--------- All right. Good evening. Uh make a we I don't think I have the motion, but we're going to set the meeting at 5:31 board of assessors meeting of Tuesday, December 9th, 2025. Uh this meeting is being recorded by the local scene. Anyone intending to make an
audio or video recording of this meeting should notify the chair at this time. Uh seeing none, we'll move on to open session. We got nobody for that. Maring clock to provide FL to provide office updates.
>> Office updates. Um so thank you both for signing the recap that was submitted wasn't submitted till Monday because the clerk was going over um some of the the some of the um
appropriations from town meeting. So, it was sent Monday. Um, Ethan, the finance director, finished all hers. She sent it in. They looked at it today, came back as they always do with questions. They do
it for us as well as assessors. So, at this point, she thinks you're in good shape. She answered all their questions. They opened up the tax rate module again, um, made some changes in it, and resent it tonight. So, when I
mean when's the uh when's when you going to do the villain? >> That that would be my second sentence in this. >> Okay, >> that's what I'm more concerned about. >> Anyway, so we're waiting on that. Um Tara has been working the last day and a
half on billing filling it in test and working with Ken using the tax rate that we think you know it's going to be the same tax rate. Um 1282 is what we're we submitted. We'll see what happens after it's all calculated, but should be right
around that. And so far, everything's been looking okay. Like we we haven't we've gone through it once. The exemptions seem to come in okay. Um we're just not to the very end. So tomorrow,
Tara and Ken will um we refresh live. So you want you go through it in Munice and then you refresh it and try again. So, we wanted to get the billing addresses because the at last extract was like we only had November deeds in. So, we did
it up to today. So, we have the owners as of bracket as of December 9th. Um, and then a few more exemptions him put in so we could get that on the bill. So, we pulled the new extract and they will work on it tomorrow and hopefully it's
the same. >> Doing a great job. Hope. Yeah. >> Um, >> yeah, >> but we I don't know if we will start in live until we get the recap approved. >> Yeah. Um, I was saying to Tara before you got in here, I would highly highly
recommend you contact Randy Mercer. >> Oh, was it great? >> Um, I won't say it was great, but um, since mine took four days. >> Oh, >> okay. We did from Monday to uh, Thursday and then I took Friday off because I was
going to have a nervous breakdown. But um his ability to just >> go all over that application um seamlessly um quickly his knowledge of it is just crazy. Um you we found a
problem um with ours uh really might have been a problem with Bariff that was really our issue on personal property wasn't coming in. >> Um but um if if he they didn't have him there's no way it would have got down.
>> What application are we talking about? >> Um did was he in house? >> Did he come into the or was he remote? >> Yeah, he came in the building. >> Oh, that's great. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> he came in the building and then the rest of the week he worked outside because we had scheduled him over the summer.
>> Mhm. >> Um definitely he's in high demand. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I think that the other thing was is that um we were fortunate enough to like be a little bit ahead of the curve >> um at the beginning of the month like last Monday, you know, right at right
after Thanksgiving, right? >> So um that helped too. But I would I would seriously it'll cost you $4,000 a year. I think we're it 2,000 each, right? >> Yeah. >> Um Yeah, >> I think we're pretty good at the prelim. It's when the exemptions and the
betterments and you know all this stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. I have other issues with with Munis that we could go on forever on, but it has nothing to do with office updates. >> So that So anyway, hopefully um we'll get into live Thursday or
Monday or Tuesday next week. The bill file doesn't have to be there till the 21st. 22nd 22nd, which is a Monday. >> Yeah. Yeah. Good. >> So, that's good. >> All right. Okay. Uh, moving on. Review bills for payment.
>> Hey, we have our AAO renewal notice. Think that's something else in the back of that. Oh, pretty good. >> I don't have that for 10 though. >> I I have one. >> Okay.
>> So, he doesn't have one, but we got to get the next item on. >> Oh. Oh, >> I just Okay, >> I touch it. It's open. >> Okay, we're not there yet. Oh, is that what we're talking about? >> That's the only bill we have. >> That's it. Those two bills. Okay, moving
on. Um is or to discuss section 40 of chapter 653. >> And Steve, you're going to discuss it. I just want to I I have what you put as notes and I just made a couple of notes myself about
um that you do have to do it as local option but just >> I think the other part was >> meeting right >> hey go ahead >> um yeah my only thing for bringing this
to um the board meeting was is I wanted the board to actually review and potentially um make a motion to have it put on to town meeting >> um for this coming spring. Um I don't
know how soon we have to have that done. >> Yeah. Um well, I I worked at a 653 community. >> Yeah, but I'm I'm talking with the town. >> We have to have it probably it'll be April and May. So >> Oh, so we have plenty of time. >> Yeah, we have plenty but now Yeah. Yeah.
I I've always been like you got to have it done by like December 1st or January 1st. >> Well, let's say we want it done in February. You give it to them and >> um and I have a this is a sample they did do. >> Yeah. The basic premise of this Ken is
in the data valuation always stays to be one one >> but what shifts is the value can change between or the structure let's say that's on a parcel can change between January 1st to June 30th
>> right >> um the objective of this was to be able to pick up um that additional growth on the property if somebody came in and applied for >> so it's considered new grow >> or >> yes um >> well
>> if though if if there's been a change on a parcel I have also gone backwards >> if there's a buyer say >> yeah I've done that as well because this basically allows you to change the value
>> right now we're currently whatever it was January 1 and the whole idea of it was if somebody came and applied for a permit in December January and you could build a house um in 60 days. >> Yeah. February.
>> So you would you would basically get 10 months worth of free um taxes. Now that person that did move into the house, say um uh March 1st, you know, it's got a bill January, February, or moved in or
whatever. um the first time they're going to get a bill on the structure wouldn't have been till um like a year of like 15 months later, >> right? >> That that next uh fiscal year. Uh in this case here, uh they move in in that
March 1st, they get a bill on that structure that coming July. So they'll move in on July 1. >> Uh doesn't matter. because whatever's at the structure as of June 30th, I don't care when they move in. >> Yeah.
>> Um and the big thing is >> somebody has to pay taxes on it. Yeah. >> Right. And I've only come across u where in my prior life um where people would actually question me about those days. A lot of people it's irrelevant. >> They're just trying to live their life
in moving along. I want to, you know, I got to get my kids into a school system or uh I just, you know, I have to buy this place. Uh and they did maybe last summer and now it's getting built. Um um
it may not be uh 100% by one one. This allows you to get it to get that new growth on the books. I think the bigger thing is is to not have such a gap between um when the property gets completed and when they actually get build for the box or whatever got put on
the site. Doesn't mean just a house. It could be the garage, you know, whatever got put on you get to pick up as of June 30th, right? You know, >> so >> I did I didn't really look at this until two minutes ago.
No, almost to about two hours ago. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And the only thing I saw is it's been around for a while. This is not This is what 1990 1989 or >> Right. >> 90 Yeah. 89. >> Yeah.
