HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-06-28
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BOARD OF HEALTH/BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
The Minutes of the Meeting of Wednesday June 28, 1989 at 7:30 PM. The meeting
took place in the Selectmen's Hearing Room, Town & County Building, Nantucket,
MA 02554. All members of the Board were present. Chairman Sevrens called
the meeting to order as the Board of Health/Board of Public Works at 7:37 PM.
Approval of the Minutes of May 24, 1989 at 7:30 PM; and of June 7, 1989 at
7:30 PM: Mr. Viera moved approval; seconded by Ms. Coombs. So voted. Reading
of the minutes was waived.
Disposal of Sewage from Nantucket Boat Basin: Ms. Sevrens left the meeting
at 7:38 PM in order to avoid possible conflict of interest in the following
discussion. Wayne Viera took the chair. Ms. Coombs read a letter from George
Bassett dated June 23, 1989. Mr. Viera asked if a special permit had been
granted since cruise ships began coming to Nantucket. Mr. Bassett said no,
and in fact there was less pump-out taking place than in the past. Mr. Viera
expressed concern for the purity of harbor water and for Town access to the
,marina pump-out facility. Mr. Bassett said that the marina could compensate
for extra gallonage from the cruise ships by reducing services elsewhere.
DPW Superintendent Jeff Willett said he wanted to review Mr. Bassett's letter
and research the situation. Ms. Coombs read the rest of the letter and said .
:that under the present moratorium the Town could not grant a waiver, only the I
IDEQE could. She said that the Board of Selectmen was investigating the situatio~
Ito determine priorities. !
iMr. Bassett said that the Yorktown Clipper did not create problems, and that I
'the Clipper had a limit of 12 to 14 hours. Captain Ralph Lutz said that the I
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effluent was not raw sewage. He said that the ships could pump out whenever !
the Town wanted. Health Inspector Richard Ray said that the Clipper lines had i
been very cooperative. Mr. McLaughlin asked about reductions in service to !
other non-boat basin customer boats. Mr. Bassett said that the marina did I
not want to cut services but had no obligation to provide the service. He ;
said that 66% of users were non-customers. Mr. Viera suggested that DPW Supt.
Willett should meet with Mr. Bassett and Captain Lutz. Stephen Bender asked
about pumping-out that had occurred in the past. Mr. Ray said that there had
been one occasion of pumping-out which he had observed and that he had written
a letter charging them with a fine and instructing them to cease. He said
they had complied. Ray DeCosta remarked that the harbor was much cleaner than
in the past. Mr. Ray said that his main concerns were coliform bacteria in
black water and pathogens in grey water and the sediments that sink to the
bottom.
Stephen Bender read a Nantucket bylaw from 1982, Chapter 137 which said that
no vessel may stay overnight without adequate holding facilities. Mr. Bassett
said that about 30% of the boats visiting the marina have no holding tanks.
Marine Superintendent George Rezendes said that he did not have authority over
the marina. He said that Mr. Ray was doing a great job and that Mr. Bassett
was cooperative.
Ms~ Sevrens rejoined the meeting at 8:25 PM and resumed the chair.
Sewer Policy: Ms. Sevrens issued the following statement: "As you know, the
Town has been working with DEQE for several weeks to effect changes to the
June 6, 1989 Administrative Order concerning wastewater diposal on Nantucket.
These changes were requested by the Town for a variety of reasons summarized
as follows: 1) several changes to clarify intent and eliminate later misunder-
standings; 2) several changes in the timeframe the Town is required to accomp-
lish certain provisions of the Order; 3) changes to provide for connections
for individuals with signed building permits and signed local sewer permits
and/or state sewer extension permits; and 4) adding additional authority for
the Town to allow exempted connections in an amount not to exceed limitations
determined by the state, according to a permitting plan to be lawfully adopted
by the Town and approved by the Division.
"While we acknowledge the need for tighter controls on additional sewer connec-
tions, we feel that the aforementioned changes provide clarity and a fairer
allocation of remaining capacity than the June 6 Administrative Order. We
are pleased to report to you this evening that the DEQE agreed to make the
changes requested by the Town. A Superceding Order is in the process of being
drafted which is intended to incorporate these changes. Until such time as
we receive the Superceding new Order, new sewer connection permits will be
deferred.
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Minutes of the Meeting of June 28, 1989 at 7:30 PM.
Page II.
"The Division is in the process of issuing a determination that the present
sewer beds in Surfside and Siasconset have now reached capacity. This determina-
tion provides the framework for the State to refuse additional sewer connections.
