1.27.2026 Watuppa Water Board

Quorum being present um we will call this meeting of the uh January 27th meeting of the Wupa water board to order.

Um Mr. Clerk, would you call the role?

Yep. Uh member Ferrer is here. Terra here.

Um President Tero here. Um let me first read the open meeting law.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Good evening and welcome to the Latupa waterboard. My name is Jim Tero. I am the president of the board. With me is Commissioner Teera and um the administrator of public utilities, Mr. Furland.

Um item number one on the agenda is citizen input. I gentlemen, yeah, Mr.

We'll turn the floor over to you, sir.

And the first month they went out, everybody, mostly everybody in the building was up in arms because the water bill was so high. So the administrator called the water department and every bill was adjusted and made lower.

That put a very paranoid feeling amongst the residents because it was so high. So this month, three months later, we get the water bills and a few people complained, called the water board, and one lady's bill was adjusted from $142 to $99.

It's a big difference. And the other person was a was a small amount, but the residents, I'm chairman of the of the board, and they complain to me, of course.

Um they're very They're paranoid that the bills are not being read accurately.

You, as you well know, the bills are based on financial interest. You you you you folks are familiar with that.

If I if I may, they're usually calculated at the percentage of of of the property and then factored according just like the condo bills.

Yeah, that's how they're figured. And people are saying there's something wrong. So, I'm here to try to get an explanation for the for the residents.

Okay. Um, I would like you to continue um because we cannot come to any resolution at this meeting. What we will do is take this all under advisement, refer it to um Mr. Tai and the billing division and and look it up. Um, I will say this, uh, I actually was in charge of billing for the department back when we, um, went to condominiums and it was based on common area and

percentage of the master deed and it was broken out accordingly and that's how the tax leans have been processed since approximately 1985 because I was administrator at that time. Um, so what we will do, and I'm more than happy to listen, um, but we'd have to we'd have to sit down and look, review the bills, review the master deed, look at the percentages, and go from there.

Can you explain how the first bills went out and they were all the whole building was high?

To the best of my knowledge, I was informed that there was a miscalculation of a decimal point and that shifted everything over. It should be fairly straightforward mathematics. It's you know if you if your unit let's say unit 21 um and your percentage on the master deed is 14.1%.

Then of the master meter that is there at point Gloria then that is factored to that. Um I I will also state I would prefer units to be metered but we can't do that in the case of of of the Yeah, it would be it would be far simpler. It would be in my opinion it would be far more correct because but it is to the best of my knowledge and I I guarantee you we will

take this under advisement but to the best of my knowledge that's how it is still being done. it's factored against your master deed.

So, it should be pretty straightforward, you know, in in the case that I stated, you know, 14.1 times bibbidity bobby boo and then you you've got the amount.

There shouldn't be any any questions.

Well, there was errors this last month after the bill went out.

I This is true that I know of.

Okay.

There may be more and people don't complain, you know.

What I would suggest um respectfully is that if you can send us the units that are questioning their bills, Absolutely.

we would be more than happy to re-examine them. We are very careful on these factored types of bills with a meter.

It's it's real easy. It's simple. you you know you past present subtract past from present you have consumption consumption times rate equals bill in this case it's percentages and that with respect that can get extremely confusing you know if something is you know two or three decimal places then that that gets into it I'm curious to ask why uh the water bill's different every month if It's a

percentage. The percentage doesn't change. The financial interest doesn't change every month. Why are people's water bills different every month?

They would be different every quarter based upon the total use in the building as metered on the master meter.

Okay.

You know, um that makes sense.

Yeah. And that's that's why they shift around. you know, one month, your summer bill tends to be a little higher if they're watering grounds. Your winter bill tends to be lower because you're not using as much water.

Okay. Thank you.

My pleasure. I wish bring that back to the next board meeting.

Absolutely. And we'd be more than happy to entertain you, you know, any input that you have. Our aim is to make sure that the bills sent are correct to the best of our ability and they should be 100% correct.

Now, when I send in the two or three people that argued about that bill and it was fixed, who should I who should I talk to about that in in that um Mr. Tai who is the um director of administrative services and responsible for the billing. Um I am sure that those people met with Mr. Tai and and an adjustment.

Again, I'm a little bit flatfooted here because this coming in through citizen input and not as an agenda type item.

So, I really don't want to get too, you know, too far into the weeds, but um because I'm not I haven't seen it. Um I will say, could we send that to the water boy?

