6.12.2024 Sewer Commission

welcome to the uh meeting of the far of commission it is uh Wednesday June 12th 2024 uh before we could do anything let me 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 with a

CE or R perceived by those present and have deemed acknowledged imp permissible having said all that um I think we've all been given the agenda uh first item on the agenda is citizen input is my understanding there is no one here for citiz input no nobody is I'm sorry yes um thank you for reminded me do the roll call Mr burin uh m yes here president Al president okay item number one citizen

input obviously there's no one here that takes us to items number two minutes of the previous meeting of uh April 30th um I've have had the opportunity to read through it um it's very concise uh if anybody has any question I or want to make any additions or deletions or changes um bring it up now if not I will attain a motion to approve the minutes of the uh previous meeting held on April

30th I'll make that motion to uh approve the minutes second that all in favor I I motion passes okay this take us to item number three um this we're at the stage or the time of the year where the um the staff I guess you could say has spent a lot of time going out and getting beds and so forth on on the uh chemicals that's used down at the uh treatment facility

um I got I got one question PA all um these numbers do they include the uh the chemos that use for um um the collect system if there are any yeah so within the collection system there's very limited uh the hydrated uh hydrated lime is one thing that we use in the collection if there's any ssos or spills uh hypochlorite and a 55 gon drum all right so other than that there's

really not much in the collection systems we use um if you notice in your packet is um hold on there was some backup information that Illustrated um just how the uh the beds went and what the bids the final bed or the U low bid um showed with respect to uh the figure for physical year 24 and if you run down through some of the items you'll notice that um

in quite a few of the cases um it appears that the low bids came in lower than last year's budgeted items yes okay so that takes me to another question which I guess I have to direct this to you Mr ferin um if if I add up all these numbers that weep um we're being asked to deal with and to approve looking at somewhere around $840,000 cars right yep okay

um which is if you look at the numbers for physical year 24 the numbers are relatively close but I seem to recall that that when we when we set up the budget for 25 we we we budgeted a number that's somewhat higher to the tune of a couple hundred, at least and so am I right in assuming that the budgeted number that we used for 25 was a number that we anticipated with

would come in however we hadn't had the bids in at that point in time and therefore when the bids did show they came in somewhat low yes correct all right so um okay that's that's the point I I just want to just to illustrate and um yeah I got I got no no problem myself I don't know about the other Commissioners but um you know still dealing with the budgeted number that we have put

in um only because from my past experiences and dealing with these type of things in my past career which was a long time ago um you're you're always subjected to certain changes in consumption you're you're subjected to certain changes in pricing and things of that nature and with today's volatility the way it is um I wouldn't be surprised if something like that happens where it could

probably illustrate more towards the number that we got budgeted yeah so I I myself um I I wouldn't change anything no I I agree as well when I reviewed this um so again as as as you talked about uh when we build our budget uh really January December and January is when we build build our budget to propose it um and we contact some of the suppliers of our chemicals at that time to see whether they

anticipate uh you know what the pricing would be for the upcoming year uh so we kind of gaug it at that point um as you mentioned that most of the numbers came in uh right around what they were last year a couple of them were actually under uh which is good um so yes again we are lower with our uh with uh bid amounts uh than with uh budgeted amounts

the one thing that we do have that's a couple of uh couple of variables that are new for this coming fiscal year uh is some new equipment that's coming online so uh with all the plant upgrades um we have uh new air scrubbers that are coming online for our uh thicken buildings and uh sludge building um the one for the gravity thickener buildings uh is larger than the older ones so it's

going to use more chemical um you know now with the belt filter presses uh and gravity belt presses uh polymer is going to be used very differently than it has been the past couple of years because we haven't even been running belt filter presses the past couple of years um all using polymer so I expect that that's going to go up than what was originally uh all the more reason to kind of like

see how things play out correct so that's why I'm comfortable with leaving our budget number where it is uh as well as uh the bid numbers and then again the budget if uh if we don't spend that whole entire budget that money that Revenue if it comes in would fall out as free cash and we have that available hoping that that's the procedure that's in place for next year okay yeah um anybody have any questions

or any comments you want to make about that well uh a lot of these local companies that throwing bids they out of state in Massachusetts in Far River I know B Remington is yeah so yep bordon Remington uh did win really one of the bigger contracts uh this year uh the sodium hypochlorite is essentially is bleach uh for disinfection um the uh uh did not win it last last year most of the other

companies are are really uh National or global companies um that uh that bid on uh a lot of the other products but boning ringt did bid on uh a couple of the different products uh and they were the low bidder on the sodium hypochloride this year any on the top of your head any other F River ones that you know air gas is that local no uh air gas they did have a local

air gas I don't know if it's still in the city or not but it's liquid oxygen but air that's a lar national chain as well um like I said Jones chemical Lodge national uh Jes Al is a large National company univ so for only B and REM is the only one out of really is yeah I think so and my and my past experience I dealt with of all of these

