing 8 or 10,000 gallons per day just themselves at a 2 or 300 foot span.

Uh just potentially concerning for pipe collapse a lot of times when you see numbers that high.

um F5 results where we did smoke testing uh and there was a number of smoke testing results, positive findings of smoke coming out of things that were not uh vents on the top of houses where you would expect them to see. So, this is smoke that's coming out, which would say that water could come in to the surface you would want. Um here's a foundation pipe that is uh still connected.

Um the most concerning probably is here at 32 Center Street where a catch basin street drain is somehow connected to the um uh to the sanitary sewer here.

uh the flow isolation uh workers were not able to determine exactly how that was happening nor were the um smoke testing the crew but it certainly warrants further investigation.

Uh there's a sort of an area drain or a cleanout of some kind here that is it's also connected or perhaps just has a leaky cap.

Um a foundation drain at on Roger Street.

Um here we can see the map that these these defects are relatively diffuse not they don't seem to be um set clustered in any way in this region.

Um but again want to highlight that that that street train um is is is very important to take a look at F7 here. This is um this is along Elm Street downstream of the pump station.

Um, just right here.

And that's where I saw that's where I saw Drain Manhole cover dancing on the street one time during a rainstorm along El Street.

Yeah. Yeah. somewhere to as you go into the village the the the drain manhole cover or the sur manhole cover not drain the sur manhole cover was dancing in the street because it was being the water the the the flow was almost almost pushing pushing it out so I'm sure there's quite a bit of I in that area if it hasn't been it might have been corrected since then um well so

our metering from the 2024 or study showed that this was a high priority region. It seems by by meter metrics, if you meter it over a long period of time, there does seem to be a fair amount of iodine in this region.

um the flow isolation along the side lines. I don't know how easy it is to see the uh the legend here, but these green pipes are uh negative flow isolation results.

There's no additional flow found um along these lines.

And these these purple lines are moderate u somewhere between they're about 2500 gallons per day or something uh up to between zero and 2500.

The the main sewer along Elm Street, this black line here, uh the flow isolation crew was unable to get a good reading of because of the cycle time of the pump station. and they couldn't it wasn't down for long enough for them to get readings on the up and downstream of a pipe.

Um so we would recommend that you CCTV that pipe along Elm Street.

Um it seems like the sidelines are are less less of a problem, but given the the meter results from the previous study, we still think there may be Uh something to look at here. F8 uh is is very close to F7. You can see Elm Street is is up here.

Uh and I believe the pump station is here. The Captain's Lane pump station.

Um, this had the highest uh infiltration when normalized by length and diameter of pipe over 16,000 gallons per day per inch diameter mile.

Um, including some individual sections of pipe along the coast that are contributing 10, 15, 20,000 pounds per day in some conditions.

Um and so yeah, this is this is another very high priority region overall.

Um our recommendations for our high priority recommendations are for F5, F8 and F4. Um, and for F4 that that one point defect is the highest priority. For F8, it's probably CCTV view the entire region.

Um, in in our experience, when we see large amounts of infiltration near a large body of water like this, doing targeted repairs on the leakiest pipe is likely to just lead the water to come in on the next pipe.

um if if the water table is is high enough um that it it usually makes sense to look at that whole region instead of trying to chase that leak as it goes up and up and up and up and up. Uh you'd be look looking at blinding the whole area.

Without having CCTV results, it's difficult to say what the right answer would be. Um, it may be that there are it's it may that there's more structural defects that you might be lining manholes.

Um, you may need to line some pipes. It depends on the condition of the pipe.

You may need to replace some sections of pipes.

Um, it's it's a kind of answer that we definitely warrant CCTV first.

Difficult to speculate.

Um and for F5 similar um we recommend that you CCTV the entire region obviously separate that connected cache basin um and go through and and repair those defective pipes or or structures that are housing such a a large amount of II in that region.

Um we solicited a number of quotes uh for performing CCTV in all four high priority regions.

Um and we received three quotes which range between 85,000 and 185,000.

Uh and should note that these quotes are about 10 months old this point. So prices are are So if I recall there there were two quotes in the 185k range and that's a single quote at 85k and by the way the two higher ones I I'm familiar with both companies. Uh I've never heard of this fellow with an $85,000 quote.

Just curious if you have any experience with the Um, we have not worked with them recently.

Uh Ben, I don't know if you want to speak more to Trux and their we've had we've had feedback um like Mitch said not within the past couple years, but in our experience um I guess to boil it down, you kind of get what you pay for in a sense where they may come in with a lower price, but you'll have more problems and quality concerns with the data. So, you know, the

feedback we've heard from folks who have worked with them is that um they were disappointed.

I I agree with the comment that the other two been around for a long time.

I'd worked with both of them uh and said to form a national war. I never heard of true act either, at least that I'm aware of.

Yeah, we we attempted to solicit five quotes. Um, and we two vendors uh didn't declined us to uh provide a bid.

So, this just shows that we have to have a very tight specifications if we go out to bid because if they if this is an actual bid, we wouldn't have much of a choice. If if they met the requirements, we'd have to go with a low bidder.

But you can al always put a qualifications packet with it too le so that you can eliminate an unqualified bidder.

That's what I'm saying by tight bid.

Type bid.

You can you can get rid of a pre- bid.

Yeah.

Okay. Uh board members, any other questions or observations here?

I just what's the next step question what but first what kind of information do we have on all these regions of what is the existing pipe what what's the material do we know that I I assume we do we do yes we do I I any I Tim where could I get a look at that I can Uh, but it's it'll be that would be a lot of plans for for each region,

but maybe some of the priority lines. I can I can probably send that to you or or you can come into the office and we can look at it.

I I was going to suggest I don't mind coming down and uh and poking through some stuff, but I'd be interested in knowing what what the existing pipes are uh what the material is.

Absolutely.