Absolutely. I wish you would.

Mr. Tai's attention, the attention to the just say the attention of the Wata waterboard and Mr.

Tai will uh get it, Mr. Furlin will look at it and we will look at it. Thank you.

Um, it's our pleasure. Believe me, we we want them to be right. But the last thing in the world we want is the bills to be You can understand the paranoia on the population after the first time your bills went out. They were super high.

Yeah.

You know, why did that happen? I don't know. I'm not asking you that.

I haven't had the opportunity to talk with either Mr. Furland or Mr. Tai about how that calculation was done.

Did you that happened?

So yes there there was you know it was brought to my attention recently that there was an issue with so the people are suspicious now gee if that happened is every month something wrong.

Yeah, without w without registrated meters it it is you're going to feel some suspicion. But if the mathematic the math doesn't lie, right?

So if the math is applied properly to the total, then it's broken out. There may be a penny differential somewhere where you're rounding up and down, but it should not vary any further than that. It doesn't on tax leans. I can guarantee you that.

But um in this case um I believe this is new new to Point Gloria. Um it's new to the to the state too.

Well, prior to this you guys were paying into um you had to be paying the master paid the water bill.

Yeah. The tenant association. Yeah, that's right.

Yeah, we would be more than happy to look through it. I I want I want happy customers.

Great. Thank you.

No, no problem. It's our job.

No problem whatsoever.

I assure you we will we'll dig into it.

I I I can honestly and truly say it's not by our choice that these are done. I would much rather defend the master meter and that reading than defend a percentage. You know, I don't What are 100 units in there? No.

128.

128. Yeah. So, you can see right there where it'll it'll trick you.

Sure.

Yeah.

Thanks.

My pleasure. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Nothing.

Please feel free to send um you know the information to us uh one government center 02722 and it'll get right to us believe me.

Is there anything else?

Nothing else for me.

Okay. With that uh we will move to item number two on the U agenda which is the minutes of the previous meeting December 10th. There are any questions?

Hearing none, uh, the chair would entertain a motion to approve the minutes as submitted.

Make a motion to approve.

Seconded. All in favor?

I.

All right.

We move to item number three, which is proposed leak abatements. Um, all leak abatements received per leak abatement policy.

Um, having reviewed them, I found no questions whatsoever. I would like to add once again, all of these abatements are from toilet leaks. I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is to take care of toilets, toilet floats. Um I I wish I had a dollar for every toilet tank leak we've seen over the years and they can add up quite quickly. So in accordance with the approved abatement policy, we have abatements

um if you just give me one second.

totaling uh $5,82.72 with the total for the fiscal year to date $42,63254 cents. The chair would entertain a motion to approve the abatements as submitted.

Make a motion to approve.

Seconded. All in favor?

I I All right. Moving rapidly along 38 Lakeside Avenue, Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Mr. Jason Lord requesting an approval of a notice of intent. We'll turn it over to Mr. Lord.

Yes. Thank you. Um so live at 38 Lakeside A. I'm Jason Lord. Um I live on Lake Noachoke.

Could you speak a little louder?

Um, so I live on Lake Noachoke and this uh last year what what we what I had was um if you're unfamiliar with my little section of the lake, I have quite a steep drop off over a wall um maybe a little higher than your desk down and we had a a cat that um was a pet and it fell over and drowned unfortunately kind of tragically.

Yeah. really um was really really sad and devastated my wife. Um so it be and I have a six-year-old so it became like how can I ever prevent this from happening again in the future. I I have a fence already so fence didn't actually solve this issue. What we did was we put some sand over the wall to create kind of a little bit of a shoreline. Instead of it being a straight drop off into the

weeds, muck and no foil, it is now off the again the wall and into like a little bit of a sandy area. You may have a drawing of that. Um, and that worked pretty well for the year. I hadn't have any uh deaths of anything. And I've even had like a lot of like nice wildlife quite honestly. I've seen snapping turtles laying eggs. I'm seeing frogs. I even had one of those little salamanders this year.

Um but unfortunately it's uh there was somebody uh from Dartmouth Conservation came and gave me like a cease and desist on it which is fair. Um they thought the what you can see like the patio in there was like part that same was part of the patio project which it was not. Um it's like a little patio in there. So, at the time I had that patio put in uh and they felt like the

person who was doing the patio didn't sand, which was incorrect. Um, however, now they want to take action um on me alone for some sand. Um, and I'm a little like this is out of my realm. I'm a veterinarian. Like, I actually have no idea what all the right steps and things to do and whatnot. It's complicated by the fact that you own the lake, but it's darkness jurisdiction. And so I spoke

with people that should be in the know.

