Prepared by Paul Lauenstein
Present at meeting:
WMAC Chairman Rory McGregor; WMAC members Lealdon Langley, Michael Birschbach,
Richard Mandell, Len Sekuler,
David Mark, Roger Thibault, Jack Sulik
and Paul Lauenstein; DPW Superintendent Eric Hooper;
Finance Committee member Charles Goodman; Conservation Agent Greg Meister; Lake
Committee Chairman Cliff Towner; Conservation Commissioner Kathy Roth; and
Sharon High School senior Jeffrey Staruski
Summary
of Minutes for the
1) Distributed copies of MA DEP’s Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) Report
for Sharon, as well as Metcalf & Eddy’s Final Hydraulic Model and Master
Plan Update for Sharon
2)
Reviewed and approved minutes of
December 11 meeting as amended.
3)
Voted on Capital Spending Requests for FY ’05
a) Evaluate
MWRA and Aquaria as outsourcing options
Six members voted to request $50,000
for studies to evaluate obtaining supplementary water from MWRA or Aquaria
(desalinized water).
Two members voted to separately
request $25,000 for evaluating MWRA and $25,000 for evaluating Aquaria.
One member voted to spend
$25,000 to evaluate only MWRA.
b) Install
emergency backup connection to MWRA at Cobb’s Corner
One member made a motion to request $250,000
to install an emergency backup connection to the MWRA at Cobb’s Corner. His
motion was not seconded, so no vote was taken.
c) Conduct
exploratory well tests
WMAC
voted unanimously (9-0) to request $50,000 for evaluation of well sites in FY
’05.
d)
Conduct pump tests at preferred well site
Seven
members voted to request $200,000 to conduct pump tests in FY ‘06, but said they
would have approved requesting funds for pump testing in FY ’05 if there were a
reasonable chance the well site could be ready within FY ‘05.
One
member voted to request $200,000 for pump tests in FY ‘05.
One
member abstained.
e)
Source permitting of a preferred well site
WMAC
voted unanimously (9-0) to request $100,000 for source permitting of a
preferred well site.
f)
Replace A/C pipe on
Eight
members voted to request $600,000 to replace A/C water mains on
One
member opposed this request.
g)
Radio read meter system pilot installation
WMAC
voted unanimously (9-0) to request $150,000 for the second installment of a
radio read meter system.
h)
Seven
members voted to request $500,000 to purchase approximately 30 acres of MBTA
property off
Two
voted against this purchase.
3) Scheduled special meeting for Thursday,
January 22 at
1) Distributed copies of MA DEP’s Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) Report
for Sharon, as well as Metcalf & Eddy’s Final Hydraulic Model and Master
Plan Update for Sharon
2)
Reviewed and approved minutes of
December 11 meeting as amended.
3)
Capital Spending Requests for FY ’05
a) Evaluate
MWRA and Aquaria as outsourcing options
Eric Hooper questioned the
town’s ability to meet future demand using town wells exclusively. He proposed
spending $25,000 to study the feasibility and cost of obtaining supplementary
water from MWRA and $25,000 to study the feasibility and cost of obtaining
supplementary water from Aquaria’s proposed desalination plant in Dighton.
Rory McGregor suggested that
studying only MWRA in FY ’05, and deferring the Aquaria study until it is known
whether the plant will ever be permitted might be a wiser approach.
Michael Birschbach
suggested the town should defer spending money on consultants to study these
two sources of water until it has exhausted all free sources of information
from neighboring towns that have already done these studies.
Jack Sulik
proposed lumping the two $25,000 requests into one
$50,000 request to hire a consultant to compare and contrast both sources.
Voting results:
Six members voted to request
$50,000 for studies to evaluate obtaining supplementary water from MWRA and
Aquaria (desalinized water).
Michael Birschbach
and Roger Thibault voted to separately request
$25,000 for evaluating MWRA and $25,000 for evaluating Aquaria.
Paul Lauenstein
voted to spend $25,000 to evaluate only MWRA.
b) Install
emergency backup connection to MWRA at Cobb’s Corner
Paul Lauenstein
proposed requesting $250,000 to connect
Michael Birschbach
reminded the WMAC of their responsibility to their fellow citizens to assure
continuity of water supply.
Eric Hooper characterized
existing short-term emergency backup from neighboring towns as adequate. He
said that in the event of a water emergency in summer
an immediate watering ban would greatly reduce water consumption. Furthermore,
he said that existing 6” connections to Foxboro,
Paul Lauenstein
asked what would happen to
Roger Thibault
commented that in order to make a decision about an emergency backup water
supply, an overall emergency water supply plan should be developed. Eric Hooper
replied that the Water Department is preparing a Vulnerability Assessment Plan
that is due in May, and an Emergency Action Plan that is due in December.
Len Sekuler
suggested waiting for completion of these plans before taking any action on
emergency backup.
Richard Mandell
expressed concern that waiting for completion of these plans would expose
Greg Meister said that a water
emergency could last years, and that an emergency backup should be able to
provide water for an extended period. He also recommended studying an emergency
connection to Stoughton’s MWRA water at Cobb’s Corner as part of the $50,000
MWRA/Aquaria outsourcing study recommended in “a” above.
Michael Birschbach
asked if, in the event of a water emergency, funds could be obtained to install
a connection at Cobb’s Corner if such funds were not approved in the FY ’05
budget. Jack Sulik said the funds could be approved
by Special Town Meeting in December without waiting until Town Meeting in May
of 2005. Paul Lauentein commented that it would be
more prudent, given the time required to install the plumbing for an emergency
backup, to take the initiative proactively before an emergency occurs.