'However, the State is willing to allow additional connections beyond capacity,
as outlined above, until such time as new treatment facilities are constructed
I in Surfside and Siasconset.
"Because the Superceding Order will not allow any additional connections under
the local permitting exemption until such time as the Division has approved :
the Town's permitting plan, the Board has decided to form a committee to immedi- i
,
ately address the drafting of such a plan. It is our intention that this commit~
tee be made up of individuals representing a variety of groups which would
be affected by this Order. The structure of this committee will be finalized
as soon as possible.
"In closing, we would like to express our appreciation to officials at DEQE
for their cooperation in working with the Town on this matter."
Mr. Viera thanked DPW Supt. Willett, Sewer Project Advisor Lanman and Town
Counsel DeRensis for their help on this matter. He moved the establishment
of the Sewer Tie-In Allocation Advisory Committee and suggested the membership
include Michael Bachman, Bruce Poor, Melissa Philbrick, Linda Holland, Henry
Wasierski, John Gilbert, Don Visco, Jeff Willett, Richard Ray, Bill Klein,
Norman Lanman and Ron Santos; so voted unanimously.
Mr. Poor asked if the committee would be limited to sewer tie-ins or would
advise about overall sewer problems. Mr. Viera and Ms. Sevrens said that the
primary focus should be drafting the permitting plan for allocations. Mr. Ramos
said that the committee was not necessarily limited.
Rene Ceeley asked when the 11 points under negotiation would be made public.
Mr. Lanman said that Town Counsel had advised the Selectmen not to disclose
the details of the draft order while it was being negotiated. He said there
was a possibility that the Town would appeal the order. Mr. Glidden said
that the appeal period would run out on July 6.
Mr. Bachman asked if the first meeting of the Sewer Tie-In Allocation Advisory
Committee would be posted. Mr. Viera moved that Mr. Bachman serve as acting
chairman to convene the first meeting. So voted, unanimously.
Greg Coates asked if the Selectmen agreed with the interpretation that the
island's sewer beds were at capacity. DPW Supt. Willett said that they were
at or near capacity. Mr. Lanman concurred. Ms. Ceeley asked if there had
ever been overflows. Mr. Willett said yes.
John Martin asked the status of the contract for building a new wastewater
treatment facility. Mr. Lanman said that a bid protest had been filed with
the EPA and that a decision was anticipated by the following Friday.
Mr. Bachman said that the newly-formed Sewer Tie-In Allocation Advisory Committe
would meet on Friday in the Selectmen's Hearing Room at 1:00 PM.
Mr. Ramos left the meeting at 9:00 PM in order to avoid possible conflict of
interest in the following discussion.
Mr. McLaughlin read a letter from Wannacomet Water Company Manager David Worth
regarding the request for approval of a septic system for Cobblestone Village.
In the letter, Mr. Worth expressed concern about the potential for nitrate
intrusion into the aquifer and ensuing problems. Mr. Worth spoke in opposition
to the proposed liner system. He said that eventually the waste would build
up and there was no way for it to be cleansed. Mr. McLaughlin moved that the
Selectmen reconsider their previous vote and deny the permit; the motion died
for lack of a second.
Henry Fee spoke in opposition to the regulation requiring all packaging to
be biodegradable.
Mr. Ramos rejoined the meeting at 9:07 PM.
Ms. Sevrens said that there had been advance notice of the requirement, and
that it was understood that the bylaw had provided that supplies purchased
before the passage of the bylaw could be used up. After some discussion, Mr.
Viera moved to table the question for one week; seconded by Ms. Coombs. So
voted.
Executive Secretary Lee Bourgoin announced that Michael Bachman had informed
him that the first meeting of the Sewer Tie-In Allocation Advisory Committee
would take place on Friday at 3:00 PM, not 1:00 PM as previously announced.
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Minutes of the Meeting of June 28, 1989 at 7:30 PM.
Page III.
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iMr. Ray reported the results of recent water testing around the island. He
Isaid that 0 to 200 was the usual range for fecal coliform levels, with over
1500 requiring closing of the beach. He said that Children's Beach had tested
at 20 and the other beaches had tested at O.
There being no further business before the Board, the Board voted unanimously
to adjourn at 9:21 PM to reopen as the Board of Selectmen.
ISUbmitted for approval the -q.P:rday of ~ft89.
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Lee BOUrgOin~
Executive s:~tary
Approved the I~~y of August 1989.