>> So why hasn't this been what? >> Well, I can >> 35 years. >> Yeah. So I just say 207 the 351 community have done it. when we when I first came on right at like after a
couple years, Scott and I Scott was a on the board and he was an assessor and we talked about doing that and wanted to do it and I where I work before we had it. >> Um, and once you're in it, it doesn't make a, you know, it's fine, but we had
we permits from like CO weren't done. We had 19 and 20 permits. So we decided to wait on it and the re wait on it to get those permits done. They just weren't done. So we had so many to do. Um I
think it's great. I I would love to adopt it. My only concern right now is that >> so that's for the last five years. >> Oh I don't know about I don't know you know this I would say on that is having a little bit of history on how this office was run over.
>> Yeah. Well have a lot of history in >> Yeah. um >> family history >> a little bit. Um I I would just say that um the the past um >> was it
>> directors may not have wanted to be as diligent about um filling that. So >> So it wasn't from another like a selectman or somebody that >> No, they don't have control really. >> Well, they could but they have they have an opinion and they say we don't recommend this to town meeting,
>> right? Yeah, if they stand up a town meeting, but nobody's even brought it to the floor. And when the thing is is when the town's looking for revenue. >> Yeah. >> Um >> there's that too. >> You know, that's I um >> you'll get revenue for one year like because you'll have 18 months if you
start it >> like right now. Yeah. >> It's not going to be a lot of money, but it's >> all right. But no, but you'll have but you will you'll catch >> the house that would have gone without paying taxes that's built in February, >> which would stay in perpetuity though going forward. You'll you'll always get
that every year. >> But you would have got them eventually anyway. >> Correct. Just >> But the thing is is you're like you're sitting there living in your house and you're paying taxes >> on land >> on, you know, and that individual might have only or they they put an addition on their house. It was a 1500 square
foot house and now it's a 3,000 square foot house, but for 15 months they were only paying on the 15 while they were enjoying the benefit of >> Well, it seemed to me that it wouldn't be too hard to look at building permits and see what what the town has missed
out on like if it had been in force last year, >> the year before. I mean if you want if you want to make an argument to see what that number is because >> it's >> oh for a town meeting vote
>> it's a matter of of record that you know >> right because it's really based on the building permits and when they >> but once it and Steve correct me if I'm wrong it's been but once we do it the first year we're going to do January to June because we're going to get eight
after that it's going to be July to June so it's still a year worth of permits It's just a different way of picking it up. I I look at 653 as something that um
shortens the amount of time that that person is not being valued on on this this additional thing that um if they built a new house there's there's new services that the town are actually providing to that location. Now
>> I get it. I'm just wondering what what the number is. The thing that >> could be >> um dependent upon what you're building. >> Yeah. >> So the person applies for this permit in December or January. Um
how quickly I think they have a year or two to actually if the permit gets approved I think it's two years >> to actually >> Yeah. And then you can get an extension. But some folks might be, you know, loaded for bear. Okay, we got to get
this thing done and in and all squared away. Uh other folks, depending upon what they're having constructed, um you know, it may not go as fast. So, uh I I mean, we could look back and say, hey, this is what we got the permits in um
you know, 26, 25, 24 uh and and look at it that way. uh and say, "Hey, when when did these, you know, potentially when did these come out to value?" Um >> yeah, >> if they were in though, when you're doing it by fiscal year, then you'd have
to kind of sort them by calendar year to say when would we actually have potentially picked them up if we use an arbitrary 60-day turn time to build a house. And that's pretty quick. Um, you know, that's that's building like a 1500
square foot house, but nobody builds that anymore. >> It's, you know, it's a 20 it's a 2500 square foot house >> that everybody's building in >> some whisbang things. Um, so, uh, and I I'm throwing it out on the table. Um,
I'd appreciate it if you just go over it so the next time we meet, >> yeah, >> we can start look at it. >> And I I'm all for it. again my thing and we can talk about >> I did see that some towns have rescended it now I'm wondering why
they would do that >> I don't know that um if you have both supplemental and 653 I don't I don't think you need both so >> the thing that >> they might they might have supplemental instead you can do both which is it's
just more tedious but >> yeah okay >> the thing that I'd be real careful on and making sure and because I couldn't find that spreadsheet you're probably looking at. >> Which one? >> From Did you get the information off the DOI site? >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Of who's accepted it and >> Yeah. Where you can go on and see who's accepted all the articles. Um >> I did I download it. >> Yeah. See, I couldn't even find it because I had because that's part of my preparation for classification going in with all
>> the first thing I did is look to see if Dark had it. >> Yeah. Yes. >> Yeah. And the thing is, >> I don't remember the year >> is the folks that have rescended stuff, make sure you're looking at the right column because the supplemental billing thing. >> No, they're two columns.
>> Okay. >> The rescended is the second next column over and there's >> they're easy to spot because there aren't >> but that's a lot of times the one that got rescended is actually the supplemental building supplements on the books no matter what. >> Don't remember.
>> Yeah, you have to. Yeah, that's what I was just trying. Supplemental is like if you didn't reject it, you got it. And some people did all that. >> Opt out. >> You had to opt out to opt out. >> I have a really good article that Dick
Fing wrote on why supplemental is >> not what it's all cracked up. >> Yeah. I I think the uh I had a case one time in um in Plimpmpton where literally this guy's house burnt down like January
15th and they had rejected supplemental and they hadn't approved 653 and it was like uh I'm sorry dude for for this fiscal year you're going to pay on that structure that you no longer have. >> There was absolutely nothing I could do. This guy had no house. Thing burnt,
right? >> Have insurance for >> but he had insurance for something, you know. >> He he was living in the cigar tube trailer outside the house when he had this really nice, you know, 2500 3,000 foot colonial. Yeah. >> And um I think
>> you know with all the insurance stuff, it it took a little while to get that place rebuilt. Um and uh the arguing with adjusters and the insurance company and all that baloney. Um, but I I don't know many towns that resend chapter 653.
I know numerous towns that resend supplemental >> supplemental. >> Yeah. So, make sure you're looking at what the correct column. >> Yeah. I have to make sure that I >> Yeah, I think it's still I think I put the computer to sleep so it's still >> still there. >> Yeah. I couldn't
>> wherever I found it. >> There's so much hater out there. I could >> I know it's Yeah, some you find things and then you can't find them again. That's why I put it to sleep. >> Okay. All right. >> All right. >> All right. So, we're going to leave that. >> So, this is Well, we can bring it up
again at our next meeting. I like >> This is the right thing that I printed out though, right? >> Yes. Yep. >> IGR, >> right? >> 90-41. >> Yeah. Which is That's the same. That's basically the same thing. Did she give you one of these in your package?
Because I have two of them. She's a cat. Give him that. >> Who's Who is she? >> She's the cat. >> Cat's father. >> We got one for Ken, right? But >> you printed it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, that's the same thing.
>> Yep. There you go. >> Only only not with the big toner user effort. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, >> all right. So, we'll leave that open and review that for the next meeting. Um, open session meeting minutes for us
here. And you were sent these. Oh, >> did you did you get one of these? >> Yes. Yeah. So, when you see the read the back of that because I I not >> I try to figure out
>> if I had those states, you know, like >> all right. >> See if they're right. Commitment six of 2025. Commitment >> six of 2025 is going to be vehicle. Beautiful. Merry Christmas.
Love when those bills come in person breaks down or >> and we can sign that. That's all we have in open session. >> Okay. Do we have anything for executive? >> We do. >> We do.