Any of these transite Some of it may be uh some of it may be clay in the F5 region.

I can uh I can report that some of the issues that were presented in the photos uh like the foundation drain, you know, that's that's a plumbers's uh jurisdiction and the plumbers's department jurisdiction, but we our engineering staff is uh researching all of those issues um to send letters to the property owners about uh mitigating those issues. and we're we're looking into the the the catch basin. Um the F5

area is is the Bliss corner area which flows into the city of New Bedford. Uh which I I recommended that we study uh to assist with any any II that is flowing into the city. U so so just to let you know that all the other areas do flow to our facility.

Um I think one of the most concern concerning things is that looking at uh Hazen's data that that line that runs from north to south that's the main trunk line to the plant servicing the you know the northern part of the town has some significant INI issues and I think the other point of concern is the one that goes from Captain lane uh north to the lift station at Russell Mills uh

running you know along the shore of uh upperans at Bay. Um that's that's a very great concern.

Those are both u regions that we identified in the report as as high priority for CCTV.

I mean those lines those lines I know are pre72.

Um so I mean we're we're now approaching close to 60 years old and those are major lines. I mean Lee mentioned the search charging on that manhole on Elm Street. I remember the sword charging on the manhole at Russell Mills where it takes a takes a right goes south through the wetland area of Pascam to get to the plant. Um the remedy the remedy for those two are going to be extremely expensive.

I think I think that's what prioritization is for.

uh highlight the areas where we get the most bang for the buck and and and you start start uh one and gradually work your way through. It's you can't do all of them at the same time. You got to go after the uh not just the highest souls, but also the ones that you can get the the most bang for the dollar.

Absolutely. So, I think if we move forward with with the CTV footage and get get um get in there and and and and look at the pipe situations and if we can prior, you know, figure out where the some of these leaks are coming from, we could prioritize the the mitigation.

I think one of the things that I'm going to ask and maybe we deal with it a little later under item number one in project updates is that as each of these developments uh that we're reading the reports from uh our consultant on on the gallons per day contribution to the wastewater plant. I really think we should take a formal vote to ask the select board for legal counsel as to whether or not we

have the authority to promugate either a bylaw or regulations that they would do a onetoone abatement for the gallonage that they are talking to add to the system specifically to offset the capital cost of such uh improvements as we're looking at on the uh the two major sewer lines. Um I know the Commonwealth does this on a number of regulatory permits where they actually look for a 2:1 or a 3:1 abatement on certain

issues. Um, and I think we should get a clear answer on that because what we have here with these projects is going to be very costly and it's going to have to be paid for uh through the users of the the sewer system. And uh I think if we're able to abate that cost somewhat by a onetoone uh cost sharing for the gallonage that is coming from these major projects, it's worth consideration. Those

are don't do we still have a capital fee that includes for the sewer connections that includes an INI fee?

Yes, we do.

Okay. So, we already we are already charging something for INI.

Yeah. So, currently we charge an a single family residential connection uh includes a $500 III fee as part of their connection fee. Um, anything over four bedrooms, we charge $5 per gallon per day.

And I think we need to take a careful look at this because the total gallons per day that are coming from these six or seven residential units.

um maybe that particular category of users we need to look at maybe make some modification.

Kim, I I agree and I get the sense that our ability to reduce INI, particularly in the um areas that have the highest contribution, will substantially improve our position with the existing wastewater treatment facility and uh give us some breathing space perhaps. s as we go through the comprehensive wastewater management plan and engineering for whatever changes need to be made. Um, but

I see that it will take a while to actually implement ini control for some of these sections given the what we're the kind of facility we're looking at.

But I think it's worth uh making this a high priority and um keeping this in front of us.

Absolutely. It is a high priority. Um I can I can state that in 2020 we did upgrade update our fees from the previous fee structure which was lower uh for connection fees and inflow and infiltration. Um so that's currently what we're using the 2020 uh fees that the board set. Um, unfortunately, uh, you know, there's there is an an existing 40b that was applied for prior to 2020. Um, so they

actually appealed the fees and and they were able to get approved for the the uh previous fee uh before that was set before 2020.

Unfortunately, because because the housing court um requires that fees cannot be changed uh after their application process.

I believe there's a lot of case say I believe there's a lot of case law regarding capital charges. So, I think that is one I think Mike suggested having council look at it. I agree with that because it's an area that we have to track carefully. There's been there's a lot of case law there and and and there's communities that wind up having to return funds and uh this goes back many years.

So I think regarding capital charges it's typically based on their percentage of flow into the system. Um so so depending on the facility it can in in the system location it could be moderate to large or it can be a very small amount depending on where they tied into the system.

I I think you know we need some expert advice. As Leah said, we're we're into a new area and that the issue is going to fall back on our board that we did we explore every opportunity to properly defrain the capital cost to address the issues that we're seeing here and the issues that are going to come up in the CWMP.

Um, I want to know where we stand and I I I later on in this on project updates, I'm going to make the motion that we take a vote to make a formal request to the select board for legal counsel specialized in this particular subject because I I feel that we have a responsibility to address this.

Absolutely. I agree.

Tim, I I'm intrigued by Mr. G's uh suggestion that we look into offsets. I know offsets are used for air quality.

Um I haven't heard them used in this kind of a situation, but I I think it's worth looking into. I really do. Um and the idea of offsetting new flow by reduction of flows somewhere in the system uh is an easy concept for people to grasp and we have a lot of opportunity to do that kind of mitigation u and a a solid engineering basis for what where that

would happen. So, I think it's a it's a ripe question and you know, maybe it's never been done and I'm not sure we want to be the first, but if it's been done anywhere uh successfully, we ought we ought to pursue it.

Absolutely. I agree.

Okay. Any other um questions or comments on this item?

Okay, hearing that the presentation.

Yes, thank you for the presentation. Uh thank you Ben and Mitchell. We appreciate it.

