Wastewater Implementation Committee Meeting
Meeting Minutes
For
Town of Harwich
Wastewater Implementation Committee (WIC)
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 9:30 a.m.
Attendees:
WIC Members: Peter deBakker (Chair), Chris Harlow, Sharon Pfleger, Allin Thompson, and Heinz Proft.
Others: Charleen Greenhalgh, Chris Clark, Michael MacAskill and Larry Ballantine.
CDM Smith: David Young
Introduction:
The Harwich WIC held a meeting on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at the Harwich town offices to review and discuss issues related to the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP). Meeting was taped to be played on Harwich cable access.
A summary of items discussed is provided below in order of the agenda.
Summary of Discussion Items:
- Discuss and approve WIC minutes dated January 18, 2017.
Minutes from January 18, 2017 were reviewed and discussed. Allin Thompson made a motion to approve and second by Heinz Proft. Approved unanimously. Chair indicated he would get the approved minutes posted on the town website.
- Review CDM Smith Invoice.
Heinz Proft indicated he had reviewed and processed the most recent CDM Smith invoice. About 50 percent of the $40,000 budget has been spent to date.
- Report on BOS January 23rd discussions of WIC 12-page Wastewater Handbook.
Main focus was on having the financial piece added to the Handbook. Chris Clark indicated he has worked with the town’s financial advisors and developed the seven year and 40 year tax impact graphs. The overall program has about a $400 annual increase for an assessed value home of $350,000. The Phase 2 impact is about $150 annually. Sharon Pfleger thought those values should be reversed in order when put in the Handbook. WIC agreed both values should be stated.
Chris Clark reviewed the various components of the wastewater town meeting article that add up to over $34 Million. Even though CPC committee voted not to fund the Hinckley Pond restoration he is including it in the article for $550,000.
Michael MacAskill reiterated the importance of the finance component and suggested a sentence be added explaining the CWMP is a living document and everything will be done to lower the overall cost of the program. He also thought highlighting the page a different color would help set it apart from other sections.
Chris Harlow asked who was printing the Handbook and how many copies were to be printed. WIC discussed several options for distribution and Monomoy school children (Chris Clark offered to contact Scott Carpenter to discuss), senior center, library, and town hall were all discussed. WIC settled on 1,000 copies to be printed. CDM Smith was asked to submit a price and town will get another comparison price.
- Continued discussion of Wastewater Outreach Program.
Chris Clark and David Young offered to develop the first draft of the 4-page brochure focused on the upcoming town meeting wastewater article and the various components in it. One page inserts to follow that include finances, what if program isn’t funded and an overview of why Pleasant Bay watershed is being done first.
Future items need to be a community meeting held in the Pleasant Bay watershed and contact local newspaper reporters.
- Update on Chatham IMA.
Chris Clark noted that a sub-group recommended a cost of $6.8 Million. Tomorrow there is a follow-up meeting to confirm that value and a few minor word edits. So getting close to presenting back to all members of BOS in each community.
- Discuss CWMP presentations to Town Boards and Committees.
Peter de Bakker discussed his plan to have two members from WIC present to key town boards and committees (Peter will request BOS note that this will be occurring) and go to men’s club, garden club, rotary club and other similar groups to discuss the wastewater program and upcoming town meeting article. He asked each WIC member to let him know which ones they would like to visit. David Young offered to create a general powerpoint for the WIC members to utilize even if using hard copies. Peter sent the WIC members a list of committees to review. Peter and David are presenting to the Board of Health on March 14th.
- Other/ New Business.
Sharon Pfleger and Charleen Greenhalgh discussed the latest version of the CWMP monitoring template. All WIC members were asked to bring comments to the next meeting.
David Young noted that he worked with town staff (Pelletier, Hooper, etc.) recently to convey some comments regarding a new gas main to be installed on Route 39. Would like to see gas main stay to side of the road and need to coordinate final paving with sewer program.
Mr. Young also noted that Dennis, Harwich and Yarmouth worked together to file an Efficiency and Regionalization grant application to seek funds for pursing the community partnership scenario.
- Future Meeting – February 15, 2017 at 9:30 am
Adjourn 11:30 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, Chairman