>> Okay. So I move to enter into executive session not to return to open session in order to comply with MGL chapter 59 section 60 to discuss exemption abatement applications the contents of
which are not public record. >> All those in favor I I Part: 2
Okay. Um, this is the meeting of the Kingston Water Department for uh, Tuesday, December 9th, 4 p.m. U, first order of business is to approve the minutes of the open session of November 25th. So move second. All those in
favor? I >> I do 20 >> appointments. board of sort commissioners for a joint discussion regarding shared costs between the water and sort department. Welcome. Nice to see you. >> I'll just officially we'll just reopen
our meeting um commissioners meeting. They're posted for 4:00 with the water commissioners. Okay guys, um we have noticed over the years that um a fair amount of effort from this department is um consumed
doing billing and answering phone calls of people that are complaining about bills. And over a majority of the complaints we get are ones of their saw bill on water, but they call us because we're the letter ahead on the the bill.
So, um, we would like maybe some help from you folks in, uh, defraying some of some of our costs that we've accumulated as a result of uh, billing for water and so are you not compensated right now for
the time in >> No, no, you're not get build for it. Have not been build for it since we've been doing it. some information. >> I just did um some quick numbers today just to get percentages.
Your sewer counts are 301's and 401's. The 301's are the flat rate. 401's are based on water. Um and then there's a total number of water accounts for each filling cycle. Um so taking a total of the sewer accounts versus the water
accounts, it's a 35% uh accounting of the sewer accounts that are built um in the last two quarters. Um and then on the shut off program every year that we do 52% of those shut
off accounts are have seen. Um, so that's a shut off program that we do here in the office, sending out um, notices at delinquency. Um, following up with the residents to get payment. Um, and then going to remind them with
another letter and then marking it out the street and 95% of the time by the time we get to that point they pay. But then if they don't, then we shut it off and it's another trip out there. Um, so that's what that accounting is. I wanted to get a percentage for you so that you
had an idea. I don't know how the town determines shared costs between all the departments. I've asked I have not gotten any answers. Um so I decided to come up with our own percentages that are pretty simple. No, we have shared cost. So we both both commission, you
know, pay the town a a shared cost for a number of the retirement and medical and the rest of that, but there is no direct correlation of cost reimbursement between the sewer and the water. You know the building is all done by by
water that we've already been arranged for cost. >> No, it's the town allocated cost that both departments are being built for now is like the account that's that's specific to the individual enterprise
fund. But in addition to that, we pay for the account time. We pay for payroll pay for numerous houses upwards of 400,000. Um and so included in that is not this. So this is this is a new conversation.
>> Um we're actually um hopefully soon posting for some additional office staff. Maybe there's a coordination there that can take some of the burden rather than finance because it's all about financial. But you want to put
together some numbers on you know what you're looking for $1,000 or you looking for hundred,000 you know I mean >> a million would work a million I'll be right next what we were saying is these are the kind of costs that you know Stacy and Lori are
basically handling you know as far as billing is concerned a regular basis you know and we thought we'd give you the information let you sort of digest it come back and see what you feel is a reasonable allocation then we can argue
dollars will be we will want more they don't want to give but that's also understandable but we're on the same page >> yeah again you know we realize it's been years and we haven't talked about it we're not trying to recoup what's past
the past and past where it's sort of saying okay let's look at 2026 and more fall >> there's more volume >> you know the numbers you know the numbers are what they are >> and whether or not we use the existing meters or new meters that's all sort of
you know need to be talked about as we go through >> okay >> I think another factor too bud mentioned the meters um it's pretty clear that the uh meters are underrated we're pretty confident that that's one of a significant problem that we're having as
far as our accountable product, which means it's costing you money as well as costing us money. And again, if we're going to put it new meters, um, you're going to see an increase in revenue. We're going to see an increase in revenue. And if we're paying for the meters, I think we like a little bit
help paying for the meters. >> The other the other problem is when we go to the meters and now the costs are going to go up for the resident, we're going to end up probably with more, you know, requests for abandonments. Yelp. >> Now, when you say new meters, is this
replacement of all the meters you currently have >> over time? Yes. Not not all at once, but over time. Yeah. >> And we've had three meter companies come in and talk about what the meters are capable of doing. And the difference between them and the meters we've been
in 20 something years ago is unbelievable. to the point where we've regularly have an item on our meetings where we people request a maintenance because they had a leak and they didn't know they had a leak or stuff like that. With the new meters, there is technology
that make will alert them that they have a leak. We don't have to be the ones that when we're doing the billing, we say, "Oh, look at this bill." You know, last last building cycle they used 10,000 gallons. Now they've used 600,000 gallons. So clearly there's a problem.
they would know that right away. So all of that is things that we're looking at that we have to do. We know they're going to be expensive and we're not looking to dump all of that on you, but we'd like some share some help. >> That's kind of what we do. I mean,
you're talking about all the us. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> We're replacing everything in town. >> We would only want to If you're willing to help us pay for all of them, >> I think that's what that was the whole point of me coming up.
>> Based on the hand, would it be true to say that the total suing is 1,662 out of the eight and the 1654 together? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Out of the 47 and 33 for total water. >> Correct.
>> Okay. Okay. and it goes up by two when you know August, September, October. We're not going to argue one and two. It's a percentage we're looking for. >> So, okay, we hear you. We'll go back and
>> and we can't really even u talk about hard numbers yet because we don't know what's going to cost us for me yet. We have 50 meter company. Um >> we are doing a pilot program with half a dozen new meters. And I was going to say, I mean, we've
got budgets coming up like yesterday >> for FY27. So, I mean, is this even a conversation for that? I mean, I think it would have to be the next fiscal cycle. >> We need to look at the AOC and we've got
some agreement with them on on looking forward. at all time if you give us some time frame so we can see what it means.
>> I don't know. Um I think it would be difficult to look at the 2026 budget but 2027 should be very definitely insight when you're doing a 2027 budget. we're doing that 20
2027 budget, we should have our we should have our information and we should be able to come to some sort of an agreement so that when we're doing those budgets, we're using the numbers that we'll be coming up with to do that. >> Well, and that's it. I mean, I I expense is one thing. It's like like you it's
revenue. It's you know, it's what are we in December to look for revenue >> generating something in a month or two is something we'll look at. >> So yeah, we'll we'll we'll go back and
genie and >> put it on next board meeting and >> I think this is kind of opening up the topic for discussion with us. We got to get more clearly got a lot more details we got to come up with before we can even begin talking numbers. But once we get the details together when we look at
our budget, we're going to hopefully we'll be meeting more often than we meet now. And at which point maybe the next quarterly meeting if we have quarterly meetings we can have some information that we can share with you. You can then go back and look at how it impacts you. >> Okay. >> Okay.
>> And we will be looking at basically not only the cost of needed but the installation of the meter. We will not be trying to do meter installation or replacement fusing in inhouse staff. will be a >> the whole project >> the whole project be completely and they
in some ways it's advantageous because whichever company we choose they will have to do all the scheduling as well. It's we we'll look at it and I know you're looking at vendors or
whatever, but I mean it's one of those if it's a dollar, okay, we certainly have that conversation. If it's $500 a meter, then you know, we're I don't that's where, you know, we'll look at it and you have a ballpark for
nearing installation. That was >> It was like what? 3 350. >> That was That was the meter installed. That was a meter installed. >> No, I don't think that was a meter installed. >> And then the installation I think was
$90 or something like 90. >> So we're up to 500. >> Really involves us. >> Yeah. for the 1662 question. How long of a time frame would you anticipate year two?
