Wastewater Implementation Committee Meeting
Meeting Minutes
For
Town of Harwich
Wastewater Implementation Committee (WIC)
Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at 9:30 a.m.
Attendees:
WIC Members: Chris Harlow, Jeremy Gingras, Danette Gonsalves (9:40 am), Allin Thompson, and Heinz Proft.
Others: Richard Gunderson, Liz Dubuque, and Mike MacAskill
CDM Smith: David Young
Introduction:
The Harwich WIC held a meeting on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at the Harwich town offices to review and discuss implementation issues related to the CWMP. This meeting was intended to focus mainly on the cost recovery model presented to the Board of Selectmen on May 11th and to discuss results from town meeting actions. Meeting was chaired by Committee Vice Chair Chris Harlow.
A summary of items discussed is provided below in order of the agenda.
Summary of Discussion Items:
- Discuss and approve WIC Minutes dated April 9, 2015.
Minutes of April 9, 2015 were approved 3-0-1 (J. Gingras abstained) without edits.
- Review CDM Smith invoice
Invoice in amount of $5,113.53 was reviewed and approved for Heinz Proft to process.
- Discuss consequences of results of approved Town Meeting Wastewater Articles.
All four wastewater articles passed at Town Meeting (Muddy Creek bridge funds, additional CWMP funds, Phase 2 funds for Cold Brook study and funding for East Harwich effluent recharge site). However, Ballot Question #9 for the East Harwich effluent recharge site failed at the ballot election. WIC members were extremely disappointed in that defeat.
Members spent a lot of time discussing issues they heard about the campaign from land abutters to the effluent recharge site. Social media played a big part in spreading inaccurate information about how the site would be utilized. Jeremy Gingras was monitoring several social media sites and tried to field many questions. Others received direct calls. Bottom line is those opposing turned the campaign into a survey about whether a treatment plant should be built in their backyard or not.
David Young urged the committee to seek input from the Selectmen and other Boards in town and to engage the abutters to the property. He encouraged them to develop an education program about the benefits of acquiring that site for all parties involved. The chance of a treatment plant on that site is very small and only occurs if the agreement with Chatham falls through. The site also takes about ten future house lots out of development creating open space and it helps decrease the cost of the wastewater program since town can acquire for net zero cost. Both of these issues have been encouraged by the public. He also noted that the town now has over 2,000 more residents paying attention to the wastewater issue and so consider that a positive outcome and get them involved.
Jeremy Gingras suggested a survey could be conducted to gain input on what the key issues are surrounding the recharge site and the overall wastewater program.
Chris Harlow suggested the new website needs to be up to date and that the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) need to be updated as well.
New Selectman Mike MacAskill attended the meeting and thanked the committee members for their hard work. He indicated the town as a whole could have done a better job presenting the land acquisition article. People were not clear on what was to be constructed at that site and focused on building a treatment plant there. He also noted that several people have mentioned to him that WIC meetings at 9:30 am on Wednesday were difficult to attend and thus get involved.
Liz Dubuque, an abutter to the East Harwich effluent recharge site attended and reiterated the difficulty residents have in attending a mid-week morning meeting. She indicated she took a vacation day to attend today’s meeting as she wants to become involved now. She added that many abutters were upset that they had not been notified about the town trying to acquire land in their neighborhood. She wants to assist where she can and be more involved in learning about the wastewater issues going forward.
- Discuss results of Cost Recovery recommendation presented to BOS on May 11th.
Chris Harlow and David Young presented the WIC cost recovery recommendation to the BOS on May 11th. Plan was well received. LCD Projector in meeting room was broken and so audience could not see the presentation but was shown to cable viewers. BOS wants to hold a joint Public Hearing with WIC on June 17th to receive community input on the proposed plan.
- Continue discussion on future outreach plan
All agreed that the East Harwich effluent recharge site failed acquisition confirmed the need to constantly educate the public about the wastewater program. Presenting the cost recovery plan will gain more people’s attention. Updating the website is good as is the FAQs but all agreed that having conversations with people is just as important. This will be an ongoing issue. Fall will be targeted for the next water bill mailing and will include cost impacts.
- Discussion of the new town/WIC Website
New website went live a week ago. WIC needs to move items previously posted on old website over to the new one as appropriate. Jeremy offered to repost several documents. David Young will send him some others to also post (community presentations, Hinckley’s Pond study, etc.). Heinz Proft will assist and review previous water quality data postings. Both will discuss with Foster and others how to develop an email account for residents to send in questions.
- New/Old/ Other Business
After some discussion, the WIC members decided to recommend to WIC Chair Peter de Bakker when he returns that the WIC hold a night meeting once a quarter to allow more people to attend.
- Future Meeting:
Wednesday, June 17th at 9:30 a.m.
Adjourn 11:15 a.m.
The above minutes have been completed from notes taken by CDM Smith.
Distribution: Attendees, WIC Members and Chris Clark
Approved:
Date: ____________________
__________________________
Peter de Bakker, Chair