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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06212013 Sewer Planning Work Group MinutesSewer Planning Work Group Draft Minutes Friday, June 21, 2013 – 1:00 pm DPW Conference Room 188 Madaket Road, Nantucket, MA 1.Call to order at 1:10 pm by Chair, Nancy Wheatley. Members present: Matt Fee, Dual McIntyre, Tim Soverino (2:20 pm), Charlie Stott, John Williams Staff assistance: DPW Director Kara Buzanoski 2.Approval of the Minutes of the May 31, 2013 Meeting The minutes of the meeting of May 31, 2013 were approved without dissent. 3.Discussion of connected/unbilled properties in the Sewer Districts DPW Director Buzanoski reported that there are 278 parcels on sewer that are not being billed. The Wannacomet Water Company has sent bills to about 30 flat billed users and 30 metered users. All of the 278 users have paid the privilege fees. The remaining 218 users should be billed after PLUS Director Andrew Vorce reviews the data and confirms its accuracy in writing. Unbilled users should be notified by letter before being billed, and the letter should state the Town’s policy on retroactive billing. It was agreed that DPW Director Buzanoski should send a letter to Wannacomet Water Company requesting that they suspend billing additional unbilled sewer users until the Board of Selectmen has adopted a policy on retroactive payments. There was a consensus that Town Counsel should provide an opinion in writing on the case law providing a three year clawback on payments by unbilled users. It was agreed that equity from the perspective of current rate payers is important, but the BOS should consider softening the impact on unbilled users by not charging interest on retroactive payments. A review of the data revealed that there were two sewer users who were connected but not billed in 2013, 12 in 2012, 9 in 2011, 3 in 2010, 1 in 2009, 6 in 2008, 4 in 2007, 7 in 2006, 6 in 2005, 12 in 2004, 17 in 2003, 9 in 2002, 10 in 2001 and 6 in 2000. It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved that unbilled users should (a) be billed for up to three years of retroactive payments, (b), have the right to challenge the bills if the property has been purchased within the three year period, (c) retroactive billing should be based on actual usage, (d) the payback period should be equal to the number of years being billed, (e) no interest should be charged, (f) PLUS Director Andrew Vorce should confirm the accuracy of the records and (g) the BOS should send a letter to affected sewer users outlining the terms of the retroactive payments. 4.Capital Cost Recovery for Infrastructure DPW Director Buzanoski presented two schedules for capital costs – one for $100 million and another for $200 million with costs for both a 20 and 30 year amortization schedule. There was discussion on the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 formula and the rationale behind it. It was suggested that the Board of Health should be more aggressive in implementing the policy requiring connections to the sewer system for those in the sewer district. It was suggested that the Town pursue an outflow pipe for the Surfside plant, which has the capacity to serve the needs of the entire island. Woodward and Curran is reviewing the possibility of recalculating loading rates and the possibility of increasing them. It was suggested that the loading beds be rerated, and that this would eliminate the need for an outflow pipe. It was agreed that Woodward and Curran needs to provide capital cost updates and various scenarios, which should include a breakdown on various cost components. 5.Announcements by the Chair Chair Nancy Wheatley noted that she will be providing a report on the SPWG’s progress at the July 10, 2013 BOS meeting. She said that Town Manager Libby Gibson asked about the checklist, which Wheatley said is biased against property owners getting into the sewer districts. She said that the checklist should be revised after the SPWG defines the criteria for a new checklist. Wheatley also suggested that a management plan that addresses septic systems, including criteria for inspecting systems, is essential. A future meeting should include a presentation by someone on septic systems and alternatives. Next meeting Friday July 12, 2013 at 1:00 pm. The meeting adjourned at 3:10 pm.