Board of Public Works Meeting February 19, 2026

Okay, I've got 7:30.

All right, but I'd like to open up the meeting.

Uh, please be aware everyone that this meeting is being recorded and I'd like to acknowledge the members present, Mr. Gagy and Mr. Leel.

Um, like to take a roll call vote. Uh roll call vote because of remote participation.

Uh Mr. Gagy present.

Uh Mr. Leell is present.

Uh we'll move to uh a motion to approve and accept the warrants for bills payable.

I would move that we accept the warrants for the bills payable for the period ending January the 5th, 12th, 20th, and 26 of 2026 and also February 2nd and 9th of 2026.

I so move.

I will second that.

Okay. I vote in favor.

I vote in favor and the chair votes in favor. Uh, I would pass.

I'd make the next motion that we approve and accept the payroll for the weeks ending January the 24th, 31st, and February 7th, and 14th of 2026. I would so move.

I will second that.

I vote in favor. Yes.

And I vote yes as well.

We have no minutes to approve, so we will move to old business. I I agree.

Old business a discussion. Delano Apartments uh memo of agreement. Tim.

Yes. So the uh the Delano Apartments uh memorandum of agreement draft has been agreed upon by Claymont Company uh as you know written with uh the the assistance. Well, it was written by us and and and Sandy based on past uh MOAS and uh reviewed and commented upon by assistant town council and uh those provisions and recommendations uh were reviewed by us and Claymont company and agreed upon. Uh the MOA outlines the

fees that will be required to be paid at different stages of the construction to connect to the municipal sewer system. The the fees uh include um $81,600 uh for sewer connection which is based upon the number of of bedrooms uh being built uh based off title five flows and our fees. uh the inflow and infiltration fee which is also based on the on the the flow calculation from the number of

bedrooms and that is $44,940.

The mitigation fee also based on that flow with a a $12 per gallon per day uh with a total of $17,856.

And all that is to be paid throughout the the uh construction. So 25% of that is to be paid at the application date of the sewer connection. Uh 50% of that total fee it will be due at the temporary occupancy permit. And then at final occupancy 25% the final 25% of that cost will be required.

And at that at that final occupancy date we we also calculated a capital improvement fee of $62,395 uh which includes capital improvements at the pump station and at the plant for uh for the the amount of flow that that they have from their facility. Any questions?

Um I would only make a comment that I am glad Tim that you have that capital improvement um aspect in it relating to that pump station and that second pump that folks at Stantech had identified as uh you know questionable for this added capacity.

um being consistent with this as we go forward of uh apartment complexes that we're going to be reviewing and upcoming. I I very much appreciate that.

That's very good done. Thank you.

Um Tim, is this several months ago we approved the permit for this project?

Is this the same permit, same values, or have they changed?

So, we have not approved the permit yet.

We've only approved the permit to uh connect the water.

Uh I guess what I'm what I'm asking is we approved a rate increase to the permit values.

Correct.

And I for some reason looking at these numbers, they seem different than what we approved. Am I correct or incorrect?

No, I believe these are the numbers.

Yeah. Okay.

That were discussed and approved. Yeah.

Okay. I guess the only other question I have in regards to AB and C for first, second and third payment. What kind of timeline are you anticipating for something like that? So uh the 25% once this is approved by the board um and and then signed by uh clay company and me um then they I assume that they will apply for sewer immediately and pay and pay that 25%.

Um, and then, you know, they they're they're pretty far along on the construction, but I I'm assuming there's there's still a good amount of time before temporary occupancy.

Um, I haven't seen they haven't done any interior work. It's all all been uh framing. So, that basically it it'll be a while before we get to 50 and and 100% on the Okay.

Okay. Thank you. Any anything else on this matter?

Nope.

Um I I have it as a discussion, but can can the vote uh can the board vote to u approve the MOA to move forward?

Um I'm sorry. Say that again. I didn't hear you.

I have this listed as a discussion, but could the the board vote to um to approve the MOA uh to move it forward?

Um, do you have any objections to that, Mike?

No, but I would make a motion.

Okay. Presented uh materially in the packet that's been provided to us and to the uh fee uh schedule that Tim has outlined that we approve the for the Delano Apartments by Claremont Corporation.

I will second that.

Uh, Mr. Gagy, I would vote yes.

And I will vote yes. Motion passes.

Thanks, Tim.

You're welcome.

Uh, am I supposed to admit this guy, Tim?

Somebody's trying to get in.

I got him. I got him covered.

Okay.

Derek Martin.

Uh item B Tim.

So item B uh update on the water enterprise uh rates and quarterly billing. So as the board had uh approved a 13% increase on on water rates uh with support of the the select board and the town administrator and finance director uh we have moved forward uh with a public service announcement uh that went out on video. I don't know if you've seen it but I can I can send you a link

to it. Um and and the bills are scheduled, the first quarter bills are are scheduled to go out on February 24th. They were they were scheduled to go out this week, but um you know, we only have one billing clerk, a utility billing clerk, and you know, they they're doing instead of doing, you know, different sections uh throughout the town for the throughout the year, they're doing all 9,000 over 9,000 accounts

at this time. Uh, so they're just working on getting that approved and and getting all those bills ready to go out on hopefully on February 24th.

That's good. with the with the video that we sent out. Uh Steve and I uh Steve Sullivan and I did some some speaking on the video and kind of explaining the rate and and the quarterly billing and and also the the app the ion water app which allows residents to create a login and then log on to look at their real-time use of their water and uh you know look at look

at real time you know consistent use and see if they have you know and there are any triggers or for leaks or you know it's essential use accessible.

But um we had some questions regarding the app login and we you know we had explained how to that you have your water account number which is on your bill and then you have to to create the login you need to hyphenate that with a combination of your account number and your customer ID and that customer ID could only you would have to call the water department to get that customer ID.