I spoke with lawyers. I spoke with engineers. They told me that I'm probably going to need an engineer. So I hired an engineer. I have the drawing made. They told me that I may need a notice of intent after the fact because the sand is already there. and then because that you're the property owner um that it would be wise to get your signature on it along with my own u because it's therefore your property.

And then also if there would be either a letter of support saying that you understand what happened and how you feel about it or a letter of like non-commmitment meaning like we see it, it happened. many others have sandy areas on there and you either care or you do not care significantly.

So I think a little bit of the ball is in your court on how it can be, you know, it it's proceeded.

I honestly have no idea who's the final say, who's who's what. I honestly don't know.

Con Dartmouth Conservation Commission. So, I have a meeting with them February 10th and they're looking for the a SIG on that of the notice intent after the fact. So, that's why I came to discuss that with you. I'm not trying to open Pandora's box of everybody on the Sun.

Yeah.

Um I think it's very much this is like a safety issue. Again, I there's three small sections. left side of me, me and the right side of me that have this wall. All of us have that sandy area that's already there now. Um, but it becomes the it's I'm in the spotlight essentially. So, there's a little bit of spotlight on me for that.

Um, which is okay in the grand scheme of things. I'm not trying to make it everybody else's issue whatsoever.

Um, but again, put in Yeah.

a while ago. It's holding, you know, firm safety for for everybody. I think I care. I care about the cat a ton. I care about my six-year-old a lot more. Um, I'm not sure if you can get back over like who can get back over the wall and who can't. I would have never thought as a veterinarian that a cat couldn't get out of water um until it was my own cat. It's the

only cat I've lost in 20 years.

um of being a veterinarian too drowning.

You would assume it would be a swimming pool of something, right?

Yeah.

Not the lake, but that's that's what it was. So, I was hoping for a very narrow scope in what this is and not try to, you know, give compliments to anybody else. Um with safety in mind, let me phrase this this way. our our authority concern and our jurisdiction is the water.

The shoreline is Dartmouth Conservation Commission. So, we can't I I don't I don't see how we can I don't think it's I think what it is is that it's like we're neighbors.

You're Fall River. I'm I'm me. you own the land although you own the water.

I have now put something on your land and so it's not it will be also a conservation issue like this doesn't give me permission to do anything at all. What it basically is is saying that like you've been informed that I've done something to your property and you can write either a letter that says like how upset about that you are or that hey I I'm not dis disrupting the

flow over the over the bridge at all or the dam, excuse me, over that I've not polluted the water. I actually take really good care of the lake. Um, and then the notice of intent is saying that I've done something to your property.

And so, um, it's it it'll be it'll get filed essentially. It goes to like you said, it's the conservation thing. It's just it it's better if it has the both of us in in in it because you're the neighbor.

Um, but ultimately becomes like their issue.

So I think they want to know like your input on it. Like our input would be to use your phrase for us to do anything other than water quality issues or flow or or or something to that nature that would open Pandora's box because everyone along the perimeter of that pond would would Yeah. I don't I don't see I think everybody already does. It's just that I'm in the spotlight if that makes sense. Like there's much

especially on that wall.

People that already have a shore don't have that safety factor of it. It's the fact that you're stepping off a wall into the water.

Yeah. Again, the shoreline isn't my my concern. My concern is is really focused on on the water. So the and that is the purview of conservation. We run into that on the south all the time. Um again it's we can't get into their their stuff and that they don't they don't involve themselves in ours so to speak.

Yeah.

Um I think it's almost like a neighbor thing like Yeah. done something. Sounds like an It sounds like somebody dropped a dime.

Yeah, there's an abandoned house to the left of me.

I think I know where you are.