and um yeah all pretty reputable though there's no problems with yeah um all right so um we should go one one item at a time or um could we uh just approve everything in the aggregate that's on this front page yeah if we wanted to read through them all uh you know just just for the you know clarification then do would vote to approve the chemicals as proposed all right I'm going to how

how do you gentlemen feel you want to do this one one at of a time or I'm fine with just the chemical chemical Waters fiscal fiscal 25 chemical it's one it's one line Bud one item on the budget right one figure that we said that we're sticking with right okay um so we have the numbers we know which companies um have been award will be awarded the contracts we know the

items that uh are being awarded and we know the approximate quantities um that we anticipate to use and um my thanks to the staff for putting that together because I found it very helpful and this happens every year and and it does present a good accurate picture for what what's going to happen um so on that basis there um I'll entertain a motion to award the um chemicals uh portion of the budget for fiscal year

2025 um that's been that's presented on our uh on our meeting agenda uh and just just for the edification all this adds up to approximately $833,000 right 800 3 3,363 75 say that again $833,000

36375 okay what was the total budget amount total budget amount within the FY 25 budget was 1.5 1.15 so 1,1 152,000 585 okay so unless anybody has any questions and want to make any changes or comments I'll attend a motion to award the um chemical contracts which amount to $833,000 36375 uh um that's presented on the list on this agenda anybody want to make that motion I'll make that motion to uh approve the

chemical awards for fiscal year 2025 second all in favor I I hi motion passes okay item number four the toxicity contract um I believe we had New England bio last year did we not yes we did all right and um my memory said me correctly this went up slightly yeah I believe it went up uh from 17 something 17 180 to 18880 all right um I was they're the only ones that bid yes yeah that seems

to be the the trend now uh in the last couple of years same like only one you know whoever gets it always ends up being the low and better yeah there there was another company that uh did bid on it in the past I've heard that they've closed uh they closed out this is the only company that bits on it now again the uh increase hasn't been uh drastic over the years uh there was uh I

think a minor change that we had to make this year for anticipation uh of a change Within the possible future duties per so um I myself I haven't heard anything negative about this company though the reports every I believe we're what in our second year with them or third I think third at least do yeah all right it's um they're the ones that do the toxicity testing right we can do we get we

provide the samples or Y and they go out and we give it to them and they do the toxicity which and all that stuff gets reported to the EPA to State yep's mother it's a requirement of our deputy's permit that this testing be done all right so we need this okay anybody have any questions about this all right u in that case there I entertain a motion to a toxicity testing

kind contract to New England bio say in the amount of $1,880 anybody want to make that motion I make that motion I'll second it all in favor I I oppose none motion carries all right item number five this is the vehicle insurance portion now just update me Paul the um how many vehicles we're talking about are we looking at like 20 some Vehicles yeah I believe uh 20 something with trailers and stuff I think we're

over 30 yeah um the car the car that you drive and some of the staff that's in City all that relates to utilities and so forth is that part of that yeah so uh our V my vehicle uh as well is uh one of the other trucks that uh another employee based on a city hall drives is uh on the sewer department uh insurance so and for the insurance actually a

couple of years ago we started buiding them out uh water and sewer together so that sewer drivers are eligible and covered up when they drive water vehicles and water like you're personally you get a better discount yeah exactly you know so it goes out to bid together Water and Sewer all in one bid separate prices are providing back for the two divisions so uh essentially if I'm driving a water

vehicle even though I'm typically drive a sewer vehicle I'm covered um okay um say vehicles trucks and things of that nature um do they have a deductible on them yeah so there's a standard I believe we were at a $500 deductible except for large trucks uh is,000 deductible I'll be honest with it I think we got away with it cheap uh this is this is I mean I got my I got my

Shields built on my cost I went through the roof when I saw what what you know what was out there and uh I know I know I think for the last couple of years we've been in a neighborhood of around 26,000 26 and a half thousand something like that and here we are um maybe a couple years later and we've only had what appears to me only

like a 10% to 12% increase on 2 on on 26 20 some Vehicles when the industry out there is screaming that they have to raise a you know uh insurance rates up on cars because of the sophistication in which you know the cars are at and it's costing thousands to fix them and things of that nature so whoever went out and got this bed um I got to I got to say did a good job

yeah in my opinion yeah give about you guys failed by 20 $228,000 on how many vehicles 30 Vehicles yeah I think we're over 30 with the trailers and everything like that you maybe if you think I get my cars under under some City umbrella or something here and these are all blue plates Paul yes we're not self-insured this is what we call self-insured then right with the blue plate or yeah