So, we're this posed some confusion to people trying to create that login as well as, you know, a lot of calls going to the water department while they they're trying to work on on getting these bills out. And uh so um working with the town administrator, the uh Chad, our one of our uh computer software gurus, and Jessica, our uh communications director, and and Chrissy, our utility man. Uh Chrissy

created a a report that that had both the account number and the and the customer ID. Chad took that, created a tool that we could put on the website so people can just go into that site, enter their account from their bill, and then it'll it'll populate the account number with the hyphenated customer ID that they can then create that login on the the eye on water. And then Jessica, our communications director,

created a web page with with with our instructions to move forward with creating that login and using the app and and and it includes that tool on the web page. We tried it out yesterday. It works well.

Um so that's going live today.

Good. Good. Any discussion on this questions?

Okay, good deal.

All right.

Uh item C, Tim.

So, uh the draft 2027 operational budget in CIP.

The board was sent the original draft budget in CIP right before our January meeting. I know it was kind of a short notice, but we had been working furiously to get that put together uh right before that meeting. And uh and since then uh I met with the town administrator and the finance director late last week and they recommended a number of uh changes uh increases mostly in in enterprise fund budgets and we

also we also updated uh some of the uh general fund budgets as well. I I sent the the revision package out for the budget and I am actually scheduled to meet with the finance committee today tonight at 5:00 pm at town hall to present the operating budget.

As far as the capital uh plan, I'm working on a few changes. So, while I sent I sent the revised budget, the the capital plan that I sent out in January is still the the current draft, and I'm working on changes, and as soon as I get those changes updated out, we'll send those along as well.

And uh we're I'm scheduled to present the capital on Monday, March 2nd.

Anybody

have any?

Tim, you have any questions? Mike, Tim, on that budget, I took a look at it and I'm concerned on two of your divisions, uh, the fleet maintenance and the construction division, excuse me. And how much money Sorry about that. And how much money is uh appropriated for their expenses in those departments? Uh I'm actually quite surprised that they, you know, that expense amount, you know, has been

historically what I consider low for the amount of work um the vehicles, the number of vehicles you got to maintain.

And then for the construction division, for the type of work that that division was designed for, it's really not an awful lot of money either. Now, I I certainly understand having been in that position that going into the beginning of a new fiscal year with uncertainty on, you know, level of receipts and, you know, what the state aid, you know, the unrestricted, you know, state aid's

going to be that they have to basically uh try to level fund in certain categories. But I think it would certainly deserve notice that you would raise in the finance committee meeting.

And I would say first, you know, with the finance director and the town administrator that you would ask for some consideration on those two line items at the fall town meeting when they have their surplus revenue from the previous fiscal year certified so that some of the projects and some of the bigger maintenance things that the fleet maintenance should be doing, you make a list of them and have them so that you

can provide Cody and uh you know the finance director because it's not an awful lot of money. you're not going to get a lot of work done if you're going to buy materials for that kind of expense in the construction division.

Just my thoughts.

So, thank you, Mike. Appreciate that.

And we will, you know, we will discuss that. Um, so typically both of those divisions. Uh, most a lot of their work they do is billable to other departments. So, you know, when the engineering trucks go in for maintenance, they build the engineering division. um if any other town hall vehicles that are in there um getting for maintenance that gets build and same with with the construction division a

lot of the work that they do is billable. So whether it's chapter 90 or build to road maintenance um it it it that's how it works itself out. So when we were asked um when when the finance director requested the budgets um they asked that they be level funded. We did continue to level fund that. I do know that I think the CPI was about 2.4% this year. Um and there there will be uh

u depending on that that and that's for expenses and then based on based on salaries depending on negotiations that that budget will will be uh updated based on on union negotiations.

So, could you just ask maybe Donna uh in accounting whether or not she can print on the Munis system uh what the totals were for the chargebacks for the departments in the last full fiscal year and just share it with us. It'd be very helpful. I I was not aware that those uh divisions were billing back to the appropriate departments, but it would be nice to see, you know, certainly how

much uh fleet maintenance is helping all those other agencies and uh certainly a construction division that's able to execute versus hiring a contractor.

That's that's a great opportunity.

Absolutely.

You don't have to ask Donna. I we keep track of it in our budget even every even on the budget sheets. we don't have that done or will we charge back um because it's all tracked internally in our budget sheets between chapter 90 and vote makers and Paul if you could share that with uh with each of the board members it would be very helpful it sort of sh next board package right from the billing club

we'll get that to you guys on the next board package it's in there Mike thank you Yeah.

Okay. Thank you, Paul. Thanks, Mike.

Tim, at some point, I'd like to sit down with you. So, you're meeting with the select board tonight to present this uh the finance committee.

A finance committee. Okay, fine. Um just to get, you know, a better handle, I read the whole budget. One quick question I I have is the snow budget.

Where does what snow budget? Yeah, that well I was going to mention that too, but uh where does this money actually come from?

I I mean I mean you don't really budget for snow, right?

And so basically our expense budget is is is still is still doing okay. It's the um and well after we got all the salt delivered I think you know it might be might be further towards being in the red but the it's the overtime budget that that has gotten hammered and pretty much we spent you know on the big storm we spent our whole overtime budget in that one storm.

Yeah. Um, but this this budget is it's one budget that that's allowed to go over into the red and is is supplemented by the general fund.

So, you know what what I did for this new budget, I increased it by almost 100%. I increased the yellow time from the Okay.

So, just to to balance that out a little more. Last year I believe we we we over spent and the year before that we spent about 71,000.

Um so so I increased it to 100,000 uh for this upcoming year, but like I said, it's allowed that's the one budget I that's allowed to go into the rent.

Yeah. Last year we turned back expense money. Remember we were seeing if we could use that money?

Yep. We spent the overtime but we but we didn't we didn't spend the expense money. Yep.