>> AC year is three year. >> We got nobody's got a budget that we can put all that into one year starters and I don't know that they can do that all those years. Do you have a sense of
where the meter problems might be? Are there very like cluster area older places or whatever? >> We don't know yet. We're going to start initially we're going to look at the bigger meters >> and see see what we we're going to have them test and see how they're doing and
from there we're going to go go to the individual meters of people's homes. The feeling is the average meter is roughly 20 years old. Chances are a 20-y old meter is is on the end of its lifestyle. And you know, if we if it's not this
year, is it next year? We need to basically look at a program that we can go to town meeting and say it's going to be this amount of money spread out over this number of years to replace the residential meters. And there's like two different varieties of the commercial
meters, the medium size meters and then the large meters. The commercial meter is more expensive. I would assume >> the larger the meat the more expensive multiply more expensive. >> A couple points. One is um since it's a sewer water commission and a lot of the
much if not all of the big water uses on the sewer I would think I think. So prioritizing those bigger meters the expenses and and why wouldn't those commercial properties pay the whole thing pay for the meter? We
haven't crossed that bridge yet. It's a discussion we're still going to have because quite frankly um that we may be even looking for some contribution from homeowners too. A percentage of the cost. >> Well, there is a contribution. It's called the water rates. It's called your
tax rates. Uh to suggest we're going to now come up with another super fee on top of that. I think you've lost your combined mind if you go that route. I mean, accept the fact that the rates are going to go up, you know, and accept it
as that you're, you know, with the taxes that we're paying now with the rates we're paying now to suggest that we're going to go back to the resident say we're going to do a special assessment so that you can pay us more in the water. I'm not quite sure that's a real strong selling point.
>> Well, a special special assessment would go away, whereas a rate increase may or may not. But yeah, I mean this is the conversation policy and the >> the goal here was to open up the conversation with you about
>> what prioritize you know prioritizing is a way to prioritize them most of the big media are in you got the big Y you got the stop and shop you got the mall you got all these places that are using a lot of water and controvers
are universal problem faster that those are fixed. Then again, we just mainly residences and a few other things. Is this is the high school why school is on the water but not all the >> is that correct? >> Correct.
>> Not they have their own switch but they >> they have town water except for irrigation. They have their own irrigation. Yeah, it's irrigation. Now, if you want to talk about your meetings for you want pick dates that we can look at
>> and and maybe I don't I don't know exactly what we should align it with. We should align it with um when bills go out because we built quarterly. >> Yeah. >> So, it could be it could be like the
first meeting after we send bills out. So we can look at what the bills have done. >> Yeah. And obviously they're going to suggest that um town allocated costs which is what each enterprise gets charged other than town
services that um maybe one of your staff members I don't want anybody else can work with Jeie because some of the town allocated costs I try to review them every year and ask
for explanations on why we be paying 50% of a particular budget, >> you know, >> and okay, so maybe >> and the answers are exactly the same. Non-existent. >> No. Well, there's no formula that's being used and I have tried for years to
get a formula that's being used because I specifically asked for >> how are they coming up with a number without a formula? that in the past they've asked the department head well how much percent of your time is spent
on apps. So I think that's a good opportunity to collaborate and figure out really town allocated costs but I'm just I'm just throwing it out making up a number. Let's say we're each paying $200,000 $100,000 for the accountants
while the accountant's budget is $500,000 for the year and we're paying $200,000. There seems to be an off balance there with two departments with minimal staff paying almost half of the budget. So those are the conversations
I've had with the council of the past. >> Maybe at our next joint meeting we should um invite the accountant. >> Well, it's more than just the accountant. I mean a whole bunch of >> Yeah. >> But wouldn't the accountant have the answers? I'm not not um
focused on right now. So don't make that subject. >> I I mean I think if we can come up with a a formula that is is justifiable amongst you know a working team then um you know
we present it and we present our findings our findings and you know obviously come back to the table here but um have someone you know explain to us why that approach may not work.
because you're part of the power. Right. >> The other point we talked about on this universal issue is after the last year and a half
money that was there getting all right get our own account to work on our enterprise account and then get $200,000 back keep it where it should be and we have it here. We have it in two big
enterprise accounts. We have a $68 million capital investment. You have at least that amount in this town and the rest of the town. If you put them together, we're bigger than that rest of the town. >> Still the town. >> Oh, I'm not saying it's not the town,
but you have shared issue of accounting. A lot of it's right here, but we do. It's an idea to throw out there. >> Yeah. I mean, and that's the whole part of collaboration is, you know, maybe because Genie and Dave have been spending a
tremendous amount of time um on assisting the account with balancing our funds for multiple years. um things with finding things or what whatever. Bottom
line, um they become very adapt at our funds and our funding resources and things like that, which all goes into how much we pay our services for in the town. So to to um Ryan's point, maybe it's not a
separate accountant, but maybe it's um someone who can really be um able to talk about the accounts oneon one and just resolve any issues right away or any questions or concerns rather than
someone whether it's us or an accountant trying to figure out um something happened five days ago. And >> maybe even asking um somebody from the town to come to one of our joint meetings and explain what
process they use to get to do it and how much they're charging us and what avenues we have to cut those costs and you're suggesting perhaps maybe getting our own accountant. I don't know that
>> well no not not necessarily but someone adapt it within the department to be able to >> dedicate it to us in a way >> knows the system we have shared and be able to pay attention for the 200 that whatever the number is pay
attention to what we do collectively and it's just your and our staff but instead of us chasing things which is what's been going on from our position >> and it sounds like we're We're both of us are assisting them in doing their
job. Do we get any money back from the town? >> Yeah. So, one one thing if I could add to this too is I'm feeling new in the position I'm so getting through these budgets is kind of a learning curve for me. But what I've noticed is when it
comes time for our budgets or at least let's say the town budgets, each department is asked to keep their overall increases to win a certain percentage. So let's say it's two two and a half% right. So I would think that our town allocated
costs should not go up more than that two and a half%. And I saw last year our increases for town allocated cost jumped up more than two%. So how can our department cost increase at a higher exponential figure than the rest of the
town? >> They should they should mirror each other which is where we converting you should Stacy and Genie work together to pull together information that we can talk about the next time we get
together. I don't see a problem with that given, you know, it's, you know, within time constraint. I mean, I think it's it's a good way to move forward, you know, and they work together regularly anyways. It's not like, you know, uh it's new people coming in that
need to be trained to begin with. Right. Right. Gina always mentions too how well she and Stacy work together. So, it's very much appreciated. We should be working together. >> You want to set up some dates?
>> Yep. >> I would suggest we let Ging set up dates that they can work, you know, rather than us set up dates for them >> on the month the month that you want. >> Yeah. >> Well, you wanted to do I mean, if you
wanted to do filling months, >> um, so the next filling month would be March. Um, I don't know how you want to do it. Do you want to do it on a day that you're not meeting? I don't know. What time do you want?