correct so being a municipality we could self-insure and not go out uh for uh Insurance um being an Enterprise fund which any liabilities potentially could come back to directly the Enterprise fund rather than the whole general fund as a whole that's why uh a while ago we started going out for vehicle insurance but we save on registration though there is no charge charge for reg compared to a commercial plate right

correct your car did you say your car has a blue plate or a commercial uh my work vehicle has a blue plate so your whole your whole fleet has blue plates whole fleet has blue plates as well as fully mocked we don't have any loed vehicles um okay um anybody have any other questions problems with this no okay therefore gentlemen I will entertain a motion to award the um vehicle insurance

uh on our vehicles to the Hub International Company in the amount of 28,9 67 anybody make that motion I'll make that motion for the uh fisal 2025 for vehicle insurance regarding Hub International for $ 28,9 67,000 second all in favor I oppose none motion carries um by the way this insurance policy on these vehicles is effective July 1 through yes June 30th of following year yes we put it up in the fiscal year

okay all right let take this to the last item on the agenda number six the Woodward and current change order number one mother's Brook sewer replacement the tune tune of $200,000 go ahead Paul thank you very much so if uh some of the boarding members we were're under contract with woodw current uh for the design of the replacement of the mother's Brook sewer uh we call the project is called the mother's Brook

sewer project but it actually incorporates 17,700 ft of made intercepted drain uh starting all the way at the uh intersection of riging back in Wilson Road uh which the D which the sewer from from there heads North all the way up to Mother's Brook on Innovation Way uh from there it parallels mother's Brook through the center of the landfill uh down the Freetown for River Line uh to the railroad

tracks once it gets on the railroad track it actually starts to head south par parallel on the railroad tracks uh gets down North Main Street past Country Club Road about 800 ft it heads back up to North Main Street um so we're designing we're designing replacement essentially all the way from that Wilson Road uh riging Back Road intersection all the way down uh to where it comes

back out onto North Main Street is that the infamous uh railroad tracks at yes where we were dealing with couple weeks back yep so so the plan includes the replacement of the line going running along the railroad track replacement or Rehabilitation it's something that we've been evaluating what we're going to do with that line so originally the whole entire project started because we got a grant to do

this design from uh Eda the federal uh uh Economic Development agency uh gave us a grant in the amount of 1 uh $1.1 million to do this whole entire design of the of this sewer um so excuse me but how close is the sewer to the track uh so where it parallels the track it's about 15 ft off the track and oh they're going to love us when we we tell them

hey two points where it crosses underneath the track um so so uh be interested yeah back when they were back when they were uh developing the project the railroad construction down there uh we asked them Terry when he was here and myself we asked them multiple times to replace that line that parallels the track they said it was outside of their scope they weren't dealing with it um

you know we said well you doing a whole entire track you're looking at you know you're going to have trains running right on the side of this pipe uh we feel it may be an issue we asked them multiple times to replace it they can contined to refuse they went they did their project there was one section that they did replace I can pull up a map of the area within the railroad

next so I I this map's a little bit confusing but kind of forget about this area here U but starts over on this side here uh so this is a Fall River Freetown line over here this essentially is North Main Street so this is our GIS uh yellow essentially is separated storm water green is the sewer the green dots are sewer manholes uh so as I said we come down the freet toown line over here

uh come down onto uh the tracks uh parallels the tracks comes up so this is actually on the east side of the tracks comes over next to the country club crosses underneath the tracks the one thing that the rail did when they did do this project is they replace uh actually from this manhole on this side of the tracks all the way down over to the this manhole they replace that section but

then we also have this section that parallels the track and then it comes back out to North Main Street here so so so we're looking at we're looking at uh cleaning out the system and if you know and when necessary replacing it but the project entails cleaning it out so the whole entire project was started to increase the capacity in this in this whole entire s line for the full buildout of

industrial park and to take additional Freetown flows once we really got into the project we went through and we evaluated this line and with the current slope and the current size and stuff like that this line could stay with its existing size with a line put into it so that's what we're looking at right now for this railroad Corridor is potentially to line it which would definitely work better for working with

the rail the construction on the side of the rail and things like that what's the size of that line so that's in 18 18 jumps up to 24 here and 21 down through here that's a good size line yeah definitely a good size line so all of our evaluations show that that would be a good size line because you have good slope slope there pretty straight there's not much added from this point

heading down you have a couple of scoll developments but that's about it um so what we're looking to do one thing that we really want to do is be able to assess the condition of the pipe that's out there um so some of the board members may know uh about a month ago this B hole right here we had a collapse just after this man Hole uh had a full

blockage of the sewer pipe we had to go out there under emergency repair we ended up having to bypass from here to here we were under bypass for probably about three weeks we were able to get a contractor out there that certified to work next to the rail and stuff and we worked with mass Coastal Railway as well as M do Railway to be able to get out there uh repair that section of pipe uh