Okay.

And that happens a lot.

At some point, I'd like to sit down with you and just go through Yeah.

the budget to get just some questions cleared up in in my mind.

Definitely. Let me know. We can schedule a sit down.

Yep. Okay. Uh any other questions on item C?

Nope.

Thank you, Tim.

You're welcome. And just one more comment just you know with the additional uh you know with the additional increases especially in the enterprise funds that requires additional increase in rates right so so that that'll be you know coming up as we discuss rates for uh for the fiscal as well.

Well, that would have been one of my questions. Does money from the enterprise accounts go into snow removal or is that totally general fund value?

That's that's a total general fund value. I mean, any any snow removal by those individual departments. So when they called in for overtime to do, you know, like when Dennis's guys are out cleaning the pump station areas, doing snow removal at the yard and and and and when the, you know, the water guys are are clearing the wells and and their their area, that's that's in their budgets, but but the main doing all the

roads, uh, that's that's in the snow and ice budget.

Okay. I I mean I could we could stay here all day with questions I would have. It just be best to to do it in a different forum.

Absolutely.

Um okay. Um item D.

Okay. I'm not sure if Mr. Winnick is on. I don't see him here.

So So Mr. Winnick had come before the board in December.

uh requesting an abatement regarding a high water bill while he was out of town um during the month of May. And while this may have been due to a leak within the dwelling, the board had agreed to an abatement based on uh Steve Sullivan and and my recommendations. So Steve Sullivan calculated Mr. Winnick's usage for the month of May while he wasn't there. Um, and then compared it to past usage in other months of May

when he's typically out of town, which which was zero usage for the last couple years. And then so when Mr. solvent divided that usage in half which was calculated um to from 8961 cubic feet to $4,480.5 which calculated to $275.54 and that's just based on the sewer rate for a sewer abatement because the water did go through the meter so we wouldn't typically abate the water we're not sure if it was an outdoor leak

irrigation or interior or what what the issue was, but that that would be uh the most that we would recommend as to Mike. Any questions?

So on that, Tim, that's being consistent with what we did for the general up on Emerald Drive. All right. We're baiting only the sewer portion um and not the actual uh water used in and gone. Correct.

Correct. Yes.

All right. I I'm fine with that. That's consistent with the previous practice.

And I would make the motion that we approve the request for the amount of $275.

Am I correct on that, Tim?

$275.54.

54. I would I agree. I will second that.

Uh Mr. Gagy, I vote yes.

Uh the chair votes yes. The motion passes. Thank you.

Okay. Item item EME.

So the the comprehensive wastewater management plan RFQ. Um we have finished our review of the qualification packages and uh you know based on you know Mike Mike Mike had recommended and and it's it's typically done uh request an interview with the the the top consultants uh to to get some further information and ask some additional questions. Uh, so we're working on we're working on uh some coming up with

questions and scheduling that those interviews in the upcoming weeks.

Okay, that's good. Tim, I I I think you know with Ron's background with the wastewater plant, New Bedford and Rob's background in in California with water water treatment and water commissions, um, I think it would be a good opportunity. This is this is a real big big deal that we're dealing with going forward. And I think if you were able to schedule that meeting and then post it 48 hours in advance so that um

both Ron uh Rob and I could all go and listen to that. I I have found in my work that I've done for the city, these sitdown meetings where they make a presentation and then you have an opportunity to question is probably the thing that cuts the difference between the best and the the next best. Um, and I think, you know, our board members really should all be there. So, it's not

a big deal. you can just post it, you know, as a a a meeting to listen to the interviews. But I think it's a good opportunity if they can both have an opport Yeah, I'm I'm I appreciate you bringing that that up, Mr. Gagny. I reviewed the RFQS and um still shake my head remembering when we were doing that in New Beth and and uh locking ourselves away in rooms to do

it. But uh I I would like to sit in and listen to that for sure.

Good.

Okay. Any more questions on that?

No.

Thank you. Thank you, Mike. Uh item F operational study.

So uh we we discussed moving forward with the operational study uh at our last meeting. I don't uh the chairman was would like to move it forward. I had I proposed uh holding off as the town administrator was adamant about hiring a business manager for the DPW which is going to kind of change the operations a little bit. So I did have this discussion when I met with the the town

administrator and he agreed that holding off the study until the operational changes were in place including you know the business manager was was a good idea and I asked that we meanwhile we work on a plan for for choosing a consultant to complete the site and procuring that.

So, I will work on that end of it to to get that that finalized and uh and they're looking to advertise that position um as soon as possible.

They worked on the the job description and we reviewed it and I think they're just finalizing um the rate of pay.

Yeah, I see that in the budget. Yes. U 25 across the board.

Yes. Yep.

We had 25% through water, sewer, solid waste and cycling and then general fund.

Okay. Any any questions?

Um Tim, can you share the job description uh with each uh so we can take a look at it. Um I know in other communities they have this position in particular they had it in Matapo and uh it helped an awful awful lot especially in water and sewer. Um they had a very skilled individual they had he was retiree from uh working in finance with banking. Um and it was a

real asset. So I think it's a great idea. Um, but if you just share the description, at least we can sort of think about, you know, I always believe you get the best person sometimes when you go out and mention it to people that, you know, are skilled in a particular area and sort of encourage them versus them since they're not looking for a job or anything. Uh, they might be u with the description, they

might be encouraged to say, "Hey, you know, that's something I'd be interested in doing." So, um, if we have that, we can share with folks that are out there.

I agree. Thanks, Mike.

Yep. Thanks, Mike.

Anything else?

Uh, item G.

Uh, update on the storm debris planning.

Um, I have met with the refugees district director and we are working on uh scheduling to to bring back our meetings to continue our progress on developing this plan. Um, and I I will also be working on scheduling a meeting with the EMA director uh to kind of bring that kind of our our draft of what we have currently to him and see if he has any recommendations on moving forward and

then I'll bring that to the to the district as well.