Yeah, it's the Mo house. Um, so that's who has the place has been abandoned for at least 15 years. Um, so I'm right after that. So I think it becomes like you got to you're you're meant to be informed essentially because it's your property. I've done something to your property and then I think they'll have to take action against either me or for river and then for river will have

to take action against me. It's almost going to be like this like circular thing from what it's been explained to me from an engineer who's like I think this is the way it's going to go but I don't necessarily know like I think I think it'll be Dartmouth because they can't force me to do anything because it's your property I think is the way like I think what it is like they they

can't give me a permit saying okay it's fine that you did this like after the fact because they're giving me permission to do something to your property.

if that makes sense. Like what no matter what the conservation ruling is, it's like they can't they can't say yes or no to me to either keep the sand or remove the sand because it's doing work to your property.

Yeah, but our property is liquid, right? And I've I've filled your liquid.

Um so I think or displaced or displace your liquid. Oh, so that's what they're either looking for like the sign on saying like my little um the little like that's going to get submitted on February 10th and I think it goes up to the to the state. I don't know how it works quite honestly, but that's what they're going to rule on. So this was to see if

I guess as like as neighbors are we on a similar page or are we like butting heads and against each other because ultimately whatever they rule that I have to do you will still have to give me per I I you will still have to give me permission for no matter what it is because it's your property. Well, I think you the practical solution right now would be to simply wait to see what

what they're going to do and then and then we can take it under advisement.

But right now, I I I I don't feel that it's it's the perview of the board to get involved in this at this point.

Okay.

Yeah.

Mr. Pin. Yeah.

Yeah. So, you know, what Jason is doing now, you know, seems to be correct. You know, going for the proper permitting and stuff like that. The initial what was done without permitting, you know, uh should have been done differently. Um the issue and and I spoke to the law department about this as well.

Oh, you have spoken with corporation.

Yeah, I spoke I spoke with them briefly about this. Um the one concern is uh so and as as Jason really excuse me Mr.

Lord said uh the uh we own the the water and the land underneath the water as as no choke goes. So we actually have deed rights to that land that's underneath and one foot outside. Right. Um, and if the board remembers, for years we tried to work with Dartmouth for Dartmouth to be able to uh take that property over uh from us uh leave us with the water rights and

the rights to be able to flow and use the water. Absolutely. Uh, but they were uninterested in in doing that.

Uh, so the the burden and the cost falls onto our rate payers to continue to maintain the dams and everything else. Um that's so so you know that that's you know that's kind of where no choke is uh in the whole uh as far as overall you know the concern that the law department had with uh approving this even though uh you know it is already done. It's it's something that's that's already passed

is really you know now you know we're doing it for this person and we can allow everybody else. And again, you know, we could say that we could issue it just because, you know, for this one reason, but, you know, there's I get contacted, you know, a lot from people that want to do stuff. And, you know, on on Noachoke, uh, you know, we have another uh another group that wants to

uh do something uh within Nokachoke, but it's tough for us to be able to give somebody permission. Um, and with a notice of intent intent, uh, it's not like a a uh request for determination. A notice of intent gets recorded at the registry of deeds. It goes on your deed if it's not fully uh, complied with all the requirements of that, you know, potentially who could be left holding

the uh, responsibility of that. That was one of the concerns that they that the law department had. Uh and and again, not questioning you specifically or your ability to do all the requirements and close everything out properly. Um but it's with this property, you know, and then what comes after this after this property if we do allow something like this. So that was the one real concern that they that they had. Oh,

and I can understand that's why I would I would want to try to emphasize that safety aspect of it and then try to narrow the scope directly down to like absolutely not. Well, you know, any further fill, any further work language that your department wants, I will comply with immediately like yeah, I'm not you know for sure type of thing.

So, you know, I'm I don't necessarily want to I guess I'm I'm I'm focused on what is been done and how I can make it correct for everybody involved.

Oh, um I'm not trying to get over on anything. Obviously, that's why I've done everything up front already before I was asked to get an engineer, before I was asked trying to be very proactive about it. Um, and again, like I like you say, like I think it's almost like this beast may be a little preemptive in in that sense, but I think it's it gets filed and then I'm going to be dictated

what I'm meant to be doing. But ultimately, I think it does come down to what you want as a board or as a note or as a legal department. I'm unsure, but I'm trying to make it so that it's it's sorted because to be honest, I don't to get the sand out. I don't I don't know what kind of like what that it's one thing to put something like dump something over. It's another thing to

like try to take it out. I don't actually know how that's going to work to be honest. I'm like very fearful of what that is. Um, you know, it was done by shovel and hand. It would have to be fun by shovel and hand in the grand scheme of things. It's not um you know there's no way to get a machine in my backyard. I don't know like how it would be undone um in

Yeah, that's not a a concern of ours at this point.