and get it back online when we were down there we were able to see the condition of the pipe um and the structure of the pipe so our concern now is that we need to get out here clean this whole section of line uh and Camera it to make sure that we can go out to contract with a lining contract rather than a replacement contract if we were just replacing all this we wouldn't be bothering cleaning

it we wouldn't be bothering cameraing it or anything like that but since we're opting down potentially to line This section we want to be able to see you know we don't want to get into a middle of lining contract then contract to get out there and say oh no we can't Line This pipe things too far on or anything like that so that's why uh this change order was something that definitely

wasn't anticipated through the original design phase because we were looking at originally looking at potentially replacement of this line but now that we're looking at that uh that's why we're looking to clean it um is the existing line cement uh it's an RCP pipe um the area where we had the collapse the RCP was uh highly corroded from hydrogen sulfide on the crown of the pipe a lot of the uh a lot of the

reinforcement was exposed uh but the manhole just before where the collapse was was actually a drop band hole so it had about a foot and a half swishing drop within the manand hole and what that's significant because that creates turbulence within the waste water increase is the hydrogen sulfide which attacks the concrete on the top side of the pipe so that's why we feel in that particular area it was so far

corroded was because of that uh because of that has anybody um ever had any concerns about vibration you know it's one of the things that we brought up from the very beginning when we asked them to replace it 56 years ago to the train coming I think flying down the track you know and we and we're at a strategic point right now uh that's why uh this you know we're doing the cleaning and lighting through

woodwood and C there and this is just based on an estimate cuz cleaning and lighting of this van they're going to have to set up bypass bypass the whole entire pipe and then run their cleaning and lighting uh talking to two different companies they're talking to two different companies right now that have the appropriate equipment because actually you need a high rail VOR so you need a whole VOR cleaning truck that

rides on the rails because is not roadways to access this plus then you also need camera equipment that can ride on the rails to be able to get out there uh so it's really specialized equipment so again this is based on uh estimates that we kind of put together that they put together hoping that we forward within these uh with these estimates but this uh amended to the contract this hasn't G this hasn't gone

out to bid has it no this isn't this is only design and correct this this is needed this inspection is needed for design of the Construction contract okay CU I'm looking at a million 279 I'm sing myself there's no way H that's going to cost all right so this is this is trickly forward Des okay and again we're we're a bit in a time crunch right now just because uh

the T and is they're starting to look to run trial runs of the uh commuity M rail through that with increasing speeds uh so we're working with the current operator owner of the trails which is mass Coastal uh as well as we're keeping South Coast ra team informed of what's going on out there again this cleaning and lining you know if we if everything works out with the inspection we would have needed to

clean the line anyways to be able to do the lining so it puts us that much further along when we get out there to be able to do the lighting and um you have no problem with this $200,000 no I feel that uh it's leg again this is based on the estimates that we got I believe we had like a 15-day inspection period within here for somebody to be out there for

inspection um the cleaning and lining like this goes basically on per day basis so if it if everything goes okay we scheduled roughly 15 days of the cleaning to be out there to uh be able to clean this section of line it's uh it's just about I forget I think it's just under 6,000 ft or so of line that we're looking at that uh we looking to Cle yeah and it's majority of all along that

rail y That's right there I remember what happened back about eight years ago yes yeah that was the unfortunate part about that that all happened in the winter time when everything was under ice but yeah it uh I wouldn't want to see one of those happening everever again yeah though that was uh I believe that was 2018 the winter of 2017 into 2018 there was a blockage within the line and it was a

bad winter with a lot of snow so nobody was able to get out to the back part of the golf course and there was yeah was a sanitary so overlow that went on for some time yeah I remember I remember I think I was I think I was one of the first guys going out to play golf in the spring when everything thought out and and um yeah it was it was quite the thing yeah I'm

not I don't just for what did it cost a city uh did it cost it cost a s commission a few bucks to the uh Country Club I think yeah there was there was a claim against uh against uh the city uh due the damage to one of the whole entire Fairways and stuff like that yeah they had to have all all the material in there stripped out uh because of some of the uh waste water

that was that settled in there and added a little too much nutrients to the soil so even though it's free even though it's fertilizer too much fertilizer is I want to say though I never seen the the grass grow green so fast really it came back like nothing and and and it came back heavier thicker and you know to this day you can see the difference when it all came back

it's just how Lush it is that I to what it was but uh yeah that was H that was quite the quite the thing back then all right um anybody have any questions about this well no questions all right um then I'll obtain a motion to approve change order number one to Woodward an amount of $200,000 with which is uh with respect to Mother Brook s replacement which in this case will involve cleaning out a

uh 6,000 foot line I'll make that motion for uh change order number one second that all in favor I oppose none motion carries thank you I guess item seven is other business if there is any anybody have any other business no if not I'll a motion to aurn I'll make that motion to adjourn second in favor I oppose none motion carries thank you gentlemen ladies thank you for your as usual fine work