Okay. Any questions?

No.

No. Thank you, Mike. Okay, we'll move on to new business.

Uh item A utility.

Yes. So we had licensed utility contractor dirty digging a construction of F haven applied for utility layer license. Their application includes their certificates of insurance that are required, the bond and it includes reference letters from Marian DPW, a Kushnet DPW, the city of New Bedford and Hangingham Sewer Commission. Uh the owner has also previously worked with for licensed utility layers in Dartmouth

uh doing doing utility work. Um so I I do recommend the approval of this license.

Do I have a motion?

I would make the motion that we approve the utility contractor's license for the company called Dirty Digging.

I will second that motion.

I vote in favor.

Uh and I vote in favor.

So water supply source study. So I've been working with AECOM. I know uh this has been discussed at various uh town meetings throughout including board meetings um and and and with our with our water you know supply and and demand uh we're looking at a source study. So we worked with a com and they're working on a proposal. Unfortunately they haven't gotten it to us yet. I I did expect it um for this meeting. Um

they the agreement is is based on comp compiling a lot of our historical data that AECOM has worked on in the past and the town has worked on and going through all that data. uh recommending new source locations for for uh for well uh for well locations or possible well locations. So to to move forward with with you know borings and and and also responding to a number of supply source questions within the community

within uh elected officials within different town meetings. Uh, so this is the the proposal is is supposed to be approximately $100,000. I I I asked them to keep it below that if they could.

So, how would we approve this without seeing it?

So, it was on as an approval. I was waiting for the contract, but it it the agreement hasn't been submitted. So, I will continue this uh until we get the contract for the next meeting.

Okay, Mr. Gagnner, any questions?

Oh, I think uh certainly it's a timely matter in light of what we've been dealing with in the last six months and I think the item that Tim has coming up about a significant drought, you know, warning, uh the fur the sooner we go towards this, the better. Uh certainly a month's not going to make a difference.

Um I would only ask Tim if we've come to closure with assistant town council on the letter from the folks from Fish and Wildlife Service so that we will be able to be including that land on the eastern side of the Pascam between the river and Tucker Road. Um my memory serves me historically we had some pretty good uh results north of that location uh back in the might have been the '9s uh and

for various reasons those areas weren't developed but u I think its proximity to the treatment facility that's on the western side of the Pascamancer I think we could do something maybe there if they chose to be very coste effective Sure. Uh, you know, and I agree and and and any the only issue with any wells along Pasco Manset is they are restricted during the months of May through

September um for the amount that we can pump out of the ground um in that wershed. So our peak demand is through those those months. So it it you know it behooves us to to look in some of our other wersheds for additional water so we so we don't get the restrictions that those wells have. Um but you know additionally you know similar you know when we we had to re redrill additional

wells for the vileleta wells to replace some of our old wells that weren't functioning anymore you know those are options additional options for the these sites. Um, I haven't heard heard anything recently from town council.

I'll follow back up. I know he had requested uh he had received a letter from from staff from the state, but he had requested uh a letter from council representing uh either state or federal. Uh it was federal. Yeah. to to basically state that um their use of of that land uh for their conservation restriction would not um would not in prohibit us from developing wells in the future as is it's a uh I

think it's an is an autobon or it's a it is not autobon but it's a bird it's a sanctuary. Right.

Right.

I I would only I would only suggest you mentioned the town council that the towns of Rochester, Fe Haven, and Matapo in fact have that specific language that they agreed upon when they did those land acquisitions, which was a a joint acquisition in those communities for that well situation. So the precedent is there and um I wouldn't want to see you know this get continue to be held up uh

so that you know we can move forward.

The other thing I would mention and you can make sure that you included in the AEN proposal is have those items that Mr. Yenner raised uh as questions that we would want to get answers for. I think that you know sometimes we explore the the outside possibilities and suddenly people have ideas that really are good ideas and uh I would ask that what Mr. Yenna raised that in fact a com addresses

was that the surface water potential yes yeah okay yeah and those were actually uh Mr.

Vienna's uh questions were on that list of of soil supply questions that they they will work to answer. Absolutely.

Yeah. You know, this reminds me, Tim, when the weather gets better, I'll plant the seed now, but I would love to go and take a look at all these areas again to refamiliarize myself with their locations and potentials.

Sure, absolutely.

We can also take you over to the to the to the 579 O West Road plant where we're we're updating the uh the backwash clear well and the uh the CT for log pipe.

Yeah, we'd love to see all that stuff. I you know we'll let the snow melt.

Absolutely.

Okay. Any other anything else on this issue?

No.

Uh so this is this is going to be tabled correct?

Yeah.

Yes, this will be tabled. I will continue this for the next meeting uh until we receive uh a proposal from a Okay. Uh item C.

Item C is our wastewater flow and loading study update. Um at the last meeting uh we did not have the the proposal um completed um but the board gave me authorization to administratively approve the phone loading site. This is this is the agreement is in your package. I have approved this and this is moving forward currently. Stan is actively working on this study as it is timely as well.

Okay. Any questions? I think this is very very timely and very valuable material that we once we receive that we share it with agencies that are doing permitting for things that potentially will impact uh those areas and uh that's great Tim. I um appreciate it.

Absolutely.

Yeah. This is uh without question very necessary. Yeah.

So, so I'll be working with with Stantech pretty closely on this and I'm sure, you know, they'll be asking some questions on on additional data at the plant that Dennis will be able to provide and and discuss as well.

Okay. Anything else on that? Any questions on that?

No.

Okay. Thank you, Tim. Uh item D, crossroad improvements.

So, this is the the ongoing uh crossroad improvement design uh working with VHB on this. Uh we're it's been moving along pretty well and we're looking to amend this agreement to the 100% design submitt um for 130,000.

