Meeting of the water commissioners is called to order. Thursday, March 19th, 20 6 PM. This meeting is being recorded. >> Chairman Ed Johnson, present. >> Commissioner Dave Mesmore, present.
>> Commissioner John Kane, present. >> Rich, South TVW, director. John got assistant directing. >> Julie Betty, assistant. Hey, do we have any public comment? >> Do we have any public comment? >> We have one attendee. Click on
participants just to bring up the menu and if they raise their hand, you'll see it. >> Um, so with seeing no hand, >> no hand. Okay. All right. Yeah. Dave, you've reviewed the minutes of the February 19th water commissioners meeting minutes. >> Yes. I will make a motion to approve the
minutes from the February 19th Water Commission meeting. >> Second. Okay. All in favor? He had Johnson. I >> John Kane. Yes. Yes. Motion carries. You guys can sign it later. I can't sign it. Okay. Right application. We have three of them
for Evergreen Street, 23 Bonnie View Road, and 19 South Oneard Road. They all meet the requirements for the elderly rate. Can I have a motion? >> We'll make a motion to accept it elderly implications. Second
>> second motion to accept the three elderly rate applications. >> All in favor Johnson I. >> John Kane. Yes. >> Okay. That carries monthly commitments. You got the other ones we can sign later, right, Julie? >> Yeah, they're all in here.
>> Okay. All right, Rich. You can W. >> Yes, sir. Thank you. The uh the work continues the high water notifications and calls to homeowners about their high usage as well as meter issues. that's kind of all was going on. Um, I started working on the 2025 annual statistical
report as well as the 2025 consumer comps report. Um, they're actually pretty involved. So, it's a slow process getting up to speed with it. Uh, Patty Gamberani of the PVC had asked us for our help with some grant opportunities
to further the understanding of drinking water and supply protection in the region. Um basically it will be a support through an advisorary group with other communities to refine the topics such as supply treatment distribution. Um they at the very end it will have like a video slideshow and all that. So
um the overall project is in like a two-year time frame and we'll just be hopefully filling in working talking to them and building basically a a template to show the people what we do how we do it and where everything goes. >> Okay. um 662A college highway storage
unit is in the beginning stages and they'll be looking to tie into our water system with a domestic and a fire line and I know we talked previously but we were looking to talk to Ty bond in regards to North Kation project right >> whether need to upgrade and whatnot
work summary work orders nothing with the work orders No, just Okay. Yeah. Standard stuff. Yeah. >> Placed a couple meters. So, >> okay. >> The winter lot frozen. >> Oh, yeah. I'm sure frozen pipe here, but
why am I watering it? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I got a leak somewhere. I got >> Oh, boy. >> Yeah. She really sent me a email about it. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> It's in my arm somewhere. Arm. >> Yeah. It's very slow. It's like 19 gallons an hour or something. But
>> super tiny. Still falling. something. I think one of the dry hydrants isn't showing. >> Oh, dry hydrants. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's the system's good though. It sells it. >> Hey, old business water systems regulation update.
>> So, I believe everyone's able to look at the info we had for the year. >> We had it last time and that's >> what we What's it this one here? No, that one. Yeah. >> Yeah, that just suits everything that
>> most changes were just to kind of >> streamline things and make sure that that we have the same >> Oh, I've been not bender but same brands. >> Okay, I'll read that. >> Yeah. Okay, that's fine. >> Yeah. Yep. >> Yeah. Okay, I can read that home. Yeah.
>> Okay. >> New business discuss elderly water rates up to 15,000 gallons. So what we have found when is doing a budget report is that in the old water application
the way it is worded kind of vague in the sense that if you are under the elderly application when you go over the 15,000 you are just charged at the regular rate of the lower tier but you go over 15 you're not charged the next
tier. So with the sewer department, we looked at it and I looked at it the same way as the water department that we're losing revenue and I think just a way to capture that still give elder rate dividends
the uh the actual usage charge up to 15 but once you go over the 15 I feel that I think we're all have to pick I mean we're using it you're using it you're using it. >> Yes. But I think the the idea of the
elderly rate is to keep it at a flat level. You know, even it it does help if you're not using the full 15,000. >> Yeah. >> But the idea was to keep that same tier regardless of how much you use. >> That's what my understanding was.