And the report that was uh included in our package uh very useful information and uh obviously we're going to uh spend some money uh controlling INI.

Can we uh Mr. Chairman, can we have that particular presentation made by these individuals put up and is on a link so that I see cats on here that the link could be because I think that's very important people understand that there are some significant issues here and they're aware of it from the very beginning.

Uh have you had a chance to look at the report that is the basis for this uh presentation? Mr. Gier, I have not read I glanced at it, but I haven't read the full detail. I think I I'm open to either the report or the presentation being posted. There is a a place for it in the uh the water quality folder that's now on the uh town's website. Could you uh Mr. Gana, can I

ask you to take a look at that report briefly and decide which and make a recommendation to Tim and I personally would go along with whatever you the two of you decide.

Sure. I'll mark up what sections I think uh so that people can go right to the meat of the subject.

Yeah. And it may be the presentation is the best thing to post. Um but I'll leave it to you uh to how much detail is appropriate if there's any summary in the report.

Mike, I think the having if there's some sort of summary to go along with the presentation would probably help for people who may not be familiar what this is all about.

Very good.

Okay. Uh any other comments, board members?

Thank you gentlemen for the presentation and the work behind it. I appreciate it.

Okay, moving along to Tim.

Thank you.

Um item new business J uh sewer betterment discharge of lean. Tim, so this this discharge of lean is a little uh different from what we typically uh deal with. Um the attorney Quinton of Williams Quinton and Oliri um had reached out regarding a property that had a a a sewer bed assessment um that was previously abated, but the he wanted to release the lean on the property for that uh bed assessment. he

had reached out to the assessor's office and they said since it was abdated by the board of public works that they wouldn't uh be able to uh re release it, they would have to uh reach out to the the public works.

Um the the documents of the abatement are are in your packet. Um so in looks like

In December of uh 1996, this uh this tournament was was audited and recorded. Um and then uh 1998 the resident at 23 High Street uh owned the adjacent property which includes their driveway access.

um which which had a a sewer benediment on it as well and they had come before the board and requested an abatement. Uh Manny Branco at that time uh issued the abatement um and the reasoning of the abatement stated that it was a theft in error.

So typically if if a if a sewer was abated on a property based on you know the fact that it may be under sized or not building uh the board typically would say if it's ever if it's ever connected to the steward then then the full betterment would be assessed along with the interest but this abatement did not state as it stated that it was a theft and error.

Tim, what is the recommendation here?

I would recommend. Um, so so this gets with with recent uh development and and and and bills uh coming before uh the voters. Um, one of the one of the bills is regarding the allowance of um 5,000 square foot lot for residential dwellings uh as long as there are sewer connections.

Um and and along with those 5,000 foot lots to build a house, they would also allow additional ADUs on those properties as well. Um let me check the uh area of this

So exactly it's definitely yeah exactly what is before us here.

So attorney Quinton is requesting the release of the sediment assessment that was that was recorded and placed on this deed of this property.

Okay. And this would be the undeveloped property with the driveway right ofway.

Is that correct?

Correct.

And how much is the request?

So the the the sediment assessment was originally $2,700.

This assessment was updated back in 1997 or 9897.

February 24th, 1997.

Correct.

That the board voted.

So exactly how much is involved and where does it come from?

In other words, we're talking about a uh discharge of the abatement. Tim, in in plain words, not discharge of the abatement, but the of the assessment of the assessment. So, what does that mean? Do they get a check back?

Nope. they uh they did not pay for the assessment because they they abaded it back in 1997.

So So typically the assessment would be either paid for up front or placed on their taxes over a number of years and then uh they would pay uh with interest.

They would pay it back through the number of years. Once that's paid off, they would request the release through the assessor's office. um with this um since it was abated, they weren't ordered to pay any of it uh by the board of public works.

But what does the discharge mean in PL?

Discharge would would release the lean of the assessment off of their title.

Okay. So, it's it's it's more a paperwork exercise.

Correct. And typically the board uh releases a notice of betterment um which was which is typically placed on on parals prior to uh the order of betterment being placed which is which is the actual number. This is for the actual betterment assessment that was abdated um and and stated in error.

I mean the board may may view this as you know if they ever do connect uh and if they do ever do develop that property or connect that they should pay um you know the original betterment I think I I agree I was going to say is the abatement is already done but if there's a way a caveat that we can put in in releasing it that if they are going to build there

in the future like you said before that they have to pay the betterment plus interest and fairness to everyone to the neighbor to the neighbors.

Yeah. Right. I think Lee's approach makes the most sense. I just want to make sure that if they do what Tim said, a new a house on 5,000 square feet or an ADU, uh, that they pay the betterment plus the interest. So, I would make a motion that we would discharge the lean on 113 lot 28. Um, for the purposes of uh closing that off of the title of that property,

um, I would just ask that a notation be made in the DPW sewer files that should they return before they given a sewer permit that they pay the betterment.

and and and Mike, if you don't mind, I I would also add that we also communicate that in writing to whoever is requesting that that we release this.

I saw a meant to include the issue of a written verification to attorney Quinton.

I have a motion by Mr. Gier. Do I have a second?

I will second.

Second by Mr. Aera. Uh Mr. Gier, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Azner, yes.

Mr. Greenlaw, yes.

Chair votes yes. Uh Tim, if there's any any objection or any issues raised um by either our council or uh Mr. Quint Quinton, could you get back to us and tell us uh what those issues are?

Absolutely. I would, you know, prior to issuing the release, I will draft up some language uh for Mr. Quinton and I can I can run that through legal counsel as well.

Okay.

Thank you. Next item is u approval of the if for the comprehensive wastewater management plan. Tim So upon the board's uh request at previous meetings, we have obtained a quote uh for the independent fee evaluation uh for the comprehensive wastewater management plan uh scope and fee from uh Chronicle of Mount Juliet, Tennessee. The uh the IF report is estimated to be completed and delivered

within 15 days of the signed contract.