This agreement should hopefully take us to the finish line on this project and secure our placement on the mass DOT uh tip as as a shovel ready project. You know, this will give us opportunity to move up on a tip if if there is available funding. We learned at at my last serpent meeting there was available funding this year for for you know additional projects to be moved around if they are shovel ready. So, we're

working hard to get this project to that level. So we so we can move it.

Yeah. Seems like the work you've done there has corrected a lot of the flooding.

Yes. Yep. Yeah. The highway department had gone out and installed that uh infiltration system subsurface. Uh and it's and it it's worked well. It it it still has a little a little backup during heavy heavy storms, but it wasn't really designed for that. So and it and it works over time and it and it's functioning well and and you know all this snow melt uh we haven't seen I haven't seen any problems. And in past

years, you know, we would we would have been sending out, you know, sanders to to treat that area consistently. So, yeah. Yeah. Any questions or concerns regarding this? Uh I would only make a comment and I'm sort of one of these historical uh you know buffs and Franco always told me that once you have a project that's shovel ready he would attend as Tim does the joint transportation planning group meeting in

uh Taon I think on a monthly basis and Manny always had in his pocket what projects he had that were shovel ready and ready to put out to and uh somebody else that was not quite there on their design, Manny was able to, you know, voice up that his project was ready to go and I can think of a number of things. He was very successful with that. So, the sooner the folks at

VHB can get that work done and Tim is able to say at the monthly meeting, we're ready to roll, the better because opportunity strikes when others aren't ready.

Absolutely. Yeah, I was on a JTCP and I can tell you one thing, Manny was on his game.

He was always was on his game. He was very good. Yep.

Okay. Do I do we have a motion here?

I would make a motion that we approve the uh contract should I should say the amendment to the contract for the crossroad improvements to bring it to 100% design with the firm Vaness Hag and Branson at $130,000.

I will second that. All in favor?

I.

And this will be funded out of our road maintenance uh account.

Yep. Uh I I vote yes. Uh the motion passes. Thank you.

Okay.

Item E, emergency capital account. Tim, so Dennis M. I've been discussing the uh the the wood chipper grinder that we use to grind all of our all the brush that the residents put in bring in and sometimes wood that we have to purchase to grind to mix with our bioolids to compost and create that finished product. Um, it it's it's it's been having some issues lately and we've been, you know, spending some money on

repairs and Dennis has has let me know that the conveyor needs to be replaced, which he estimates to be about a $40,000 uh repair. Uh so he has asked for the the use of the $50,000 emergency capital account to to get this repair underway as we need this constantly uh to to do our finished finished finished compost work.

And it's 40,000 just for the parts.

Just for the parts. Yeah.

Will 50,000 cover it?

pass.

Well, we can um I don't know because I don't have a quote on the on the uh the installation.

Um we can pay some out of out of our budget if necessary, but it's not going to be a cheap repair.

So, I'm I didn't quite hear all that.

I can repeat. So he said we don't have an currently have an estimate on the on the labor but the parts are 40,000.

So uh if needed we can use some of our operating budget expenses for for vehicle and equipment maintenance for some of the addition.

So we have value to to follow this through.

Correct. But that $50,000 will get us uh to purchase the components and and definitely get a good start on the labor. Yep. Okay. Any any questions or concerns?

Uh I don't have a specific question or concern, but it does bring to light um the importance that each of Tim's divisions list all of their equipment both onroad and off-road and provide those to Tim on an annual basis so that Tim can then provide that to whoever handles uh the the equipment insurance that the town has. I've I've heard of a couple instances uh where in fact equipment has been left off the insured

list and you know luck being as it is that piece of equipment has some kind of major problem or is completely destroyed and uh then there's this big discussion of why wasn't it on the insurance.

We used to try to make an inventory of every piece of equipment since we do ensure or the plan is we do ensure every piece in Dartmouth an annual list and Tim could get that and get that over to you know probably the town administrator's office. Um I'd feel a lot more comfortable because I would historically find that some things invariably had been left off and we don't want that kind of situation.

So I can say that we we still handle all that most of that in-house. Uh so Rosa keeps keeps the inventory all of our all of our division heads keep her updated.

Uh and and then she she works on all the registrations and the insurance for for and for all that equipment. At one point in time, it was actually moved quite a few years ago over to town hall and and and then they decided that was too much for them.

So then they gave it back and it was kind of in disarray. So Ros Rose Roses kind of reorganized that and she does a great job of that.

So Tim, the only the only comment I would make is I would find things that were not going to be registered and like and put plates put on them, right?

get stairs and things like that, they acquire them and they oh, we're not going to put that on a road and sometimes it's not known. So, I I appreciate that. I'm glad Rose has taken taken care of that. Thank you.

Okay. So, so this issue is new to me. Uh the town has insurance on its equipment.

Yes.

Yeah. Because where I come from, everything was self-insured.

I know. which was and I tried to get away from that but they they wouldn't let me do it but um um well that's changed.

No that's a great idea Timmy Tim if your you know if your crew is on top of this you know and continues to update it that's if there's insurance that's stay on that list.

Absolutely.

Okay. Um, I would approve I would make the motion that we approve the expenditure of $50,000 for the purposes of repair to the wood shredder chipper.

I second that. Um, all in favor?

I I vote yes. The motion passes. Thank you.

And just excuse me, just to make one more statement on based on our our capital. So, we Dennis has prepared uh an estimate to replace that piece of equipment, the grinder, and that's upwards of $900,000.

So, you know, we may look at, you know, if there are leasing opportunities in the future or or if we can, you know, put together the the retain earnings to purchase another one. But we still have uncertainty of of our bioolids, you know, and and what's going to happen with with that process.

Yeah.

So, we still need We've got one more year left.

We have until October.

October. Okay.