>> 4:30. >> 4. Um, I mean, I don't think any of us want another meeting, >> right? So, if you wanted to do it the same day, that's what I'm trying to say. >> Tuesday. Yeah. So, could we do a joint
meeting at 4 here and then you guys could have your meeting at 4:30 or you could type? >> Yeah. >> Or we could go to your meeting at 4:30. >> Yeah. Then you could have already had
your meeting or not >> in the summer. That'd be easy because Barbara Lansson's a teacher and we could we could meet we could have our meetings at three for example and then we'd be able to accommodate. >> Well, we don't meet the same week though, right? Because we meet the second and fourth. You guys meet the
first third. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um >> let's let's figure out some >> we all connect. >> Yeah. Be like March. What are the other months? >> Uh March, June
>> and September. >> And just because we're talking budgets and and money and all of that, I'm going to get we're going to want to probably squeeze one in before March. suggest that same thing just as a kickoff to join me on this bigger agenda
which will kind of be a standard agenda you know kind of a bunch of similar things >> to do something in January middle of January and then then set you know >> set up what the agenda is >> we're trying to do this for several
months and for reasons that are we're all busy that has to come together I know You've seen this short version of a standard agenda that you just there's one thing I want before we leave
because it does it does get back to our expansion. Are you sure? So why don't we finish this discussion first? >> What if we ought to tell our respective staff when we're available for January and then um coordinate a date they can
coordinate a date for us? Does that sound fair? >> Tuesday. >> Yeah, exactly. >> Some Tuesday. >> Yeah, there. Yeah,
>> this particular first one logistics do you want two days in the room? >> We have a next twice in January.
>> Yeah. Before um we do anything else just on our agenda that we posted was it review? >> Yeah. Um and Eric Crow had emailed today. He wants to know if um the board like sewer board is likely next Tuesday
at 6 p.m. I think they're kind of moving forward together. So >> I comments >> back to again That's This is the one.
That's the original one. >> That's yours, right? >> That's the one. >> Do they have a copy of that? >> Yopition. Yes. And just to give a little overview,
um when we got the the original from Eric, um it had the um highway department was doing things and after us and things like that. What I have is the since this is basically
about roads and construction and everything else, I have the switch that the highway department basically takes the uh we would um there's a section in here
and says get the permits fine get a permit on if there's emergency we have to notify highway within next couple of hours or whatever and I added in if there's an emergency here we should be calling
someone and they mention that in here call someone and get verbal appro followed up by an email just so there's no misunderstandings that whoever you call a highway and say we got a
water leak or a sewer sewer line problem um we're going to dig up X tonight in five minutes and they said yeah go ahead or yeah I'll come down I'll I'll be there to super I'll supervise it with you whatever the procedure is those are
the real details. But I think whatever we do in independently is we just make sure that there's checks and balances that if someone gives you a verbal approval, they follow it up with an I talked to so last night and give them a go ahead just so nothing falls in the
cracks. Um if it's an emergency, it's an emergency. We shouldn't be waiting for the highway superintendent or someone in the highway department to say it's okay to repair an emergency. It's notifying it's going to happen. It's notifying
police it's going to happen. Notifying fire department it's going to and it happens. Not looking for permission. >> I'm not I don't The way you said it, it was sort of yeah, we're going to notify them and then they're going to give No, we're going to notify them. We've got an emergency. We're going to dig it
>> the same way. So, >> we use the word notify as opposed to ask permission, >> right? >> Yeah. I don't disagree. I mean, >> the way you were start the way I was hearing what you were saying is we're going to notify them that we've got an
emergency and we need your approval to fix it. >> No, I want I I did say they need to follow up the next day and acknowledge that they have >> that they that they got got unnoticed notification from us and they're acknowledging it. We need to follow up the next day with the email to them as
well. >> Right. >> Don't don't do a phone call and expect an email back. You want an email back, send an email. >> Well, and that's where I have them taking some of the initiative. Like it says in here, we're to inspect manhole covers every two years and everything
like that. Well, I think the highway department should take the lead on that. They the manhole covers, you know, if you're down a road and you see something that needs to be fixed, water and sewer, that's not their expertise.
>> I'll do differently from that idea tonight. >> Okay, we we'll meet in the parking lot after um but I'm just saying that anything road related, you know, than talking about quarterly meetings. Great. Have the highway department set up the meetings and you and theou says you
staff agrees to attend. you know, it's their meeting if there's things or you know, every um what else do they have? So, I rewarded it that there was checks and balances, signoffs that when road
construction is done, just like today, you pull, you know, you get a permit if it's scheduled construction, you get the permit, everybody signs off it at the end. to close the loop, the highway department signs off and says the work is acceptable. So on the day that you
finish the work's acceptable, not six months down the line, oh, you didn't do this, right? No, it needs to happen while the contractor's here, preferably while the work is going on. The highway department will walk by and check it out.
>> Any concerns at that time? Why is it it's the highway? It's the the judge on everything >> because they they own the roads that talk. >> Yeah. Like I don't understand why who decid you know is it the superintendent
is the foreman. Why is it we do a repair and why can't we be the judge of our own work and say it's acceptable? I would I would say that the the pipe in the street in the street, but I mean I mean obviously it's a conversation, but finished paving and all of that. I mean,
I'd rather have the highway sign off on it then there's no issues down the line. That that's my approach. >> I mean, I've just seen some of the repairs highways done, you know, I've seen fill potholes and it's full of water and they just throw asphalt in it. Well, the correct way to do would be
clean it out, blow it out, dry it out, sweep it out and then put your asphalt in it. But you go down next day blown on all over the road. So we >> Well, and the good thing is they own that. >> Yeah, you're right. >> Yeah. I mean, if they sign off on it, if
something happens in six months, not to say we're not going to responsive, but still. >> But getting back to what Buzz was saying, when I look at the highway department shall. >> Yeah. >> And number four says highway will provide water and wastewater durable approval. >> Okay. I want to take the word approval
out because I don't think if they say no, we don't approve, so we just let the water run up in the road or the ser down the street. >> Verbal notification. >> Verbal notification. >> Okay. Can I emphasize highway law because I don't think it's the process
responsibility to know the highway department stands on roads and to keep up with them. >> Yeah. So they seem to be the driver of the town as far as they accept the road for paving and all that. So I would get some contact from the highway
department to the standings my judgment on whether so I kind of feel like all my but obviously Sean's been really you know forthcoming with some manhole
issues we've had some of animals and he's given the time to repair them. good working with as far as that goes. But they have some formal document kind of make sure
>> and if if anybody's in doubt what their responsibility is you have a document >> and how responsibility notification or approval Now, when they're talking about a permit, are they talking about financial? >> Yeah. Well, it sounds like based on what
was submitted, the regular road opening permits, but then it sounds like after an emergency repair, they want a permit. It says in case of emergency um in case of emergency were notify the highway by the immediately by phone