Yeah. And and were we to raise the level of the pond, we'd simply overflow your sand. So, you know, in that respect, it it doesn't doesn't really have an an impact on us from that standpoint. But um so I know it's a very unusual it's extremely odd ask. I like I totally get it um for what it is. But I' I'd like to see if we can make it na like very

narrow like me for what it is nothing further you know however you want it to be maintained I'll maintain it. If you want it to be left untouched I'll left untouched whatever it is. And I think it may be dictated a little bit by conservation and the state perhaps you know like but that that's what um but February 10th they've given me no they've said I won't get an extension on

anything because what I would love to I know what I'd love to do is see how you know what other concerns like I can have my lawyer with your lawyers figure it out write something I'll sign away whatever it is you know liability whatever your whatever your concerns are as a department I can like whatever I can do to get rid of those concerns I will whether whatever it is whether it's liability or

I don't know what other concerns you guys have in the grand scheme of things but um I will meet them for sure.

Yeah. Um,

maybe the board wants to refer this to the law department for I think that's the best that's what I'm thinking is we're going to take this agenda item and refer it to the law department for an opinion from the corporation council. Once we have that in writing, that gives us some boundaries in which to operate because I I know how frustrating this is going to sound but in the inner

the inner linkages between communities and conservation in one community and and this and that. So I I I would rather get a legal opinion before we say anything or do anything and go from there.

Yeah, that that's good. You know, if the board wanted to make that as a motion, uh then I can reach out to Mr. Law and get your attorney's information and they can talk to see if there's some type of solution or or what they recommend to attorney.

Yeah. Yeah.

And we'll make sure that you have a copy of that when it comes out and the and you know just not to be labor the point but I think the the proper thing to do at this point is the chair would entertain a motion to take this item and refer it to the corporation council along with the documentation that we have and um we'll go from there. Yep.

Like to make a motion for that.

Seconded. All in favor? Hi.

Hi.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'm I know the bureaucracy, but it we're going to have to go step by step by step.

Yeah, it's the only way to road map of this.

Well, it's the only way it's the only way to make it irrefutable.

Yeah.

Yeah. You you know, we can't just simply say, well, you know, It's too bad.

Is there anybody particularly in the corporation council that I should have my attorney contact?

Uh I'll I'll reach out to the law department and see if they're going to put one of the the where the uh Okay.

You know, attorney Rob is going to take it or one of the other attorneys and then I can get in touch with you and get you there, whoever it's going to be to.

Will this be done before the other meeting or if we're at that other meeting, what should we say? Um, I I would, you know, just for my personal experience with with lawyers, not not the city's lawyers, but stuff takes time. Um, so, you know, again, you may want to talk to their conservation commission, let them know where you are in the process, see if they would issue extensions or anything uh in relation uh

to because I think it would be uh I think that I don't think we'd have an answer by then, a solution by then.

Okay. Okay.

Wish I had better news for you, but we really don't. But we will take it step by step and assure you that it will get a legal review and and then you'll have that at least and we move forward. But we're not entertaining anything else at this moment. So that's fair.

Yeah, I can understand.

I don't know what's going on either.

Thank you very much for coming in.

Thank you. All right. Thank you guys.

Okay. Um Jefferson, uh excuse me.

Uh item number five, uh lead service line replacement program woodworning current amendment number two, $100,000.

Um brief summation.

This is just to continue the LSR inventory.

Correct.

Correct. So if you want just Yeah. To continue the inventory on specialist services and support. Uh just to uh kind of give you a uh view where we stand too. Uh I had a meeting last week with D.

Yeah. uh we pro we provided them uh in mid December kind of a uh a nice letter explaining what we did through the whole entire year where we had we anticipated to be at the end of the year with in relation to the acco that we have with D. Um and uh uh just to you know there was boxes we needed to check by the end of the year to to make sure we were

compliant. Uh so we did that. We did our year-end report. We submitted that to D by the 15th. So, uh that was submitted.

Then I had a follow-up meeting because that was one of the requirements uh to meet with them again. Uh the meeting went very well. They were very happy with the progress that we made as they should be.

Yes. Uh you know, we and you know, we do still have a lot of unknowns throughout our system.