So, so we we want to kind of have an idea of which direction we're going to head with that, you know, as well.

Okay. anything.

I think these these repairs are definitely necessary.

Yeah, I I think we all agree.

Committee updates. Are there any committee updates?

No, I don't have anything.

I have nothing. Director updates.

Sure. So, um, based on some storm updates, our crews had a little break this past weekend as, uh, they've been going non-stop, you know, all winter, including weekends and holidays with snow removal and and ice treatment. Um this week we have additional forecasted precipitation with you know temperatures during the day just above freezing and then going back into freezing at uh overnight which

requires additional treatment. We were we were running pretty low on salt and using probably noticed the stand salt mix. Um so so highway department Paul and Derek were purchasing s sand from suns and and mixing it with the with the salt to uh to stretch out you know, our treatment as I, you know, every round of treatment is about, you know, 70 ton, 60 to 70 ton. Uh, and then storms like, you

know, storms like the big storm we have, you know, we go through about, you know, probably 4 or 500 ton. So, looks like we just got about 8 to 900 ton of salt in.

So to replenish our supply um and and the root they were out treating last night and they'll be treating probably through the weekend and we have additional forecasted storm come Saturday to Sunday and or sun Monday.

So that that is uncertain where where that'll be and how much snow that that will will drop, but but it is forecasted for additional snow on Monday.

Okay.

Uh also with the extremely cold temperatures, we've had a number of water main breaks throughout town um where our crews have been, you know, managing, you know, between snow removal and and and water main repairs. It's been uh it's been quite busy and I think I attribute that to a lot of the the freeze and thaw and expansion and contraction of the soils you know which which in some of our you know some of

our non-ductal main like the cast iron or or AC mains are more brittle for that it's susceptible to breaking well water main breaks only happen on holidays and in the middle of the night.

Yeah. No, I'll tell you now we're working on one right now in front of 11 m that just came in. So, all right.

I know how you feel, Paul.

Yeah. The the other hat put multiple hats in this department.

I I would like to say Derek Martin, DPW.

Um, you know, I've been part of some major storms over the 30 years I've been here, but never had a winter like this in my new position. Um learning from Paul has been uh you know very u educational for myself and watching you know every hour and watching these storms develop and where they're coming from and and digging through thousand ton of salt with no um you know we're not getting any any product back and

learning that at what point to mix it and it's and honestly you know hats off to Paul to keep the way that this town is running cuz I say it all the time, a team takes on the identity of its coach.

And um and believe me, these streets looked great. We haven't had too many incidents where um we weren't, you know, safe as residents. So, you know, that that is a straight up to leadership is is that I see the key.

Absolutely.

That's the key. Derek, pick his brain.

I am, sir. I am.

If you can get that unlocked and and open that up, there's a lot in there. taking it piece by piece. But and on top of it, you know, Ron, he's a great teacher, too, because he's been slowly, and I've told this to Tim, he doesn't just drop everything on my plate. He's been slowly slowly putting it where, you know, it's it almost comes muscle memory to myself.

Good deal. Good deal. Good job, Paul.

Tim, go ahead.

Um, moving on to our 40B projects. Um, we have a Hawthon project was held last Thursday, February 12th. Uh, where we basically read through the list of requested waiverss and and uh made recommendations through through it was a long list of of waiverss that they had requested for whether it's zoning, planning, uh, or DPW, storm water, sewer, and and water. they requested a lot of waiverss for water

and sewer which we did not recommend. Uh so the the zoning board has a lot to go through uh at looking at those recommendations and their their next meeting I believe is is in March towards the end of March.

Let's see. Yeah, that's not on the schedule right now, but I it's toward the end of March. The Sherbrook project is scheduled, the next meeting is scheduled for March 16th. And then the Haway Road uh 40B project is scheduled from Monday, March 2nd at 6.

These are all at 6 PM in the select boardroom at town hall. Um I know Rob had had mentioned that the water demand for Hawthon, you know, the calculations they had given us were based on just the the residential use in the clubhouse, but they didn't they didn't add any additional non-essential use for that demand. So typically that's during peak times of you know between May and September where you have

irrigation. So they didn't they did not have any comment on that. still haven't commented on that use. I know uh we we we have uh we only have an 8 inch cast iron that comes up from Country Club Boulevard uh just just uh south of the intersection of Allen Street and Tucker Road that that's going to supply that that whole subdivision. And we've had two breaks in that area this year alone. Um, so I I I

would I I would recommend updating that main to a 12 in from from Country Club to that so that at least that connection to us to help with that supply and uh and uh sustainability.

Tim, while we're on this uh subject, I mean, when we're talking both uh residential unit development and commercial development, are we getting to the point where we may need to look like uh look at the issue like they are in the southwest, and that is that they be no outdoor irrigation permanent? I mean, we we're we're on strain right now obviously with how much water we have to buy.

I think prioritizing the use of municipal water supply not necessarily is irrigation when you can develop you know dry gardens and things like that that you don't need to irrigate and I think that would be one significant area we could conserve on.

I mean the other thing is you know we could look at you know there's a number of of residents and and and probably commercial they have uh sewer deduct meters uh so we so they they can actually track their irrigation use. So, you know, that might be, you know, another tier of of of a rate in the future uh for for irrigation use as well. I'm not I'm not so uh focused on the issue of present

users because they operated and they did what they did under, you know, what the mindset was at the time. I'm talking about large uh future from this day forth developments.

um that things like that should be encompassed in there um you know for them. But those that have been in the past that's you know that's what the the standard was. But today the standards are changing for you know water conservation purposes that um we maybe need to take a hard look at and have some of our consultants maybe give us a recommendation on how we should approach that. Yeah, definitely Mike that you

make a great point because at some at some point in time given the way droughts have prolonged themselves through the summer months, we have to we should be looking at alternatives to head off water use either by if you put a if you put a system in the ground then you have to have a deduct meter and we are going to take that meter and we're going to charge you X more for using water or

just outright bans and with penalties if you violate those bans. Right?