The cost of the IFB is $6,500.

I had raised, Mr. Chairman, I had raised this particular issue. Um Tim, the cost of the contract for the CWMP is what?

$690,000.

Yes.

Um I've been working on some projects uh with the city and uh the use of if uh quite consistent uh especially when federal and state money is involved.

What they do with this is they look at the task. They look at the charge or value for that task and the individual who performs the task and whether or not it's the proper individual at the proper rate and not an individual at a much higher rate than is necessary to perform the task. Um once they've done this, generally you will go and revisit if there are any areas of concern. If

there's more than a 10% variance between what they find appropriate charge for the task and um the person who performs it, we're talking almost three quarters of a million dollars here. Probably one of the most um important studies we're going to be doing in a long time. I think this money is well spent.

I I I I agree. I agree with you, Mike.

The only question I have is I assume this is the billing for the CWMP will be on a uh what is it? Hourly, not to exceed. It's not lump sum.

It's lump sum.

Lump sum. But how's the billing? Is it based on hourly or they just bill percentages?

Percentage.

Okay.

And the total the total uh cost is 627,200.

Okay. Uh as to the if do I have a motion?

I would make a motion that we approve a uh task order for an if with uh KO constru KO um I guess they're engineers for $6,500.

So I will second that motion by Mr. Gier, second by Mr. Ainer.

Uh Mr. Gier, how do you vote?

I vote yes.

Mr. Mr.

I vote yes.

Mr. Green, I vote yes.

Chair votes yes. The item is approved.

So we would expect to see that within a couple of weeks, right, Tim?

Yeah, we'll look at them to uh to expedite this quick.

I'm sorry, Mr. Greenlaw. Did you have something?

No, I made no comment.

Okay, thank you. I may be hearing things. Um, next item is uh committee updates from board members. Do any of the board members have any committee updates?

All right. uh than I do. Uh at the water quality committee uh two days ago I gave a presentation on the department of public works water quality programs and I followed there was the first presentation was on watersheds watershed planning and how that fits into uh improving and maintaining local water quality. Um I admit that my presentation was too long and too detailed and uh I had to

truncate it at the end. Um but the written version is posted and everyone had a written version in hand. So I the main focus was the um sewer collection and treatment system uh and the storm water program uh focusing initially on MS4 and then uh mention of the INI program and the aquifer protection program. So those are the main items, but there are some other things that public works does that are

were sort of folded in and that includes things like uh recycling in particular recycling motor oil at the transfer station. So um it reinforced my opinion that public works is doing a lot of good stuff for water quality. Um any event I was also there. It it was well done. I think I think the fact that there were two presentations at that single meeting uh didn't give a lot of time uh you know

to have uh two presentations. So I think if it was only the only presentation at the meeting you wouldn't have had to truncate it.

All right. Any uh questions or comments?

Okay. Uh moving next meeting uh two week uh next month.

Do you do you usually you try to come up with a tenor meeting date uh at the end of the meetings just for planning purposes?

I think I got it on my calendar. Um I'll circulate it to the board members.

It's a open public meeting and uh it will be the one we had uh two days ago will be rebroadcast uh in the future. I don't know whether our meetings will be broadcast live but they are recorded and will be um available to the public uh on the cable system.

You're good.

Okay, Tim, director updates.

Um, I also So, as far as committee updates, director updates, so u we're working on our capital improvement plan.

So, for the fall town meeting, so we we don't typically historically we we haven't typically created a new capital plan for a fall town meeting for the same fiscal year. uh but uh last year and and this this year they they have requested a a update of our capital plan. So we're working on that currently and we are scheduled to present to the capital improvement committee on September 9th at 8 a.m. Um and our

capital is uh due uh tomorrow by the end of the day. So, we'll continue working on that today and tomorrow and get that submitted to finance director. And once we have that together, I will present the board uh with a with our with our capital plan uh moving into the fall town meeting.

The um the town meeting, fall town meeting is scheduled for October 20th at I believe 700 p.m. at the Dmit High School.

Tim um I think I had mentioned it before. Uh the enterprise funds that we have for a couple of the different divisions in the DPW.

Um they have to submit to the department of revenue certification of retained earnings including any incumbrances that are deducted uh before they certify the retained earnings.

Absolutely. I think it would be very helpful if both the incumbrances and the uh you know the documentation submitted to the department of revenue be furnished uh copies to the board members um as we progress along uh be very interesting to see u how they're doing and also comparing them to uh previous year. So, I I do have the estimated uh uncertified uh report. I can I can send it to the board.

That's great. Thank you.

Does the board usually get a copy of the uh the certified free cash that comes from the state once they accept those numbers?

Any enterprise funds?

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you.

Okay Tim.

Okay, so couple project updates. Uh multi-residentidential multi-unit residential development project. Uh the Sher Sherbrook 40B uh project was approved at their last meeting. I wasn't in attendance. I believe uh a couple of our board members uh were attending. Um the um Hathaway 40B was continued in that closing hearing is scheduled for tonight at 5:00 pm at room 304 which is the board meeting room at

town hall. So I I will be in attendance.

I've been working with with special counsel on a number of items. I did forward the conditions and the waiver requests for the board for your review.

Mr. Chairman, as I had mentioned earlier, I was going to bring up the concern here on the issue that there are, it seems like I get more and more questions in my mind relative to uh you know the gallons per day that are being contributed to the system and what latitudes we have relative to uh addressing that when they come in for their permits. before uh water and sewer. Um,

what I'd like to do is I'd like to memorialize what the questions are that I have and then I would like to then have them, you know, sent to the superintendent and then um, a formal request be made to the select board to ask the select board to provide legal counsel to review those questions and have an in-person meeting with our board to answer them. I think I I certainly feel personally that I need some direction

and I need to know where we can go and where we cannot go. Uh I think we have a responsibility before any uh formal requests are being made for sewer and water connection permits that we have some information uh in that regard. Um, I read the Stantech report for both of those projects and they both raised red flags in those reports relative to our water system and our sewer system. And

one in particular raises a significant red flag that a major improvement is needed in upgrading a state road lift station. Uh we learned with the the Ellswick station that project came in at $3 million.

