WPCA Meeting Minutes 09/14/2023

Meeting date: 
Thursday, September 14, 2023

WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY REGULAR MEETING
September 14, 2023
“Subject to Vote of Approval”

 

1. CALL TO ORDER

There being a quorum present, Vice-Chair Mr. Jay Sheehan called the regular meeting of the Water Pollution Control Authority to order at 7:01 p.m. The meeting was held via Zoom and in person and was streamed live on Facebook.

Present: 

☐ Mr. Paul Gilmore                                                    ☒ Mr. Jay Sheehan
☒ Dr. Michael Park                                                    ☒ Mr. Jacques Brignac
☒ Mr. Lucian Dragulski                                              ☒ Mr. Ed Kelly
☒ Mr. Tom Hickey                                                   

Also present was Anthony Piazza, Superintendent.

 

2. SAFETY BRIEF – Mr. Sheehan and Mr. Piazza ensured that the public knew how to exit the Water Pollution Control Facility safely in case of an emergency.

 

3. PUBLIC HEARING – EAGLE LANE ASSESSMENTS

Mr. Sheehan read the Legal Notice into the record:  

LEGAL NOTICE
TOWN OF SIMSBURY
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY

The Simsbury Water Pollution Control Authority will hold a public hearing on Thursday, September 14, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Conference Room at the Simsbury Water Pollution Control, 36 Drake Hill Road, Simsbury, CT 06070 and via Zoom Meeting ID: 722 232 2789. The purpose of this hearing is to review a proposal, and possibly take action, for proposed sewer assessments for the sanitary sewers which serve: 3, 4, 5, & 6 Eagle Lane, Simsbury, CT. All interested property owners shall have the opportunity to appear and be heard.

A copy of the above is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk, 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, Connecticut for public inspection.

Paul Gilmore, Chairman

Mr. Brignac made a motion to open the public hearing. Mr. Dragulski seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.

Mr. Piazza shared a presentation detailing the project to-date. He explained that the proposed project entailed installing a main sewer line from Ox Yoke Drive to service Eagle Lane. After such, they would repave the roadways disturbed by construction and take over the newly-installed sewer. Preliminary cost estimates came in at $86,125. The work was completed in November 2022 using a vendor with on-call rates, and the roads were repaved in June 2023. The final cost for the project came to $88,339.32. With 4 properties connecting, that divided the cost into $22,084.83 for each home, plus the connection fee of $4,095.00, which came to a total assessment of $26,179.83 for each home.

Mr. Piazza explained that the assessments are to be paid by individual owners at a rate of approximately  $1,745.32 per year, which will be financed over 15 years using the Town bond rate (which is currently expected to be 3.9%). This is a simple interest rate, and will not be compounded.

Mr. Kelly asked if all four property owners intend to connect. Mr. Piazza replied that two have already connected, and the other two already have permits to connect.

Mr. Jim Galston and Mrs. Karen Galston of 5 Eagle Lane explained that the cost to connect for them was much higher than anticipated. Mr. Galston asked if there were any variances or exceptions to the rule to repair their existing septic tank instead of tying into the sewer.

Mr. Piazza told them they would have to ask the Commission for a waiver for that. The Commission discussed the costs of repairing versus replacing a septic system.

Mr. Sheehan asked if anyone recalled a time when they had a situation like this occur and, if so, what did they do about it.

Mr. Piazza explained that there were two prior situations. The first was on Hopmeadow Street near number 442. The house was far in the back, away from the road, and they had to put a pump system in to get sanitary sewer. They asked for a waiver. In the second case, they allowed a repair to the lid of septic tank off of Canal Street, somewhere around five years ago.

The Board discussed the Town ordinance requiring connection to sanitary sewer if it is available and forbidding septic repairs under those circumstances.

Mr. Sheehan reminded Mr. and Mrs. Galston that this hearing is really about the proposed assessments. He recommended that the homeowners get to the bottom of their issue and send a letter to the Commission requesting that waiver, but that would not be something they would decide tonight.

Dr. Park made a motion to close the public hearing. Mr. Hickey seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.

Dr. Park made a motion to approve the proposed sewer assessment as written. Mr. Dragulski seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.

 

4. STATUS REPORT ON SEWER EXTENSION PROJECTS, ETC.

Mr. Piazza shared that Cambridge Court, off of Hoskins Road, may get foreclosed on or go up for auction. He explained that the sanitary sewers were completely installed, inspected, and tested already, but they have not been accepted yet because the roadways are not done.

Mr. Piazza stated that Griswold Place, in Powder Forest, just paid their last FCC yesterday. The project is complete.

Plans for the projects at the South Campus at 200 Hopmeadow Street and Iron Horse Boulevard are expected sometime this fall.

Mr. Piazza shared that the Pine Hill sewer replacement has gone out to bid. The bid closing was August 31, 2023, and they awarded the bid to Hiltbrand Construction out of Bristol. The bid came in at $1,096,500. They are planning to start within the next couple of weeks. There were seven bids on the project.

 

5. TREATMENT FACILITY REPORT

Mr. Piazza explained that there was one issue in June due to taking an oxidation ditch offline for a general cleaning, which resulted in a one-day violation for E. coli.

Mr. Piazza had several project updates:

  • They have completed the PLC upgrade and network switches.
  • The new polymer delivery system has been ordered and will be here in the next couple of weeks.
  • The new grit system was advertised for bid and awarded to HUBER Technology. Delivery is expected in about 6 months.
  • The application for NPDES permit renewal has been submitted. The current permit expires in February 2024. There has been no response thus far.
  • The primary clarifiers structural repair project will be going out to bid next week. Estimated cost is somewhere around $350,000.
  • The roof safety railings were delivered and will be installed by town staff shortly.
  • One operator will be retiring at the end of the month, and a mechanic will be retiring in the middle of October. They have made offers to two people for operator positions; one will start in early October, and the other will be in the middle of October. The Administrative Assistant position was just advertised, and the mechanic position will be advertised next week.

 

6. CORRESPONDENCE

There were documents regarding Eagle Lane and the Pine Hill Project (right to enter).

 

7. JUNE MEETING MINUTES – POSSIBLE APPROVAL

Mr. Hickey made a motion to approve the June 8, 2023, minutes as written. Mr. Brignac seconded the motion, which was approved. Mr. Dragulski abstained.

 

8. ADJOURN

Mr. Hickey made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:29 p.m. Dr. Park seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.

 

 

Mr. Jay Sheehan

Vice-Chairman