So, you know what I would suggest, Tim, is sit down with the staff, think of all those number of things that we could potentially do to head off drought conditions and reduce consumptions and ways of getting that done and and if need be, talk to consultants or other communities how they do it. But yeah, it's coming to that which is boy a far different cry from what you would expect in New England weather patterns,

but we're getting there.

Yes. Y and you know I I bring you know you know the drought condition, right, status. Um you would expect us to be to not be in a drought right now, but we we've actually been upgraded to a significant drought.

Yeah. you know, main vein because of the frost in the ground not even allowing the mineral to infiltrate into the ground and into the groundwater. So, so even with all this snow, we're we're we're being upgraded in our drought conditions.

Tim, one of the things that might be helpful is maybe we would schedule an in-person quarterly meeting, let's say it's for an hour with you, the board members and your division heads where we would sit around the table and maybe just have some discussion about and we can you know post it as you know brainstorming on different ideas and I think you know Zoom is great, Teams is great, but it doesn't promote a hardy

exchange of ideas. I mean, we've got subjects we have to handle in our our monthly meetings, but to have a round table and just sort of throw some issues around the table as it relates to public works and public, you know, uh, you know infrastructure uh, I think would be very helpful and even doing it on a quarterly basis and say, hey, it's not going to be more than

an hour, you know. Um but I just think I feel like talking to more and exchanging more you know with people in in a a round table versus teams person to person. Yeah.

Good idea.

Anything else Tim? Yeah. And I I also, you know, you know, emphasize that, you know, and I I spoke to the town administrator about this as well, is, you know, we we've struggled for years to to enforce the aer protection bylaws because they're they're only bylaw, right? And and while you know you can request a variance and get relief of compliance with the aer bylaws, you know, I I think they they should be enforced

more and and and and in the bylaws, it requires infiltration, right? So, as we're seeing with this with the drought and the reasoning for the drought was the snow melt is is shedding on top of the surface rather than infiltrating into the ground and then getting into streams, rivers and and brooks and then just going downstream and and out laying into a body of water where it's not getting into the

groundwater where you know the protection aquifer protection bylaw is just that it it it requires ground uh subsurface infiltration to get that water back into the ground so it's not just shedding over imperous surfaces and getting into the storm water system and then you know going downstream and outleting. So, you know, it it it seems like because it's past practice, you know, you know, these boards would just

continuously, you know, approve variances for leaf of the aer bylaw. I think it's I think it's very important to to enforce it.

Yeah.

Do is there still trying to word this appropriately, a a level of cooperation with other boards relative to public works when they're sitting there allowing individual projects to not proceed with the laws that are on the books now, giving variances without discussing it with DPW.

Yeah. So, typically any any variances come through DPW, so we will comment on them, but they don't typically they acknowledge it and I don't I don't they don't ask for additional discussion and some of it's not acknowledged and and it's approved whether it's at the board level or at the you know administrative level. Um, you know, I think there needs to be more discussion to to prove, you know, why

this is relevant and and important.

Yeah. Because, you know, the issues that public works is dealing with right now are it's significant to the whole town and, you know, and you know, people have to cooperate. Y there's no turning back if you don't take proper steps now.

Absolutely. Absolutely.

And even even DP has has commented on and not just about diamond about you know when we working on our water management act permit and and you know discussing the the aquifer protection bylaw and and they basically say oh you know you guys don't enforce that nobody enforces that you know so and uh we're we're if if that was enforced and proved to be you know it would also help on our on our permit, you know.

Yeah. Well, there may come a point in time where a lot of people are going to say, "How come you didn't enforce it?"

Right.

Anything else?

Uh just few few other updates. Uh 579 Westport Road, our CT pipe and our um you know, our backwash clear that's on schedule. They're uh working with our engineering staff currently to fill that line and hydrostatically test it and and then chlorinate and decllorinate so it can be sampled for bacteriological testing. Um and we're hoping to get that online uh soon and and then work on

getting the Penelli wells back up and running.

Good news.

Yes.

Are we still looking at a June July uh startup point?

Yes. Yes, we are. We're hoping for earlier, but that's our, you know, that's our deadline.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

U moving on, I I also I met with the the city of Fall River uh director, the water division and sewer. Um and we discussed uh you know connecting to Fall River through through Westport and and looked at you know costs uh for for rates that they charge and that they charge for interconnections and also that the town of Westport I did I did get get the uh the construction design

plan for the extension of the water line from where it's left off now to the town line. Um and uh it's about it it's it's about a mile and a half or 1.2 miles um which is estimated at about $5 million to construct and that doesn't include uh going under the uh the Lake Noache uh culverts at cross route six.

Um so that you know so that'll be you know quite a bit of money to extend that but you know I if we can work on some grant opportunities for regional interconnection I think you know we can we can move forward with that with uh with additional talks with FL River and Westport.

Yeah. Tim, do you have like a fact sheet that sort of has all this information on it? Like what are the rates in Westport versus the rates, excuse me, in Fall River versus the you know, New Bethford and and back and forth.

Yeah, I I can get that to you.

Okay. Because I like this is new information to me like 1.2 miles, $5 million project. I you know, is Fall River amendable to this? This is something that they're happy about.

Fall River is interested in selling water.

Good.

Good.

They have a lot of it and uh I think they're I think they their permit allows them about maybe 14 MGD and uh currently they're would they be willing to participate?

About 10.

Yes, they would.

Uh but but I mean in the project itself, Paul, River Pro might not be, but I I didn't really discuss that end of it. I, you know, I discuss if they were willing to, you know, with a guarantee of will purchase this much.

Yeah.

And maybe even put, you know, uh an ability to pay back the capital investment over a period of time. All right.