Yeah.

uh you know we and the registered letters that we sent out was a phenomenal return on that but we're still almost uh almost 2200 um with no response from people uh which you know D thought that was pretty high uh but they were they were comfortable with the process that we used and you know notifications because we hit people multiple times we hit so if it's a nonowner occupied we knocked on the doors

yeah door hangers door certified return receipt requ.

Yeah.

What more can we Exactly. Exactly. So, as it stands right now, uh we're, you know, D has been has been happy with our progress that felt that we met all the requirements that were required to be completed by the end of 2025. So, we're in good standings there. Uh our next milestone really is the end of this calendar year would be have 700 lead services replaced by the end of this calendar year. Problem is I

don't have 700 lead services right now to replace.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY finding 700 is going to be going to be monumental.

We have 200 under contract right now for contract that the board just approved at the last meeting. Uh and that contract should be starting up within weeks. Uh, and then we're, you know, with this snow it may put, it may put them back a little bit. They may not want to dig through the snow.

July, I don't know about that, Papa. Uh, and then, uh, we have about 50 that have been found since we issued that contract. Uh, we are planning on, uh, potentially, uh, moving forward with some additional funding. Uh so one funding source that we have uh through uh federal earmark uh 1 million 92,000 I believe it was was issued for lead for fall river for lead service uh removal.

I didn't hear that the bill was fully executed. I know it went through uh the house of representatives and the uh the senators and was uh on the president's desk. Also included in that bill was the $2 million for self tough pond, but different story, but uh that was that was great news to see that that made the funding bill as well. Hopefully uh gets fully executed and signed. Uh after

that, we probably need about $3 million more in my estimations to fully complete the lead service program. Um you know, the other thing that I just want to put out there for people, you know, so far we've done uh lead service replacements at no cost to the homeowners. That's absolutely.

Yep. All the way from the main all the way into the meter. Uh property by ordinance, property owner is responsible for their service from the meter all the way to the main in the street.

Historically 2 in and under services.

The water department has taken care of uh from the main from the main to the curb stop to the curb stop. We do that as a courtesy to our customers. from the curb stop in uh has always been the customer's respons responsibility.

Um that the program may change. You know, we don't have uh or we have if any very very few that are still from the main to the curb stop uh led services.

So there's no more full and there's definitely no just street side partials.

Um the majority of the ones that that are left are going to be from the curb stop into the house.

um you know if this acco is is you know lifted if you know there is no more requirement for us to bear the full cost of uh of lead service replacement. Uh a lot of communities uh are making their customers pay for the for lead service replacement from the curb stop into the house. Uh so I'm just mentioning this to get to people. If you have gotten a letter, if you've gotten a door hanger,

uh go on our website or give the water department a call uh so that we can schedule an inspection for you. We find a lead service, we're going to replace it right now at no cost to the homeowner. We start going further down the line, that funding may be out and it may be people may be mandated to uh to do it.

If that happens, they are going to incur a substantial cost to do something that right now we are offering free.

Correct. I I would expect Yeah, you'd be anywhere from the five to $7,000 to $7,000 plus range that would be burdened onto the home.

And that's only going to increase the longer you wait.

Yep. Yep. 100%. And the other thing that we're looking at doing that came out of that meeting, some good suggestions, uh, and I'll be looking at it in the future, potentially putting it in ordinance for people that haven't contacted us for an inspection to, uh, do a search charge, uh, so on their bill to every quarter, they get a $50 search charge or $100 search charge for not allowing us to

come in and inspect our equipment in the in their house. Um, and I, it's funny, I got that from the power company because the power company I, you know, had a property with a meter. They wanted to change the meter out. They couldn't get to it. They said, "Well, you know, in the letter they said, you got to call, schedule our appointment. If not, every month you're going to see 35 bucks on

your bill, an additional $35." So, you know, um, we don't want to burden anybody any more than they need to.

That's why we need people to contact us.

We need to be able to get in inspect and get these lead services replaced. I I would like to say something to anyone watching this meeting is that the water department fought tenaciously to get this federal funding and the the uh congressional help that we had, the state and local representatives, the um it took a lot of political wherewithal to get this money appropriated. These

are federal funds. They are not coming from the user fees.

And just like Mr. Furlin said that if you don't take advantage of this now, you may be forced to do it. 5 to $7,000 a piece.

Adds up quick without a doubt. Sorry, I just wanted to get in. No, I'm I'm glad you um you brought that up because um you know, having having seen the um the discussions firsthand that went year after year and month after month fighting over this and going into court, going into various things trying to protect the rateayer from having to incur this charge. Um, so please take advantage of it cuz once it's gone, it's

gone. I guarantee that.