Roger Thibault
questioned the $250,000 estimated cost of establishing an emergency link to
MWRA water at Cobb’s Corner, saying he believed the cost might exceed $1
million.
Paul Lauenstein
questioned whether surrounding towns not on MWRA would be able and willing to
provide
Paul Lauenstein
moved to request $250,000 to establish an emergency connection to access MWRA
water at Cobb’s Corner, but his motion was not seconded, so there was no vote
taken.
c) Conduct
exploratory well tests
There was a discussion of
whether to request $50,000 for evaluation of future well sites in FY ’05.
Eric Hooper commented on
testing of the four sites recommended to the Selectmen for exploration at the
last WMAC meeting. He said about 20 test wells had been done at the
Roger Thibault
said there would be no need to drill a new exploratory test well at the
Paul Lauenstein
pointed out that $100,000 is already approved for continued future source
exploration and identification in the current fiscal year. He reminded the
committee of its vote at the last meeting recommending that the Selectmen
evaluate four potential well sites. He underscored the urgency of moving
forward quickly since potential well sites in
Voting results:
The committee voted unanimously
to request $50,000 in FY ’05 for future well site evaluation.
d) Conduct
pump tests at preferred well site
Paul Lauenstein
proposed requesting $200,000 in FY ’05 for pump testing at whichever of the
four proposed well sites looks most promising following preliminary evaluation.
He said that the Water Department should have authorization to move forward
with this stage in the event that all prerequisites for a pump test have been
satisfied prior to the end of FY ’05.
Jack Sulik
was doubtful that DEP permits to conduct a pump test could be obtained in time to
begin pump tests in FY ’05. Lealdon Langley and Roger
Thibault also said they believed it would be
impossible to begin pump tests in FY ’05. Roger added that existing wells at
the cemetery could not be used for pump tests to evaluate the
Voting results:
Seven
members voted to request $200,000 to conduct pump tests in FY ‘06, but said
they would have approved requesting funds for pump testing in FY ’05 if there were
a reasonable chance the well site could be ready within FY ‘05.
Paul
Lauenstein voted to request $200,000 for pump tests
in FY ‘05.
Michael Birschbach
abstained because he felt there is enough flexibility in the FY ’05 budget to
pay for pump tests in the unlikely event that the town is ready to go forward
with such tests in FY ‘05.
e) Source
permitting of a preferred well site
Paul Lauenstein
proposed accelerating the request for $100,000 for source permitting of a preferred
well site from FY ’07 to FY ‘05.
Voting results:
WMAC voted unanimously (9-0) in
favor of this proposal.
f) Replace
Asbestos/Concrete (A/C) pipe on
Eric Hooper proposed requesting
$600,000 in FY ’05 to replace A/C pipe on
Jack Sulik
said the town has a responsibility to rate payers to provide a reliable,
uninterrupted water supply, and therefore replacement of the unreliable A/C
main is necessary.
Paul Lauenstein
questioned spending $600,000 to prevent repairs and incidental damages costing
much less. He also suggested that pressure reducing valves might be a less
costly method of reducing the frequency of water main breaks in this area, with
the additional benefit of reducing water usage.
Eric Hooper explained that there
are already two pressure reducing valves governing the water pressure along
Roger Thibault
warned of the possibility of water hammer resulting from pressure-reducing
valves, and suggested that water hammer caused by the existing
pressure-reducing valves on
Voting results:
Eight
members voted to request $600,000 to replace A/C water mains on
Paul Lauenstein
voted against this request.
g) Radio
read meter system pilot installation
Eric
Hooper commented on the relative costs and benefits of a fixed network system
that would radio meter readings daily to the Water Dept. compared to a system
requiring Water Dept. personnel to drive around town collecting the meter data.
He distributed copies of the 41-page RFP for soliciting bids for the radio read
meter system.
Charles
Goodman asked how much money the town approved last May for the radio-read
meter system pilot project. Eric Hooper said $150,000 had been approved.
Voting results:
WMAC
voted unanimously (9-0) to request $150,000 in FY ’05 for a radio read meter
system pilot installation.
h)
Eric
Hooper proposed requesting $500,000 in FY ’05 for the purchase of approximately
30 acres of MBTA property off
Lealdon Langley said that if Well #4 were to fail, it would be easier
from a permitting standpoint to locate a new well within 50’ than to go through
the entire permitting process at the Maskwonicut
site.
Richard
Mandell said that preserving the 340 acre Rattlesnake
Hill site would prevent 250 housing units, but preserving the 30 acre Maskwonicut Street site would prevent only a few housing
units since most of it is wetland.
Paul
Lauenstein said the nitrate problem associated with
Well #4 would probably exist at the nearby Maskwonicut
site as well.
Michael
Birschbach suggested that developing a well at the
Roger
Thibault cautioned that
Eric
Hooper said he thought money for land acquisition should be borrowed rather
than included in the capital spending budget, which he felt should be limited
to infrastructure improvements.
Jeff
Staruski expressed his opinion that buying the Maskwonicut property is not necessary.
Voting results:
Seven
members voted to request $500,000 to purchase approximately 30 acres of MBTA
property off
David
Mark and Len Sekuler voted against this purchase,
saying they felt they lacked sufficient information regarding how the purchase
of this property would relate to an overall water production redundancy plan.
3) Scheduled special meeting for Thursday,
January 22 at