We cut the project back. It got a grant for a million. Um but still town put in money on that project and it was for uh capacity issues related to the preserve.

If we've learned anything, we need to get some answers before we get too far down the pike. And I say if we could get any concerns or questions that Tim could put into a letter, I would ask for, you know, to make a motion that we would make a formal written request to the select board for legal counsel assistance.

Do I have a second?

Okay.

Moved by uh Mr. Gier and seconded by Mr.

Asa.

I'd like to have a little discussion on this. Um, Mike, do you h, for example, do you have your questions pretty much written out?

I have some written out. I have more of them in my head.

And I I can work expeditiously on this.

I can get to Tim, you know, something by the end of the day on Friday, uh, so he could share it with the board members.

That would be great.

Um, I I think this might be one of those circumstances where we put together a two-person working group to um assist Mike in putting those questions together.

Is uh anyone interested in helping with this? I think it's an important issue.

I would I I I would be interested in looking it over and maybe providing some uh some suggestions.

Um my concern my concern is I think it's twofold. One, yes, we should be getting everything we can, but to make sure that whatever we put in place is something that will stand up to a legal challenge because there's been there's been uh a history of court cases related to these things. So, I think there's ways to do it. And I agree with Mike. We need to

find out how to do it, but do it in a way that it will then withstand possible legal challenges because the higher the amounts, the bigger the projects, the more likely they are to to uh spend money on legal. So, we want to do it right.

Lee, do you have the uh the interest to work with Mike on this?

Yes.

Okay. Um with that, I'll entertain uh a vote. Mr.

Gier.

Yes.

Mr. Azner, yes.

Mr. Greenlaw, yes.

Chair votes yes. Uh, Mr. Gier's motion is approved. And, uh, we have two people from the board. We'll work with Tim on those questions.

Uh, Rob, could I just ask uh I know I've read through them both and I I have some questions in my head. I haven't had time to memorialize them, but uh can I for any questions that I have, I'd like to forward them to whether it's Michael or whoever uh some direction where I might send my questions.

Forward them to me, Mr.

Yeah. Do you Tim?

Yes.

Yeah. The right way to do this is to work through the uh the department head and then since others will be working with him, uh he'll have the ability to discuss blending those those comments and questions together.

Great. Thank you.

Okay, Tim. Next item.

Um so this is uh just an update. Uh so at the previous meeting, I believe Mr.

GA had requested a number of uh the the sewer accounts be itemized uh for commercial accounts, residential accounts and um multi- multi-residential account, multi-unit. Uh so we we did break that up. Uh the water division helped worked with Sandy Waterman to to put this together. I did submit it as a as a as an item and along with that so separately uh Ross in planning had has been working on uh GIS

mapping uh for all of the sewer sewer account parcels. So he also submitted uh a possible map with and it's a draft map with all of the poss. I also submitted that for the board for their review. And what I did, I I had engaged him and the water division to break break it up into commercial, multi-unit, residential, and and residential parcels. And so they can color code the individual parcel so we

can see the location of of the type of use. Um, so working with the water division is going to work on getting that itemized on the spreadsheet that they can then input into GIS and then populate on the map.

We only have five large multi-unit seems low.

Yeah, we don't have a lot of multi-unit.

Yeah, we have a we have we have a number of, you know, fours and sixes and then we don't have a lot of large multi-units. There was never any zoning for multi-units in in Dartmouth.

Only a few on few on Dartmouth Street, right?

There's one on Diamond Street and one being built, right?

Yeah. Okay. Two. That's two.

Along Route Six. Okay. I I expected more.

Yeah. Along along Route 6, the preserve being built. Um since that was a commercial area, it wasn't typically used for for residential and multi-unit residential until until the 40B affordable housing came in. There's a a Wedgewood off of Font's Corner. That's a pretty live one.

Okay. Any uh further questions on multi-unit residential development projects?

Okay, Tim. Sewer accounts. Anything else?

No. So, that that's just for the board to view. Um if you have any comments or questions and and just let me know. Uh, I'll be working with with the departments to get that updated on that map and I'll send it over to the board.

Okay. Any other questions? Tim, road maintenance.

Um, so hot on Hawthon Street uh improvements uh working with the consultant. This is on the the uh transportation improvement plan with with Mass DOT. Um we're working uh at at the uh 25% stage uh with uh and currently working with ICE or intersection control with Mass DOT. Uh they had originally recommended a roundabout at the intersection of Hawthon Street and Spoken Road.

Um we we weren't really in line with that recommendation. So uh we did express our concerns. Um we're working on an alternative uh design and and we submitted to to Mass DOT and they they reviewed it and we're working on comments currently.

uh crossroad uh improvements project phase one uh also on a transportation improvement plan with mass dot um we're working towards 100% uh design for this um uh working with our consultants are working on the storm water design and 100% design and I'm working uh through through council on the title uh review and uh working with a firm on the appraisals for for any ements and and takings in that area for for those

improvements.

Hoping to have more updates uh soon. Uh they're planning on re uh submitting uh the NOI to notice of intent to mass dot uh this week and uh and their goal is uh to submit to DM conservation in September which is which is next week.

Board members, any comments or questions?