>> That's what I thought. >> That was that's basically the break that you're getting as for the elderly race. I know we're talking about revenue capture um but most of these seniors they're already their revenue is being captured
in every other aspect you know property taxes yeah whichever um and >> as far as the water goes the sewer commissioners can make their decisions but I think for water we had talked about it before that that is the break we're giving is regardless of how much you use if you're on the elderly rate
that's that's what you pay >> okay so because in my theory I'm thinking if you were to even be on the other but you're just using that much more than others. There's no stop to it. That's true. Which which is why we had talked about >> the issue we might have with the ADUs
>> where if the ADU was on a separate meter and they were on the L rate, then they might be the ones irrigating the lawn kind of thing. But that was that's a separate discussion. But there's another thing that they want to do about these sewers is
how much your house is worth, how much you make every year. And I think we need to keep it very simple. >> I don't want to get into that. >> That's why I was thinking that if you if you are if you do have more and you >> but this would prevent that from just
getting on by not getting caught. We're catching over 15 because you can >> Oh yeah, you can. that then I think that's the idea is that you can use as much as you want but you're only going to pay that that one single tier and I think if we actually looked into the amount of revenue we're going to recapture >> it was so the revenue that we lost was
right around 13,000 for the quarter or for the that one billing cycle >> and it was twice now with these rates so it was almost about $26,000 >> really >> which would maybe cover the cost of the spray parks water >> bill but I I will say the the seniors in town
are already having a hard I'm paying there. >> Yeah, that's why I wasn't that still be actual usage up to the 15. >> Well, so that I I I see I see where you're coming from. >> Wouldn't that change it to this? >> We when we went to a tier system, we
changed it to this. We discussed it and changed it to this what we have now. >> So, I really I I really don't think that the seniors is where we are going to get the money back. I understand there is $26,000. It's just going to keep climbing.
>> It is. But also, we've spoken about the water restrictions and how, you know, we're not enforcing that. So, there's revenue capture from high water users in that regard. I think that we can that we're making up for. And we've gone up
10% year-over-year on some of those second and third tiers. So that's >> yeah just do it alone >> and I think most seniors have been paying a water bill for quite a long time in town >> and I mean if >> I'm one right
>> no I mean my father was too he's just build on the usage is more if you're going over that because you can then and you only pay that lower rate >> and I don't think they're I don't think they're abusing >> the privilege. >> I totally understand that. I just I'm looking at it now that with the budget
too that if it's just not there and then Springfield's rates are going up where are we I'm just trying to find a happy medium to make sure that we capture the best we can >> and I can we the budget so to get that
revenue capture and it's and taking into account Springfield's rates that's where that third tier is quite a bit more and that's that's excessive water usage if you're getting into tier three I mean you're right? >> You know, you're using that water and you're willing to pay that higher tier, which is why I can't remember off the
top of my head, but I believe that that third tier increase was, you know, it was like maybe 5% and then >> I can't remember what it was. >> 10% on top of that five that >> Yeah. >> Oh, I would keep it the way it is for now. >> Yeah. And I I think the I understand the
budget and I that there quite a bit of information, you know, or cost increases and, you know, just treating the water and buying more water as we need it. Uh but if we're trying to capture revenue, I don't want to use the seniors as that way. I'd like to give them that break
still, even if they're using well over it. Okay. >> I mean, maybe maybe to split the difference if you're in that third tier, right? which means you're most likely irrigating a large yard or something like that. >> Um, but I don't know how many seniors
are actually getting to that third. >> Yeah, not that high, but is still when the numbers came in, I was like 13,000 for a one billing cycle. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Well, so we'll just leave it for now. >> Okay.
Communication tower at the water tanks. >> Yes. So, >> you're actually going to finally do it, huh? >> It's Yep. So the last um >> boy that's in way back and Randy was brought it up a long time ago. >> Yeah, that's where I I got wind of it before he left about how where are they
going to put it? So prior to just after I took over as the director, I went up there with uh Kevin and >> it's going to be over in that one corner, right? >> So if you're looking at it Yeah, that's we talked about it before. I don't think we had a problem. I just wanted to make
sure we're all throwing Yeah, because when Randy brought it up, I think we already said we don't have food. >> It was going to be way if you're in there, it's going to be to the right all the way in that corner. >> When you go through the gate, it's going to be over in that one. >> Yeah, you're going to come through the gate here and it's way over here. Where the other power is is on the Yeah. And
then we're leaving that much jet. Who knows what future use? We don't want to anywhere in this area, right? >> Yep. So, >> yeah, because we talked about that before. I didn't I didn't have a problem with it. I >> Are they going to take the old tower down after they >> I can find out. I don't think >> I think they are. Yeah, I don't think it would be any use, but I'll double double
check. >> I think they will. Yeah, you you can check on that. >> Yeah. >> Um that wasn't asked, but basically it was just a plan of where it was going to go and all that. And I believe they got the okay for the special permit to for town property.
>> They're in the process. >> In the process. Yeah. I don't I don't recall that or planning board, but I'm pleasantly recent. But first announcement right here. Breaking news. water commission. That's right.
>> And then >> yeah, 827 budget. No big deal, right? No. >> It's like I say, the biggest thing was the sprinkled water increase. >> How much they go? >> 8%. It's about $10,000 for this year. Um, we are testing for
acetic acids and the tri the THMS every quarter now. So, I included a little jump for the testing samples budget line just to try to cover for that. And really everything else was a >> just a >> level Yeah. Department of Quest was a level funded.