All right. Um item, uh chair would entertain a motion to approve the change, excuse me, the contract extension in the amount of $100,000 uh to Woodward and Curran for the um current 2024 lead service line replacement program.

Yep. I'll make the motion to approve the change order for the lead service plan.

Thank you. Seconded. All in favor? I so moved. Okay. Next item up for consider uh Jefferson Street Infrastructure.

Um SATAC $23,500 change order number one.

Mr. Pearl that is to change your agreement authorized.

Ah yes. So this is uh traffic related design services. Yeah.

So, as as we went through this project, the intersection of uh Jefferson and Warren, uh, as you know, is is a tough intersection. Uh, we decided since we're going to be there, we're going to be in that whole thing. Uh, we'll add in some pedestrian uh crosswalk improvements and uh design changes through that uh through that area. Uh, so we'll be able to bid that out with our water main replacement project.

What a good idea that is. All right. So, chair would entertain a motion to approve change order number one to Santech Engineering in the amount of $23,500 bringing the revised contract amount to $158,500.

Make the motion to approve that.

Seconded. All in favor?

I I Thank you very much. All right.

Item number seven, Aderandac Farm toki2 architectural change order in the amount of $70,52.

So just to correct what was on the agenda, this T2 is the is the architect.

This change order is for Collins construction. Who's the contractor of the project?

Okay. So uh let's change um PCOS 3 4 6 8 9 and 10 with the attached summary. So all we're doing really is ah okay so this is the repair of the ah this is what was discovered during the work in there. repair of the rotted sill, lab testing, um deck board, deck frame, repair window openings, and additional foundation repointing.

Um and that was discovered as the work was beh at at the farm.

Yeah.

And that'll stabilize the barn.

I I saw that when I was out there. It's amazing um how that sill had that really the sill was in real tough shape. And again, as you know, with sills away on the outside without, you know, some uh ex some, you know, uh destructive exploration from the exterior, usually unable to see some of that damage till you really get in there.

I couldn't believe how far in they had gotten. I mean, it was they were just pulling out.

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. It was tough. But they they they did a great job making those repairs. uh as he stated, there was uh there's some credit for some uh testing that we opted not to do. Uh the old water that was in place, there was so little of it that we opted uh not to do the testing. We took a credit to we took a credit back.

Uh so um you know, and then some other uh minor modifications to the project.

Uh uh upgrading of the uh decking material to a a better decking material that will uh last longer than what was originally spec. Uh and then uh uh we opted to do some additional foundation repointing. Um the original base bid only had two walls. Uh we've opted to do the full thing so that it fully matches all all at the same time. Same contract, the same material. That way the uh it it

matches all the way around.

Beautiful.

Beautiful. Nicely done.

Okay. Um Cher will dentain a motion to approve change order um architectural change order in the amount of $7,52.

Make a motion to approve that change order.

Seconded. All in favor?

I I All right.

I I like the deck frame coating. That's that's a good idea.

Moving along.

I believe we have a visitor. Um item number eight is Buzzards Bay Coalition Incorporated Promised Land Conservation Restriction.

Excellent. Yeah, thank you. I'll turn it over. You know, this was a project that Michael Bosia worked on uh and uh he's here to uh to talk about uh to talk about uh a little bit about the property and the conservation restrictions.

Mr. Basio hasn't changed very much since he left the department. Haven't you another quicker step maybe?

It is so good to see you, Michael.

Thank you, sir.

Yeah, thank I'd like to thank the the board for your support of this project.

Um, so Aderond right next item. Um, the promised land parcels was a was a project of three about 27 acres or so.

30 30 acres maybe al all together. um uh conservation land that we acquired uh to the bio reserve. It's uh strong natural heritage uh conservation values. It's a cold water fishery and it's adjacent to other land that the city owns. So um and it was and it's landmarked as well and and landmarked. Um so um uh thanks to a a grant from the community preservation uh committee um we were

able to purchase those those lands. Um, one of the conditions of the purchase is we put a conservation restriction on it so that it's uh lock locked up forever.