The only comment um that I wanted to make under the road maintenance section is I have noticed in driving throughout town that a lot of homes their individual landscaping and their plantings are uh imp you know impeding significantly into the right away. never seen. It doesn't seem to bother me too much that it's in the shoulders, which sometimes with no sidewalks are where people walk, but now I see that it's

actually going into the paved areas. And it's also an impediment on intersections for lines of sight. I would ask Tim maybe issue a general announcement that she would that he would give to the local newspaper that it's people's responsibilities. I I certainly understand the trepidation of the gentleman that who goes and cuts the vegetation back with that machine before he goes and starts chopping up, you

know, some beautiful shore and trees. I think we ought to be given fair notice um to those folks that it's their responsibility to get it back. Um it just seems in a couple of locations uh it seems to be getting very problematic.

You're absolutely correct. I've noticed this as well and I've been uh thinking about a a public notification that we could work with our communication uh staff at town hall and get the get it out to uh the masses and and I think any individual properties we can we can uh submit letters uh to either uh maintain the the overgrowth or we would have to maintain it and they don't want us to

maintain it with with the job.

It won't be as birdie when you when we do it.

Any other comments?

Uh so the route six uh upgrade improvement projects uh project from mass uh do from font corner road uh just past Haway road including that inspection upgrade um is scheduled to be advertised in June of 2027.

um they expect DoD to submit the NOI uh to Hong Kong sometime in September or October as well on that project. I know that some of the delays were the designing of the replacement of the Pascam River Bridge Culver uh and all the utilities that go through it. Um so part of this this this project also has is scope for removing the concrete uh mat over all along that corridor on route six

which is under the pavement. So that's a that's a big undertaking. I have you know I've submitted for grant and for funding for replacing the water man as well as in this area. We currently have a 10- in, I believe, transite, and we'd like to upgrade that to a 12-in uh ductal ion line for improved uh volume and flow uh through this area. And uh and obviously uh reduce any any breaks or repairs needed after this

construction completed.

Does this include received any funding or grant funding for this?

Tim, does this include the new lights at the uh Hathway Road?

Yes, it it includes uh intersection improvements uh with lights at Flana Road and Hathway Road.

Tim, I mean Tucker Road, I'm sorry.

Tucker Road and Hway Road.

Yes. Tim, can you ask the folks at Massd for a copy of their proposed traffic management plan and see that the safety officer and the town administrator and the select board get a copy of that? The situation as exists now is high on the radar as problematic uh continuously.

Bord select board comments on it often.

Um, I think we need to get that in front of the safety officer and the select board for their input and comment before that period of June 27th. Um, I can't looking for construction traffic management or or uh post construction construction construction traffic management. And it wouldn't hurt to also give them a copy of what the final traffic management plan will look like.

Um, you said they were at 75% design on that.

They Yeah, they're they're working towards 100%.

Um, have they held their public comment period with the select board?

Yes. Yeah, that was quite a while ago.

Yeah.

All right. Thank you. But I think probably that probably you could probably watch that.

Yeah. I I think you get those documents to the safety officer. you know, we got little less than a month, excuse me, a little less than a year before that. And um I think that would be very helpful input, especially with the police station within a stones throw from where that work's being done.

Yeah.

And we um you know, we're working through our FY27 uh road construction work. Um we uh we've done a number of roads uh for um mill and overlay. Uh we we and we just we just finished uh Soukum Road and uh we strike all the center lines and crosswalks and stop lines on on uh Soukum Road, Chase Road, and a number of other roads in town uh that that needed rellining. Uh so so

they're ready for the school school year. Um, and we'll be moving towards our fall program shortly. And I I'll update the board with uh with what that plan is.

Any questions?

Next, uh, I was asked to bring the Bayer Bridge uh, update uh, to the board. My last update uh on the bridge design uh stated that Mass DOT was expecting a 25% commission um this fall. Um I was I did reach out to Mass DOT and they stated that the movable span preservation project design continues to progress uh and the design consultant has initiated the 25 to 75% uh preservation design. Um and then and

within the next week they stated that they would advance the the report for my review. Uh, and I can I can submit that to the board for their review as well.

And that we would we would scheduled to meet with Mass D and possibly the design team.

Board members, any questions or comments?

Tim, um, what what have they been doing uh, at the bridge um, over the last last couple of months? What what been the nature of the work?

So, we um we had we had to replace the jack a while back. Um so, we we actually scheduled that closing um and got that replaced and and fixed. And then this past week closing was was more of an emergency. Uh what had happened was the the jacks have a transmission on them and that transmission is mounted to the to the structure. Well, that mount broke uh and the transmission rotated and and

twisted and was was whining making a lot of noise. Uh so they checked it out.

They found out that was the issue. So, we spanned the bridge um later that day uh in in line with an opening that was scheduled for a boat and they they had to remove the mount and the in the transmission and then fabricate we fabricated our mechanics fabricated in house a new mount and we did have a a spare transmission for that jack. So they they did the fabrication and they

worked on it that day and they worked on it to the the next day, worked through lunch and uh got it repaired. And through that when they were doing that work, they were checking out some of the other jacks and found another jack that needed uh that was was also making some noise. So they removed and replaced that other jack uh to prevent any any other failures. So, so they got that all done

in the in that day and a half that the bridge was closed.

Thank you for that clarification.

Absolutely.

Kim, do you have any sense of first of all whether public pressure on DOT would excuse me speed up their design process and uh second of all uh how if that is something that you think might help how we do that. Um, I'm getting comments from people about how long it's been taking and the thing seems to be stuck at 25% and you know it's just a lot of questions and a lot of comments. Um,

you know, my assumption is uh that you know with the amount of large bridge improvements that the state's working on that you know that the pay bridge doesn't really it's not really a priority to them. to to move it uh expeditiously, let's say. But um I do keep in touch with the state and and you know I I think any any pressure that you know anyone could put on them to to move

this along would help because the bridge isn't getting any younger. The parts are are failing. the mechanicals, the electricals, you know, we have to constantly uh repair. The joints are, you know, the expansion joints are cut back as much as they can be cut back.