>> Are we testing our own water or we do we have to test Springfield's water as well coming in? >> That gets at Jari Drive that gets checked. That's for the quarterly you know and everything actually. So it gets checked there then all sites in town to see where the residuals are and all that.
>> Yeah. So u blended if you will and at the start drive. >> Correct. Great. Okay. And I mean I know I'm going Saturday with for all this. I just want to make sure you guys backflow inspections too. I I I bumped that up because we did add another backflow inspection and we have the I was just
looking at itund and some is it 10 and something backflows? >> Yeah, it was like >> we got that many. >> Yeah, there's there's quite a few. >> Is there a fee for those? >> Yes. >> $75 a piece. >> Yeah. What do you think it costs us to do an inspection?
Well, the contractor does it. >> Okay. But well, so I mean like total having them go out and then whatever >> you know back office we need to just >> cover it. >> Cover it. I see what you're saying. >> You guys, do we have a markup um that
>> I honestly don't recall. >> I didn't pay straight through. >> Yeah, it was a flat rate of 175 and then he's just doing them all. Is that you know so I think in those cases special specialty items would be a
way that we can >> would be where we would want to try to capture revenue back. I mean talking >> I mean $100 100 times say 50 bucks. I mean that's yeah because >> I was trying to pull it up but I my internet doesn't >> we charge on 75 right? No, we just
charge 75. >> Each test is 75. We charge >> and some are annually. >> That would be a way maybe look into that and >> yeah adjust our fee structure because we had talked about some other fees previous to um kind of bring things up
to include those increased costs. >> Okay. >> Everything goes up. >> Yeah, exactly. >> So, yeah, we should look into that. Definitely should look into that. >> Yeah. When was the last time? >> No. PE schedule stuff. >> Well, it's been a long time, I think.
>> Yeah, we should look over maybe like a year ago, we talked about we had >> talking about the water meter, >> right? >> The large water meters, connection fees, and some other things like that. >> So, might be maybe that's what what we need to do is >> Yeah, we should look at all our fees >> maybe for the next meeting, what we're
charging and >> see where we're at. I mean, nothing's going down. Everything's going up. you know, >> so we want to keep, you know, if we can keep pace with it, you know, at five >> 10% rather than having to go, you know, 30% all the time, people go right through the >> Oh, yeah. I No, no, no, no. I just
wanted to make sure that we just >> Yeah. We just go even seeing a little go by is kind of like, oh man, but >> especially what's going on now with the taxes and the meal tax coming around and oh boy, that's all we had to do is go up there. No. >> Oh, yeah. >> It's the biggest. We do have a I think
there's two other not loans, but uh we have two um payments that are dropping off. I think it was the water meters themselves. >> Okay. >> That was dropping off. So, there's a little savings there for the >> Okay. >> at the end of 27, but it's you know, I mean, well, Springfield is kind of it's just going like this. It's I mean, what
we're saving there and then Springfield and >> what did you bump Springfield up to? >> Springfield used to >> It was 80 and I got it to 90 now. >> Okay. Okay. just for this year, but the following years it's going to go up to 100. It's just I have all that. I just didn't >> Okay. So, you got from 80 to 90, >> right? For this year. Yep.
>> Okay. >> And then, like I said, I did the uh office supplies. I dropped a little bit, but I did bring up the testing of the water. >> Okay. Would you go would you go from what? >> Last it was 138 was budget. I went to 17. >> Okay. >> Just to cover the four more quarterly tests or would be
>> and we have to do a mailing >> if something get >> correct. the amount of runoff we're going to have in >> Oh, this area. >> Yeah. >> It's going to impact the reservoir in Springfield. >> Yeah, that's what I'm seeing now.
>> And then I like I said, it was just a $600 increase for the backflow inspections only because we added some, but you know, knowing what we know, we can look into things, but I just want to make sure we were covered. >> I think because thing is right, we run a pretty lean department personnel wise too. Yeah. So all that back office is
added workload and >> takes time, right? And it takes away from your the normal activities. So if the fees >> the fees I think are where we need to make sure we're mashing the costs of, you know, the whole job, not just the whole Yeah. >> You know that back office that >> the Oh yeah, it's all
>> Yeah. It's all >> and I think those are people that have backflows, you know, preventers. They're making money with, you know, with the commercial what have >> those are the people that >> can pay and are willing to pay, >> you know, to do the to do the right
thing. >> Okay. >> You got anything else under new business? >> You have anything else to come before the board? >> No. >> Okay. Have a motion for adjournment. Make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second motion to adjurnn. All in favor
redevel 618. Thank you. Have a meeting.