Things like that.

Yeah. Yeah. Those are all good ideas. I know I know Westport would would also have some funding in the game as well.

Good.

My only concern with, you know, and I I brought that up far as well. It's only 12 inch main. So, it's a 12 inch that goes through Westport and that would be extended to Dartmouth. Um, and I'm sure Westport also has future plans of branching off of that 12 in. So, so we have to know what what our allowance would be, you know, through that 12 in.

Yeah, because we're extending a system in their community. There's a value there.

There is there is significant. Okay. Anything else?

Um, just staffing. We um we're interviewing candidate for an admin assistant position. Um, and hopefully we can get that moving. Um, additionally, the town is eager to advertise the business manager position. Um, and I will share that job description with the board. I'm also part of a committee selected to interview the environmental affairs coordinator um, who is retired.

Uh but he's but he's working back as a consultant part-time until we can get somebody uh hired for that position. So that that interviews are scheduled for most of the day tomorrow. So I will be in interviews there. And uh also um we we hired uh our master mechanic. Uh so that the highway highway guys Paul and Derek worked with Andrew Haywood who was hired as a driver. Um, and he is he has

been promoted to a master mechanic. Um, and doing some great work. So, well, if it keeps snowing, he'll be a busy guy.

Yeah, he has been.

Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure.

Okay. Anything else?

I think that's about it, Mr. Gagnner. Any anything?

No. Uh, oh, one thing. Uh, I spoken with Tim about the issue that our friends on social media have raised and I personally experienced and that is the orange bags and the labeling and wrapping on them. Seems to me that you have a defective product here and uh I'm curious what we're going to be able to do because it is quite a task to not destroy the first bag as they would say.

It seems like a minimal a small issue but we all have to do it. So what do you know on that tin?

So we've been working with the manufacturer who wastes waste zero on this issue. Um so they they you know they have a processing facility that proc that uh manufactures the bags and the packaging. So they're working with the processing facility to change that process. And they have changed the process and I'm not sure exactly how I did recommend. So currently now they they have a glue strip that's put on the

bag and then it's wrapped I mean it's put on the wrap and then it's wrapped around the bags and that glue strip is on the bottom where it can stick to the bags and glue to the bags where I'd recommended if they put that on the top then it would never stick to the bags.

Um, so they I'm not sure if that's the new process, but they have changed their process and I requested a sample of the new packaging. So hopefully I'll have that within the next couple weeks. and our new communications director, Jessica, is going to kind of put a a public service announcement up there on our website uh to explain that we're working on a resolution for this. And they they also

way zero also stated that any residents can contact their customer service number or email and and they will mail them a new package of bags and other than if you know any residents have have this issue they can actually bring the bags here to DPW and we will exchange them as well.

But if out of convenience they can call way zero as well and they'll be mailed new bag new bags.

Tim Tim on that I really would like to see way zero come and take the the bag inventory from the selling locations and take it back immediately because if they like like me, I end up running out of bags and I need a bag to go to the transfer station. So, I go to my local store where I get them and I'm then in the process of doing it to put the

kitchen bag inside the orange bag and that's where it tears up. So, I I really think the amount of uh contract and material we buy from waist zero for those bags, they should take the inventory that's defective right now off the shelf, put the new ones on the shelf. uh especially in light of we're heading into spring and people are doing spring cleaning and it's uh you know I

thought at first when I saw it on uh some social media that it was a you know a strange thing but I've experienced it twice and I don't think they're understating the the the problem.

Right. So they um so they have agreed to have go through the additional uh the existing inventory and and pull out any and replace any packages that have this uh imperfection.

You're talking about the inventory in the stores?

Uh probably most of the inventory that hasn't been distributed yet.

Yeah. I don't know about the stores.

Yeah. I don't know how much stores have an inventory, but that that bad that bad product should be taken out of the stores as soon as possible because it's it's not I mean and I see you know they taking a a black eye to the public works department it's not public works manufactured product but you know they go to the easiest and best target and I I just think if we solve it immediately

we can move on.

What is I I haven't experienced this yet. What is the problem?

So the bag the bags are wrapped and you buy let's say the ones that are the small bags.

There are five bags that are wrapped together.

Y and used to put them inside of a cellophane bag, but now they don't. They put a label on the five bag wrap and the label has glue all the way around the back that they wrap it. So the glue sticks completely to the first bag.

Oh, okay. And it tears the back.

And it tears the bag. It's It's nearly impossible to get the label off of the first bag and you end up damaging that bag. But it's, you know, just to get it apart. It's a five or 10 minute process.

Yeah. It's not Sounds small. Sounds small, but No. No.

I I I I I guess I haven't bought bags recently to even see that. That's why I'm I'm asking. I I didn't realize that.

Yeah. So, they they changed their process from packaging the bags within a bag, a plastic bag to to be more environmentally conscious and in that transition, they created a a different issue which yeah, you know, it's not all the packages. So, it's basically when that glue sticks when it's not applied properly and it sticks to the to the bags and uh and hopefully their new process would completely eliminate this.

Okay.

Yes.

Anything else?

And I'm and I'm sending I've been sending any of the questions, comments, even pictures that I've seen even on social media. I've sent it to the manufact.

Yeah. I don't I don't disagree with Mike. I Yeah.

You know, please we're a good customer. You got to keep us happy.

Absolutely.

Tim, please ask them to take the present inventory out of the stores. I The amount of business we've given them over the years that we've had the pay as you go program, that's not an I mean, they're going to be bringing new bags anyways to these stores. take that inventory out and get the new and improved uh bags in as ASAP, please.

Okay, I have nothing further. Mr. Chairman, uh would you accept a motion?

Jim, anything?

Okay. Um I'll enter a motion to adjurnn.

So move.

Okay. All in favor?

I I thank you everyone.