WPCA Minutes 10/11/2018

Meeting date: 
Thursday, October 11, 2018

WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY

REGULAR MEETING

OCTOBER 11, 2018

“Subject to Vote of Approval”

1.             CALL TO ORDER

Michael Park called the regular meeting of the Water Pollution Control Authority to order at 7:02 p.m. in the Conference Room at the Water Pollution Control Facility, 36 Drake Hill Road, Simsbury. The following members were present:  Lucian Dragulski, Tom Hickey and Jacques Brignac.  Also present were Anthony Piazza, Water Pollution Control Superintendent; Thomas Roy, Director of Public Works; and Alison Sturgeon, Clerk.

2.             SAFETY BRIEF – Dr. Park gave a safety brief stating that bears are out; be sure to secure trash cans.

3.             ASSESSMENT OF 318-331 BUSHY HILL ROAD – POSSIBLY SET PUBLIC HEARING

Mr. Piazza stated that the Bushy Hill Road project was originally bid 2 years ago.  Because the bids came in so high, the project was rebid in the spring of this year.  The low bid came in at $195,796.  He stated that final construction costs were $188,123.  This included extending the sewer farther up Bushy Hill Road to #320.

Mr. Piazza stated that the assessment for each home will be $15,051.44.  Future assignment costs for the Woodhaven project (26 homes) is $67,715.  He stated that staff will be creating a database in order to track future assignments.

Mr. Hickey made a motion to set an assessment hearing for 318-331 Bushy Hill Road for the November 8, 2018 meeting.  Mr. Brignac seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.

4.             FLOW ALLOCATION UPDATE

Mr. Roy stated that the flow allocation update is a policy level decision.  He stated that after this discussion, he and Mr. Piazza will take the comments and edits to the draft policy and make sure those changes are reflected.  The Authority members reviewed questions and discussed specifics in drafting the flow allocation policy.  Since only four members of the Authority were in attendance at this meeting, they decided on the following, which would be reviewed by the other members of the Authority prior to drafting the policy:        

Properties currently served will be guaranteed their current allocation. 

Properties that are developed but not currently served will not have allocation guaranteed; however, when the capacity within any sub area is within xx% (to be determined based on analysis of homes not connected to a system within a sub area) of being full, the WPCA will canvas the homes in the area to solicit connections. 

Undeveloped or underdeveloped properties will have no claim to any allocation.

The WPCA should charge a flat fee per EDU for excess allocation.  Funds from allocation fees will be deposed in the Sewer Use Fund to allow for flexibility in how these funds can be expended.

Any property that requires more than five-times their original allocation will require WPCA approval.   The WPCA has the sole discretion to allow for or to deny the additional allocation beyond the 5x limit.  This is to provide equity and fairness in the reserve capacity. 

Property owners / developers may reserve excess capacity for a period of five years by paying a non-refundable fee equal to half of the FCC.  At the end of the five year period the property owner / developer may request an extension from the WPCA.  If the WPCA was to grant an extension a new FCC would be calculated and applied. 

5.         STATUS REPORT ON SEWER EXTENSION PROJECTS, ETC.

Mr. Piazza stated that the assessment hearing for the Bushy Hill Road project is set for next month; the Maple Court assessment hearing will be scheduled soon.  He stated that the Massaco Street upgrade is complete, although there was an additional cost because of a big rain even that washed out the road.

Mr. Piazza stated that the initial public hearing for the Winterset Lane sewer extension project will be held in February 2019.  He stated that he received the signed contract today from Red Door Construction for the Phelps Lane sewer extension.  Regarding Murphy’s Turn, a permit was taken out today for the first house in that development.  He stated that Cambridge Crossing, the development on Hoskins Road, continues to install sewers; a permit for the sixth building was taken out for the Ridge at Talcott Mountain development.

6.             TREATMENT FACILITY REPORT

Mr. Piazza stated that all permit requirements were met for the month of September.  Regarding the Wolcott pump station, Mr. Piazza stated that Northeast Communications has been bench testing the SCADA system programming.  Installation is expected to be completed by December.  Also, after review of questions provided to the board, staff will finalize the draft of the flow allocation policy for approval.

7.         CORRESPONDENCE

The Authority members reviewed the following:  a memo to the Town Manager regarding Winterset Lane; a letter to Mark Scully regarding the change of use fee for 690 Hopmeadow Street; and a letter to New England Region Organizing Fund in response to their FOIA request for the Massaco Street sewer extension bid.

8.     PROPOSED WPCA 2019 MEETING SCHEDULE – POSSIBLE APPROVAL

The proposed meeting schedule set the regular WPCA meetings on the second Thursday of each month.

Mr. Hickey made a motion to approve the WPCA 2019 meeting schedule as presented.  Mr. Dragulski seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.

9.         SEPTEMBER MEETING MINUTES – POSSIBLE APPROVAL

Mr. Dragulski made a motion to approve the September 13, 2018 minutes as written.  Mr. Brignac seconded the motion, which was approved.  Mr. Hickey abstained.

10.      ADJOURN

Mr. Hickey made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:55 p.m.  Mr. Brignac seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.

____________________________

Dr. Michael Park, Acting Chairman