followed by written permit submission for it was originally three. or are they going to come up with some type of permit for >> I'm worried about the concept of permit because the permit sounds to me like they can they can say no. Well,
I don't want to give the street department the right to say no to anything you you or I need to do to keep our system working the way it's supposed to work. And we get along fine with the with the street department now, but 20 years from
now, 50 years from now, >> there may be people that have, you know, duking it out on the on the street every time there's an issue. And this we need to make sure this is clear. >> I mean, I can understand per work
>> like something like process. >> Exactly. >> But >> you have an emergency repair >> emergency repair to do a permit after the fact >> be like a notification. Yeah, again back to the notification >> and maybe it's changed from rather than perimeter
completion >> okay so we know that's a discussion point so we can work on something for that next Tuesday with them then that could be part of the conversation It's just a notification
and find out maybe at that meeting what specifically they mean by that. >> But just choice. >> Yeah. >> Exactly. >> Emergency
shoulders all approve process. Do they have any notice that we've always been pretty much >> Yeah. All our trucks >> that have pl
>> they do do they do >> street routes but just not just not the stations >> we do they have street roots and then if it's an intense storm you know they're not going to be hit the storm they hit the roads but you know
it's if you're getting six inches of snow get a foot of snow halfway through the storm they'll break off just kind of open everything up once back to the roof and then once the storm's over, we go while everything we have shovel everything else freezes that
night. The next day you get stuck out before they go home. They test to take care of everything we do here because they're out sometimes frustrating for 14, 18, 20 hours. It's like you get two hours worth of work. But you know, we split it up. You know, one guy goes to the station, another takes you, you
know, he splits it up. And if there's an emergency, obviously we'll pull the crew from Snow to take care of the emergency and then go back. We assume that there's still a snow emergency. Go back to snow again. >> It's it's always it's always been that
way. >> I know years ago we had a hider who was hit by Sunny Hill Road down Main Street. He had a soft bomb. how how we figures out there's never been an issue. You be talking they'll say, "Hey, I got to take off my roof for
an hour because I need to go get stuff up. If you don't get it, keep up with it." You're not going to get in there, >> especially if it's heavy wet snow. You only push it so far. >> A lot of the same spot, same five guys did
everything. And again, the town the town's becoming more and more dependent on us and, you know, to some degree, you know, the superpower because they just can't get the uh private uh plow
with costs and insurance and you know what you need to do to be able to be a certified snow plow operator in town of K or any town, Massachusetts for a while now. that thing
shed significantly was violations. They put any employee in violation this shall be subject to this authentic action as detailed in the wage of personnel bylaw collective by agreement whichever
whichever applicable. Now it says may >> I changed it to any employee in violation of thisou will be viewed by the town administrator the appropriate commission in a determination will be made whether or not the employee may be subject to disciplinary action as
detailed >> that's reason >> right >> right then you can get really into the details on that What's a violation follow? It's a union, >> right?
>> You got union employees in the work, they're all at union members. So, >> yeah. So my take on this is after we meet with them, assuming they were in agreement
with the changes that we're asking them to make that we'll be able to sign it that night. I don't know shortly thereafter. I I want to make sure whatever changes are actually documented and put in writing and not agreed upon verbally.
>> I can update this and you can get get a new copy. Do you send a new copy and everybody can decide if you want any tweaks before next Tuesday? >> Should we send it on to Eric, too? >> I think send the change out to Eric so that we asked for it.
>> Yeah. Because when we when we sit down together, if we all have the information to start with, we don't have to go into >> He's actually seen our version. >> Okay. So, >> he he came to our last meeting, I think it was. >> Yeah. He came here ago. He he wasn't surprised by anything.
>> Yeah, I think he presented your amendments. >> Oh, okay. So, yeah, just look at the emergency notification piece. So under uh highway department shell. >> Yeah.
>> Does that review and approve instead of permit applications work or or how how would you anticipate changing that instead of number one
you mentioned something we don't really want the approval to do the work. How how would he have a suggestion how to kind that changed the job. >> I think one would be review and approve plan >> planned work. We did the main street job
that was >> it says planned work though. It says submit a road work excavation permit application highway department all planned work. However, it goes back down to this permit application mentioning emergencies. >> And that's where I think the confusion
is. If it's an emergency, you shouldn't have to go through the process of a permit. >> No e Is that the case? >> All hours of the night. >> Emergency happens. He fixed the emergency and then notified them. >> Is that what you're referring to, David? >> Well, no, that that's it's just, you
know, that whole issue of basically having almost like permission to do the work, you know, to Bob's point is, you know, how do we change this document? What >> I think notification of emergency work?
I think we actually notification for emergency work need a separate sub for emergency work versus permitted planned work. So emergency work is emergency. >> We'll let you know we're there when
we're digging the hole already. >> Right. If you want to come out and look, feel free. Wouldn't it make sense to have the to the point of emergency? The first group that's going to in this whole annual unit that's going to know about emergency besides us is the police. Let the police be the ones. It's
emergency. They're going to be setting up the detail. Whatever you need, they're going to get it. Let them be the that would make sense to me to be the link to everybody else, which would be the fire or the >> Yeah, sometimes they don't need either way. I'm just
>> show jammed up, you know, and don't They got stuff going on too. >> Well, maybe we talk with them a little bit. Like what's their intent? What's the >> first responder is either the water stop or highway for whatever emergency
you kind of dictate on emergency that I'll try to write something and we'll make it make sure that that's >> it's a process we're trying to work through. It doesn't have to be finalized and perfect you know tomorrow or next
Tuesday. I mean, you know, it's nice to be able to say, "Hey, I signed this in 2025." Who really cares? Let's make the document what we want it to be. Whether it's 2025 or 2026, what we want, what we're trying to accomplish is a working
document, not a not a date specific. Well, maybe put in our emergency situations notification to be as timely as possible. Yeah. Situation. >> Yeah. You got to deal with your
emergency. >> I mean, you notify fire police. Yeah. We'll get to the highway department, but they don't really care because they're not there unless we need their trucks or their equipment to help us. >> Yeah. They're they're not going to come out look at a patch at 2:00 in the morning because it's going to be half
ass anyways because you limited resources. We always deal with it the next day whether it's a road plate and then the next day when we can get resources asphalt or additional fill with appropriate compaction it's not unusual for us to go back take
it out back to appropriately daylight hours do what you need to do and I think that our first call is usually to digate to get that ball roll and additional staff to get that in and then worry about notifying police and fire highway after this kind Prioritizing
putting in you for >> dictate that you got to do that on him almost before you get the police that the first call get that ball >> they be
it come from it to get you know police that details you know I promise you why you wake me I always say you need a truck. >> So need to assault that. >> Yeah. >> So generally this seems okay with them.