And the Buzz's Bay Coalition, who has who is a um a regional land trust as well as a a watershed group, um have held other conservation restrictions on conservation properties we've acquired in the in the past. So they are going to be holding a conservation restriction on these three parcels as well. So um the first item is um to uh for the board to consider approving the conservation

restriction as as it's been drafted by the Buzzes Bay Coalition. It's exactly the same model as we've used on the Costamelo and the Dearis properties. Um it states it states what the values are that they'll be protecting on it and and they annually inspect it to be sure that you know those those values are being protected and there's no you know no funny business going on on the properties that that shouldn't be. Um

and um so we'd be asking tonight for u the the water board to sign this. It needs to once once the restriction has been signed um uh it'll go before the city council for signing as well the next meeting.

What a beautiful piece of work.

Very professional.

Yeah. One of the So one of the um you might be looking at are you looking at the baseline document?

Yes.

Okay. I provided that to the Yeah. So I I was aware that the conservation restriction itself that document was in your package um in in addition how they how they um base their inspections in the future is they do a very thorough baseline document uh study initially. So they've gone out there, they've taken photo plots, they've they've very you know this is incredible paging through.

Yeah, they've done a they've done a very nice job. So next year they'll they'll do an inspection out there and every year thereafter and um just to be sure everything's um everything's which which really for the from the water department standpoint um it's it's an extra um uh you know it's an extra assurance that the land will remain protected but it's also an extra set of eyes and ears that

uh we may not get to uh you know every last acre on any periodic basis but they'll come out in their very professional way um with this baseline document to compare what it was when they first got there and you know 10 years later they'll still be doing the same thing with that same baseline document um which which may be updated over time but not much will change on these properties. So, um

I'd love to I haven't um love to see some liar on this.

That would be uh very interesting lidar where is there I didn't I don't remember seeing there is I haven't seen any liar on on that. Um but uh I'll go check that on my system at home. Um, no. Yeah. Amazing.

It's a beautiful piece of property.

Congratulations and a lot of hard work on your part. Thank you.

So, I um assume that all we need to do is uh to um have a motion uh to approve the promised land conservation restriction as submitted and go from there. Make a motion to approve the promised land conservation.

Gladly seconded. All in favor? I I.

Okay. Last item of discussion.

Oh, excuse me. One item number nine, license agreement 10 at around lining, Westport Mass.

Um, this is a license agreement between Mr. Heert and the water board. Um let's see now.

And the licensed area 10,820 square ft premises will be licensed by the lency for the per purpose of providing additional space for their own private use. License includes all necessary rights of ingress and egress. Um this helps protect the Natbrook interceptor.

Correct.

Yeah. And this is with Mr. Heert who is the auterbrook

line that comes down between the highway and and his property.

Right.

So, the license agreement has been prepared. I'm going to assume the license agreement has been prepared does not require okay it will um once approved by the board the license agreement will uh be approved by Mr. Furland then goes to the mayor goes to Mr. Keert and um the administrator community uh excuse me um and the law department u as to matter a poorman foreman matter just nothing really

uh complicated about this. So I'd just ask for a motion to to approve the license agreement with Mr. Heert and we'll pass it on through the system.

Yep. Approve. I'll make a motion to approve the license agreement for Mr.

Heber.

Thank you. On this property seconded.

All in favor? I I.

Okay. Item number 10, other business.

Westport billing review. Um, as we have promised the council, we review the Westport billing each month.

Everything is up to date as it should be.

Yep. So there is uh there is one bill with a due date of the 28th. Uh we've been in contact Tom has been into contact with the Westport town admin excuse me not the administrator the administrative assistant administrative assistant. Uh they did make the check out the other day. It was approved and uh is in the mail to us.

So we're just waiting on their approval.

I just waiting for us to get the check for that month for Okay. We have so they've already bailed it. Checks to the bail.

One of my favorite lines.

All right. So with the There's I don't think this requires any action on our part, Mr. Terror. No, I don't don't know at all. I will say it looks a lot better than there did. And um are we forwarding a copy of this to the council for their um you know listening and dancing pleasure?

Uh I haven't the the council you know it was said that the water board would monitor it.

Well no the water board promised the council that we would monitor not to right I think if there's any issues water the water board could update if there's any issues if they see something they're concerned about.

Wow.

Everything looks fine. This is great.

All right. So, I think we can just move on and any further business come before the board. Hearing none, seeing none, the board will uh respectfully uh end this meeting.

Motion to adjourn.

Second.

Motion to uh end the meeting.

Seconded. All in favor? I I the audit board is no longer in session.