You know, as material expands and contracts, you never get that full contraction back. And and as it as it continuously expands and contracts, the material actually grows and you lose that that fade. And that and that's what happens a lot of times when you get that that heat um and and the bridge gets over 120 degrees. You can't cool it down. It expands and it's actually catching on other parts of the structure

on the abupment. So on the causeway so you know they you know it it's going to keep happening because it's beyond that uh that expansion and contraction point. So, I think we need to push them to get this to get this designed to get it get it funded.

Yeah. The people that talk to me don't really care so much about the fine points of the design process and 25 and 75% and that kind of stuff. They just want to know when the damn thing's going to get fixed. And I think and that and I can say the the governor Baker had authorized that the bond bill for the design be be used which is through Mass DOT and that's the only funding currently

available for the bridge. So we don't currently have funding for for the construction work. So, I think pushing to get that funded is a huge component of getting this done.

Okay, board members, any other questions?

Okay, Tim, uh, anything else on your list?

Kind of lastly, drought status. We're still we're still in a mild drought. Um, a lot of the state is still in mo in a in a significant drought. We're luckily we're in a mild drought. Um, currently our our A well is offline being cleaned.

B well has been cleaned and is waiting for parts. It had a failed pump. Our F wells are still down from storm damage from the from the blizzard which we the parts are were expected to be in by the end of August. So, we're uh the transformer um these transformers have really long lead times and we're hoping to get that any day so we can upgrade update that those wells and get those

out wells back online. Uh due to due to the past commands at river levels um we recently last week we had to shut down ewell um and the rain over the last weekend didn't wasn't enough to get that level back up. So, you know, we're hoping to get some more rain, but it seems to keep breaking up and passing us by.

Uh, our Canelli wells are all online except for uh P2, which has been cleaned and and the pump motor is also being replaced. Uh, that well also has some cannon issues. So, so we're looking at how we can reduce those handings or remove them.

And that's about it.

Board members, any questions? Rob, I I like your concept now that we have more than uh three board members. The whole issue of water, water water sufficiency, water consumption, um certainly in my opinion, and I'm going to nominate you for one of the positions on this, Rob, is that um we need to have a subcommittee to uh look very in depth on this particular issue. It's second thing

on my radar that's drawing grave concern because we haven't even added the 1,400 residential units across seven projects in this town and uh we're just going to be buying more water from New Bedford. Um the issue of exploration of possible connection to Fall River uh will take time and not necessarily maybe a resolution.

Um, we need some in-depth work on this.

So, uh, Rob, I know your background in California, you dealt with this an awful lot and I'm hoping another board member will join you to really dive into this issue.

Well, I'm open and uh I have some ideas of how to how to proceed with um engaging the public.

There are certainly people out there with various ideas. Um, and I think it would be useful to get a number of them into a room and simply do the classic brainstorming. Um, so we know what people think and then we can help focus um, our efforts and the town on augmenting our water supplies. Um, and I I think we're lucky to have New Bedford as a backup. Um, but I also think it's

uh wise to look at augmenting the supply in other ways if it makes financial sense. So, um, you know, whether that be additional wells or um connection with Fall River, uh, I don't know. I think that that needs to be discussed and evaluated in public, but there are certainly opinions out there.

Okay. Uh do I have someone to help me?

Mike, it sounds like you're um passing the buck on this. If I may use Well, we are working on the most important issue. So, we're wast I know you are. I know I would I would ask Addison to uh pop up and step up to working with Rob.

Uh since I'm also on the water quality committee with Rob, then uh yes, I would do that.

Okay.

I love it.

Uh perhaps you and I can have uh coffee and sort of figure out which which direction we want to head.

That would be fine. I just I I won't be home until tomorrow morning, but Oh, certainly.

We can get I'll get in touch with you and we'll arrange something.

All righty. So, uh, Michael, do you have any other assignments you want to make?

No.

Okay. Any other issues or discussion, Tim?

I have one last item. So item just an update on excuse me sorry item H for new business was the license utility layer application.

I know we continued this. Um, they did submit their updated certificate of insurance with the working workers comp and they asked uh if they could be uh voted on today.

Met all the requirements.

What's that?

They met all of the requirements.

Yes. So, they have Let me see.

they have met all their requirements.

They they have all their certificates of insurance. They the what they were missing was they had an exclusion on their workers comp certificate and and the and for years we we don't allow any exclusions in the company and their their exclusion was uh that one of their offices was a was a an office clerk. um they weren't working in the field, so they didn't they didn't know that they

needed to have workers comp for that staff. But we have kind of a blanket requirement. This is and Lee probably remembers this from previous years. Um that all all employees of a a licensed utility company, we require uh workers comp because we can't distinguish who's a clerk and who, you know, who work holds what position. And some companies don't have clerks. Some companies are just the owner and and a laborer. I

think the board had voted for that years ago. Mr. Chairman, if you'll entertain it, I would make a motion that we consider the the uh license utility layer application from WC Excavation LLC.

Second.

Okay. We we did continue this item. So, we have a motion to pick it up. Do I have a second?

Second.

Okay. Uh, I have a motion and a second to bring this back to the board. Um, do I have a motion for approval?

So moved. I think since they they've met the requirements that we approve the license.

So they have been in business for two years. Um, they meet the requirements.

They have they had submitted letters of references from the city of Fall River for for drain layer work. uh Portsmith Water and Fire uh for utility work and they also recently uh submitted from Tiveton for utility work and all in good standing.

Okay, I have a motion by Mr. Azera. Do I have uh a second?

Second.

Second by Mr. Gier. Uh Mr. Aaneera, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Gier, yes.

Mr. Green law.

Yes.

Chair votes yes. The item is approved.

Right. And I I'll forward the uh the full package with the with the additional reference letter and the the certific certificate of insurance with the work of stock to the board.