>> Yeah. I'll clean it up based on what >> and then we'll have a class for Tuesday. >> You can get it to Stacy. So she copies on the table. Go back if we got any
>> um we will be >> because um when I last checked he didn't have a time but clos at 6 o' so >> yeah. So 6:00 next week. >> Just one last thing to put on
agenda. Commission developing their final protection plan. Now that we have the two capacity tanks up and running this
basically works to substant significant part of our water supply and back when we did the original facility plan. We put that pump station on 106 in that consent
will be doing an analysis of the needs analysis with that. This plan shows we intend to go from that pump station up South Street, hook around to Middlegate all the way around to Elm Street, come back down to here. And that's the priority of everything
we're doing on everything else. is a few other streets that that were missed because of capacity that we didn't have at the time that the yellow area is an area that's come up as a radar problem with septic system failures and any other areas you
think that you know about we're for the board of health and we'll be having joint meetings with everybody and Chen we have the money we believe already appropriated to do the design 30% design our goal because of the urgency of doing this
work is to be under construction the year summer of 27. We're going to have our design 30% design done next year be on the priority list move forward with the SRF funding to be able to go to the town meeting and get that appropriated
May the town meeting annual town meeting of 27th if not sooner. >> I I got a question and I raised it before you told me never to ask it. I'm going to ask it again. Will somebody tell me the reason that we're leaving out Main
Street from Evergreen Street to Summer Street? It's a main street that directly is above the Jones River and every single one of the roughly 100 homes that are off of Main Street or one of the side streets is basically dumping the
surge into the Jones River to say that we need to go up Indian Pond Road for whatever reason and get that number ve that amount of sewage when in fact you could double or triple that amount
by doing that one mile from Summer Street to Evergreen Street are potentially going further up Pemroke Street to say the tracks at least and and pick up a tremendous amount of
sewage that is basically running down the hill into the river and into the bay. And to tell me that the political ramifications of not doing that when we did the initial sewer in town makes absolutely no sense. And to suggest that
Indian roads is a good place to go makes no sense at all. >> Well, the answer for this section here is the wells. >> That's that's a croc. you know, the wells, what's happening to the Jones
River and, you know, Kingston Bay by what's coming down the Jones River, uh, is as critical and as important as South Street. >> The basis for the South Street wells is it's a public drinking water supply. And in 20 years since we put that sewer in,
the results of the well testing is shown going from about zero nitrate up to about three now. And it's not going to go down if we don't take care of those problems. So that's so that's why the priorities. >> It's fine. But you know let's let's talk about the real world. Why aren't we doing Main Street?
>> You told me not to ask before. So I didn't and I'll ask it again. I'll make it part of the record. Main Street absolutely should be part of the sewer system more than any of the other green areas is showing. The answer to that question I think uh to your point is
that we have CDM and the board of health look at the assessment of failed septic systems on Main Street in that section and determine where those problems lie. The priorities that were assessed before are what we're showing you. That's what was on this list. And then adding to
this is is the TMDL study, the total maximum daily load study that was just done by the Commonwealth which also says these are the priority areas in terms of nitrogen and the effect on Kingston Bay. So there is a lot of basis for what we're doing doing here and more to the
point is that we only have limited capacity and I'll told these guys they'll hit them. We're not done. We need two more tanks to finish this pro to really get to the bottom of what the nitrogen issue is in Kingston Bay. Not to mention all Duxbury has a bigger
problem. But we have we got definitely need for capacity for additional area. But that's really what's driving this bus. We only have so much capacity and the priorities are drinking water supply and the nitrogen loading that's maximized into the bay as
opposed to an area that's not not having that. There's no documentation for that. But to your point, but I think there is an area from three corners out coming down towards the church from Elm Street this way where a lot of the houses do go
down to the river. We need to look at that more carefully. Um because there are down there and there's a clay layer that's in that area and I think that's probably something that ought to be looked at more carefully whether it's the entire length of of Main Street. >> John's talking about rebuilding or doing
something with Main Street between Evergreen Street and Summer Street because of the additional traffic and the speed. If the town is going to spend dollars to rebuild Main Street in whatever format it is, to think that
we're going to do it and then go in and put in sewer later, it doesn't make any sense. >> If that happens, >> yeah, we haven't had that conversation with anybody yet. Who could they have? >> The selectment have been working on it. planning board's been working on it and
nobody's I raised it at the meeting that they had a town hall and almost got thrown out by a couple of the residents on Main Street because they didn't want the additional cost and the additional responsibilities. Well, when it when it becomes more than
a thought in somebody's mind, then you look at it like any >> I think maybe you ought to have CDM look at where the planning department is and where the selectmen have supported that very >> that's why we have some from North P
down to >> down very line I understand that but we left out main street we left out main street but we look at it if it warrants to be more important and more valuable to the to the environment than the areas
around the wells and we we'll look at it. >> The intent of of what we're going to do, >> it's a conversation. >> The water supply issue was paramount back then and but it wasn't done because there wasn't the actual problem. The problem now has been documented over 20 years of analyzing the water quality.
So, here we are trying to just get the team if you will. Uh and we're going to be dealing with uh not just you obviously board of health involved. We're going to have water wershed association involved because they're driving the bus to more of this as well.
Uh and uh planning board talk to Valerie. We're going to have everybody who's going to have a say in this to your point come up with where's the priorities? These are the priorities that were in the original facility plan. That's where we're sticking with that plan. Um but again this area in yellow
was not necessarily on that list and now it's become a problem because we start starting to find after 20 years we start to see gra being contaminated again. So again we'll work with border health. We're going to work with you closely. We want to have a team of everybody's on
the same direction and uh that's it. So we'll be talking about the score as we go. All right. >> All in favor? >> Thank you very much.
Thank you. >> Okay. Um Kristen, you still there? >> I am. >> Yes. So, uh wanted to give you an update on the the new well project.
Um Kleinfelder provided us with an updated schedule that not sure if you have that. Um we talked at the last meeting where things are in comparison to the
schedule that they provided with their proposal and um are essentially tracking on schedule at this point. Um there were some, you know, there's been a little bit of delay with having to um change
the test well location a little bit, but D didn't take the full time that they were allotted for review of the original site plan application. So that helped offset um the slight delay that we've had with
moving the well location. um which I also want to talk about. Um the one good side about having to adjust the test well location so that there's a fully compliant zone one that's you know
fully owned by the town is the preliminary test well that small 2-in diameter test well that was put in indicates that more flow would be available at this new site than at the
prior test well location that was installed in 2018 um that we were considering. So that's good news. We have a um decision to make though. So
the test well indicates that it could be um a well that would produce up to 1,000 gallons per minute. Now the original um test well that we looked were looking at Kleinfelder was
estimating that um just under 700 gallons per minute. So it went into D with a request for it was around 680 gallons per minute. Um, D has stated that they are not going to just hold you to that 680 gallons per minute if it can
be demonstrated that this new test well location can produce more than that. Um now there's um screen size issue that um to
get the full um thousand gallons per minute, the test well needs to be pumped at 500 gallons per minute. They basically this new it's a 8 in diameter test well that we want to put in as the next step. that well,
they want to try to pump that well at half the flow rate of the um production well flow rate. So, this 8 in diameter test well to achieve 1,000 gallons per minute in the production well needs to be pumped at 500 gallons a minute. Now,
to get the 500 gallons per minute requires a screen with a 50 slot size. Um, Mar Services does not have one of those on hand. They have a 30 slot screen, but that would limit the pump
test to about 400 425 gallons per minute. And then again, you could only go in for a production well that would be basically double that. Um, now the 50 slot screen can be obtained from Johnson
screens. They do take a companywide break around the holidays. So um they wouldn't be able to provide that screen until sometime in January possibly. Um so basically these there'd be a delay in
the schedule to get that um the 30 slot screen since Mar services has that on hand they could install that this month but for the sake of four to six weeks
being able to get an additional 200 gallons per minute potentially it seems worth it to Hey. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Um, you know, yeah, there's fewer opportunities for new wells in the town.
So, um, really wanted to maximize, >> especially when we're just building it now, >> right? >> Yeah, >> I agree too. >> Great. >> Yeah. And um the water treatment plant, the track palm water treatment plant, um we designed that with the intention that
an additional source of up to 1,000 gallons per minute could go to the treatment plant. So the treatment plant can handle it and certainly uh would be fantastic to get a,000 gallon per minute. Well, those don't come along all the time.
So what initially seemed like um an unfortunate problem with having to change the location of the test well has really worked out in favor with getting additional pumping capacity.
Um plus you know and we talked at the last meeting that Chris grabbed some samples from the test well for iron and maganesees and at least during the short pump test those results were low. you know, as you know that once you start pumping the
well, those um iron and maganesees levels can go up, but it's certainly a good place to start with them being low. Um yeah, it's the best that you can hope for. So, we were just looking for Chris and I
um the board's decision and it sounds like you are unanimous to um ask Kleinfelder to get the 50 slot screen and and again the schedule just
to they provided a comparison for the original schedule, the schedule with the 30 slot screen and the 50 slot screen. Um, and again, basically the 30 slot screen
keeps it like probably about like a week at most ahead of the original schedule. And then the 50 slot screen has them about four to it's probably more like four to six weeks. They're showing four weeks on
their schedule, but four to six weeks um behind the original schedule. So, not too much time. >> Sorry. >> Is there any way to make up any of that time? For example, >> possibly. Yeah. If there's um D review
times, you know, they've been accommodating with trying to expedite that. So, if as long as we can, you know, show good faith with getting working with them on other aspects, they might be agreeable to expediting some of
those reviewed periods to help offset that time. Even if we have to lose the four to six weeks and don't want to do that, the the long range goal of getting a thousand gallon a minute uh pump at the new wellside is absolutely, you know,
beneficial to the town. So, it's a motion that's necessary to increase the size of the screen and the pump capacity uh even with the delay. I'll make that motion. Is there before you do that, is there a cost associated with that
Kristen? >> Uh, they did not provide a cost difference for that screen. Um, I wouldn't think so. It's just um it's the same size like dimension wise, the same size. It's just
>> how the screen >> I was going to make them take a vote if it was a financial thing, but I mean they take a vote anyways. >> Yeah, we'll take a vote just >> Okay. Yeah, they haven't presented us with a cost difference. So, you could do it about based on, you know, no cost
difference and we'll just, you know, tell them that. >> Well, bud moved that I'll second it. >> I I >> I'll go I too. >> Okay.
Um, and then related to the the well work and um getting the driller in there, um, Chris and the guys have been working to help, um, make the site more accessible for their rig. Um, they
expressed some concerns. The where they're trying to get to now, it's steep, so they needed Chris to do some regrading so that the rig could get in where it needs to be. And I'll let Chris fill you in on what he's done out there
with that. >> Yes. So I met with um Ryder. He's from bar and stated the hill radius significant length made quite a few trees that be eliminated to be make the radius in there. So we work out there
with the guys to do that open that up. I think we're complete now tomorrow to see if it meets the criteria he needs to be good now. >> Can you bury it with the machine? >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Inch inch and a half across. So >> to warm up overnight I spoke to warm up the account today and that Ryder was hoping to get out tomorrow to do a site visit. M had some delays at the last site so
they're not up until probably next week out the site ruins his blessing. >> Okay, so we're pretty much on schedule. We'll let that that bump in the road with the the screen. But >> but they they they said they don't want
to start drilling till they have that 50 slots screen. Correct, Kristen? >> Yeah, that Yeah, they said they want to wait until they actually get the 50 slot screen, you know, in their hands before they do the they drill the 8 in. Well, so they'll there's a little more time,
Chris, if there's some other work that you guys have to do to try to fit that in. There might be a warm up where things aren't quite as cold. >> Yeah. Can they do that? And then >> Yep. Yeah, they can still do the
drilling. >> Slippery slope downhill. >> Yeah. Yeah. This right the slope. But yeah, if there's some frost in the ground, they can drill right through that. >> You good? >> Yes, I'm good. Yeah, we are still
waiting um for D to release their the SRF intended use plan. Um that should come out any day. We uh hope that those get done in December, but sometimes they don't publish them until January.
So, we'll know soon if um the project made the list for that. >> Okay, good. Thanks. >> And that's it. Okay, Christian. >> Chris, >> uh, so I've in touch with town council in regards to the, uh, acco that has
been pushed back into this D waiting there, council review on the town council to see done to that. So, I checked back in with town council. We're kind of like in safe hover right now to
be responding back to us. No timeline on that. It's just been kind of bogged down with them. The holiday Thanksgiving, you know, Christmas raproaching be there as we discussed
quite a bit of work out the well site guys work diligently out there work hard too. They all did a great job getting things ready for the winter. Be sure that we did over the summer good
shape for the winter and stuff. So getting ready for the winter winter pl >> that's the hope. The fourth quarter samples have been collected and sent to the lab for analysis. had a few applicants interested for the
job. Some qualified. See what else? Some are quite or not any >> waste water. Everybody waste water lices water. >> I guess the wrong license though
have been pretty much completed by all the guys and submitted for the end of the year. One employee has one more class full status of all employees work for them to get that done.
>> Okay. Um new business. Um we have some requests for abatements. >> Yep. There's previous copy of the upcoming bill of $10,000 10,000 gallons last a motion to reduce the rate.
>> I just uh I don't mean to interrupt it. >> Uh this is on the new business from 13 old. Looking at this letter head here. >> Yeah, it's referencing 13. Look at the
letter attached to it. All right. Sorry. >> I'm making a motion. >> I'm moving that we reduce the rate to the lowest lowest rate this one time. >> Seconded.
I I >> I >> thank you. >> Um and then there's a second one for the hilltop. >> Make the same motion will be for the uh the rate for all of the water.
>> Okay. >> I'll second that. >> And that's also what time? Yep. And I think we need to ask um >> Bob, did you vote on that one too? >> I as well. Yeah.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Sorry about that. >> Just just >> Oh, future discussion maybe. >> Yeah. >> On the process. I I was going to make a motion that we we need to take a look at, you know, how we deal with
abatements. I think that they seem to be coming in more and more frequently. Uh and, you know, there are reasons for abatements and there are reasons that uh maybe we should be denying them, but I think we need to look at it without uh
anything on the table at the time. I agree. >> And that way we can come up with a policy that then applicable from that point on. Yeah, I agree. It doesn't have to be done overnight. It's something that we can look at. >> We can think about it now and talk about it at some sometime in the in the near future.
>> Um the only other thing that I have is um >> water need to approve the water leans. Here's the total. There's the whole report. Not you want to have a lot of trees. >> Yeah. >> You want to read a page by page? No.
It's just um if you want to make a motion, you can just read that line to accept the leans for >> um a move we accept the leans water bills for FY25 to for the and prior to a total of $80,598.32. >> Second.
>> All those in favor? >> I >> I >> I want to leave this on the table for Bob to sign it tomorrow. >> Uh sure. He wants >> I'll sign it. Yeah, I think something like this we should all >> and then the only other thing was the
water quality um certificate that we discussed and granted at the last meeting. So if you can sign on the back of that and then I'll notoriize it. and I can give that over to the
developer. >> I'll leave this here for Bob. >> Bob. >> Yeah. >> If you come by tomorrow and sign the um >> or tonight or tonight, you're going to keep >> Yeah, I'll do on the way home.
>> We'll leave it on the table. Two things. Two things. All right. We'll do >> Thanks, Bob. That was >> okay. Will you move it to second? I I