All right. Any uh any other items, Tim?

That is all.

Okay. I will enter if the board if board members have nothing else to uh they want to discuss.

I do.

It's I'll very quick.

Um select board's meeting as I understand it next Monday. Um I understand that one of our long-term board members in fact is leaving us. Um, I would ask that certainly the board send a thank you note for the dedication and time that board member has put in.

Um, I would I would like to have our board as they made a recommendation previously. But if the question comes up as to whether or not the board recommends um, Mr. Jim Richie to fill that vacancy. Uh that we certainly maybe not take a vote, but we have consensus amongst us that that would be a very good choice since it was one that ranked high through our interviews.

um very concerned and I'm hoping Tim is addressing it. That situation at Delo Apartments where the sidewalk is blocked off with chain link fence so that people and a lot of people walk on Dartmouth Street have to walk out and go into the breakdown lane to get around that uh fencing that's over the sidewalk there.

uh if you've got to go to town council to get that thing resolved expeditiously, it's a liability just waiting to happen.

So So the Delano Obama, that was actually on my update, but we we jumped to the next uh item. So John Connell in the engineering division has been working out with with the contractor and it seems like they were prioritizing other work while they were trying to figure out the sewer issue uh with the manhole that they installed in the in the rightway. So they they have gotten that

pretty much resolved. They're working on they had the additional section. They were working on the cleanout uh for it was an exterior drop sewer manhole that they were installing there, but they didn't seem to be expediting this work that was within the rightway or providing signage or additional uh pedestrian access. So, we brought that to to their attention. John's been working with them and it seems like they

should have that. Uh if it's not already done yesterday, it should be done by today. Please, please make sure that they immediately uh pour the sections of sidewalk that the town paid for some 10 years ago on Dartmouth Street reconstruction. They poured that immediately. So, there is no uh walking over gravel and any kind of trip edges.

Um that was just way way too long for them to leave that like that. It's just completely unacceptable.

I agree. Unacceptable. Um, one thing I would like to bring up is since we will have a full board of five members and I personally find talking to members and discussing with members in person um I seem to it seems to work better for my my mind and I'm not sure if you know uh Zoom is always the best medium for you know candid exchange. I I would like to

see if we could do at least every other meeting in person. Um uh it's at a location that's suitable so that DCTV continues to uh film it. Um I think that would be helpful.

Um uh Mike, I I will not be able to do the uh September meeting in person. Today I could have but not September.

All right. So maybe we look at October being the first one in person if that's okay with everybody.

But again, I think this is convenient for Zoom, but if we did every other one, I think that would be helpful.

Jim, could uh could you look into rooms and give us a a little bit of a sense of how that might work?

Absolutely. I worked with DCB on it.

Yeah, I think the room the room that they have I think it's 305 or 307 all the camera equipment and everything set up and it's for a multimember board.

They do the refuge district meeting there. Works very good. Um that would be perfect for it.

And then uh we can um I'm not sure whe whether we want to change the timing of our meetings, but that might be something we discuss as well, particularly if we're going to have inerson meetings.

Yeah.

As I get older, 7:30 seems to come quicker.

Yes.

Well, particularly as we get into the fall and days get shorter.

All right.

Can can we can we have Tim send a consensus of the board on uh the appointment? I really would like to see them make that appointment um on Monday night um since we probably have a committee that we could assign Jim to immediately but I won't do it in his absence.

So I did speak with uh Mr. Hadad and he was working on that. I uh so I assume it will be Monday night, but I can confirm for you.

Thank you.

He was actually previously working on on this past Monday. Uh but but they didn't they weren't able to to get a quorum or or get the board together until this coming Monday. I think also a letter to our uh retiring board member. Um, if you could put that together, I mean, we were tremendously lucky in Dartmouth to have an individual 29 years as a superintendent in the city of New Bedford. And um, I

really want to make sure that we uh, express our gratitude in the form of written correspondence. Stan, absolutely. I can work on that. And uh, thank you.

I'll have it I'll have it for all the board members sign.

Great.

That's all, Mr.

So I I I do have one question.

Yes.

Uh Blendfield tour tomorrow.

Yes.

Where are we meeting?

You mean give you mean one? Hold on a second.

Anybody else going?

Yeah, I'm going.

I took a tour uh six months ago and I've been on enough landfills to recognize one that's reasonably wellrun.

So So the meeting So basic it's tomorrow at 1:00 meeting at Crapo Hill.

So we should be we'll meet there. You going Tim? I'm not I've been to a few tours and not that I don't want not that I don't want to. We just have to we had to finish our capital and my presentation.

So, yeah. No, in my in all my in my 10 years on the board before, never got up there.

So, I figured I'd give it a Yeah, it's a great view from the top. It is. So, I'm I'm going because of time I I'm going because I haven't seen it since I built the first cell.

There you go.

And they're hoping to get permitting to get permitting to build a new cell.

So, yeah. Well, it was a long time ago.

Yes.

Great.

Okay. Any other items, Tim?

Uh I think based on the conversation you have consensus on the board uh for Mr.

Richie.

Uh if Mike if you think you want to vote uh we could take one but I think the the consensus is there. We've it's not on the agenda so we probably couldn't vote on it.

Yeah. We previously voted at one of our agenda meetings. I think if Tim just shares that vote from that meeting that would be sufficient. Um I would agree with Tim uh we haven't really agended this uh particular matter but I think the previous correspondence that Tim had with Cody is sufficient to know the position of our board.

Absolutely.

Okay. If there is nothing else I will entertain a motion to adjurnn.

Okay. So moved.

Second.

Motion by Mr. Aierra, second by Mr. Gier. Mr. Gier, how do you vote?

Yes.

Mr. Aziera, yes.

Mr. Greenlaw, yes.

Chair votes yes. The meeting is adjourned. Thank you all for your time.