The Watuppa Water Board convened on June 12, 2024, addressing several key financial and operational matters. The board approved the minutes of the previous meeting and unanimously passed proposed leak abatements totaling $8,891.57, noting a prevalence of toilet leaks. A significant discussion revolved around the Woodward and Cover lead service line replacement contract amendment number two, valued at $172,000. The board discussed challenges in identifying lead services, outreach efforts including special mailings and door-knocking by Bisco Contracting Corp, and reporting to the EPA and DEP. This amendment was unanimously approved. Further business included the unanimous approval of a new 5-year license agreement with Dish Wireless for a cell site, which will generate $4,500 per month, and an extension for the Watuppa Rowing Center's balloon payment on past due lease amounts. The board acknowledged the Rowing Center's consistent current payments and its valuable community programs, such as summer programs, adult programs, and the "Stern to Stem" educational initiative. The board also approved multiple Fiscal Year 2025 chemical awards, including contracts for caustic soda, poly aluminum chloride, carbon dioxide, sodium silicofluoride, and sodium hypochlorite, with total awards exceeding $579,000 to companies like Borden and Remington, Holland Company, Lindy Incorporated, and Chemrite. Finally, the board reviewed vehicle insurance proposals for Fiscal Year 2025, approving Hub International's low bid of $31,444.65 for coverage of over 30 water department vehicles and equipment. The meeting concluded with all items being approved unanimously.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Watch the video to verify.
Public / Other
okay uh quarum being present I'll call this meeting of the wppa water board to order um pursuant to the open meeting law any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting and may transmit the medium through any medium attendees are therefore advised that such recordings and Transmissions are being made whether perceived or unperceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and
0:31permissible um Mr clerk would you call the role sir here Le Collins the uh presidental pres okay first item on the agenda is citizen input do we have any citizens uh requesting to appear before the board we do not receive anything we do not therefore we will move to item number two which is the minutes of the previous meeting um do you need some time to review those um I reviewed mine online I
1:09did if there are no changes admissions or Corrections motion to approve uh seconded all in favor I I all right uh item number three proposed leak abatements uh got a couple of big ones here at this time Janks and Forestry yes um let's see there do we have if I just take one moment to look at
1:54there once again we're having a lot of toilet leaks Tom um we have one here for three toilet leaks is is that all in one bless you is that in one property or is that in canel um on Palmer Street right am I guessing that it was toilets on each floor right yeah Folks at home toilets can cost you a lot of money if not properly maintained all right so the total of the
2:39abatements um I'm looking at 8,000 three is that 91 8,891 57 you approve the abatements I I do seconded all them in favor I I all right toilet leak never stops sir toilet leak never stops 24 hours a day it leaks you know generally speaking it never stops you know it's I asked we've done so much improvement in the system um you know maybe U the old the old float valves aren't holding
3:30up uh from The increased volume okay moving along item number four Woodward and cover lead service line replacement contract amendment number two Mr clerk uh so this is amendment number two just for the current contract that we're under the uh calendar year 2023 Le service Li replacement we'll come to the close of that uh if you remember increase the base contract amount of lead Services uh from
4:05500 uh to 600 for the contractor corre uh this is for the uh Inspection Services as well as the construction management of this uh of this contract how we doing on uh finding so that's the one thing that we're having issues uh issues with so we have funding to replace lead services is uh we're trying to find them right now so um you know right now we've uh gone through originally we started out with a
4:39list of about 3,800 Leed Services based on the records that we had uh we suspected 3,800 throughout our system uh we've been through we've uh We've replaced about uh about 400 500 of those 400 of those Leed services have been uh replaced uh about 2,000 of those were verifi not to be led which helps us in hurts us correct it's very good it's very good healthwise for the public that they do not have led
5:13Services yeah uh it is uh tough for us because we have requirements to be met by the end of the uh calendar years uh so we did meet all of our requirements within last calendar year uh which was a total of 400 Services by the end end of the year um by the end of this calendar year we need to replace uh over uh we need to do at least a th000 uh
5:40Collective from the beginning of last year so that would make at least 600 this year we ended last year at about 450 so that means we have about 550 to do this year uh right now we're at about 130 um so the contract that we bid out uh the calendar year 20 24 contract that we bid out that contract had a total of 800 LED Services uh 800 service locations within the contract that were
6:09either identified as led from our records or were unknown uh service material yeah uh we went through those the contractor went through those we got responses from roughly 600 of those that's very good uh but only found about 60 leads that's not very good no that's a great response 6 out of eight 600 out of 800 excellent yeah that that was with three mailings to the customers the latest mailings that we've been doing
6:41the last round of mailings we actually switched up we have a red envelope now we have the city we have our community utilities logo on it uh nice job you know this is uh in relation to the lead service program very important requires a response right on the front of the envelope so that people just don't take this think it's something from the city you know another thing from the city or
7:05solicitation and toss it we're trying to mix up different ideas so uh so we've been working with the contractor initially so the contract that the contractor has was for 400 lead Services replaced for this calendar year right um he not able to find that in the 800 so we've uh issued him another another about 700 uh Services uh and now we're taking them pretty much uh a block by block so we're giving them streets at
7:38a time or uh areas within the city uh the first area that they worked was pretty much from Sullivan drive up uh to to uh just north of globe Street uh Plymouth a to North Main Street or South Mage Street and kind of went through that whole entire so the cocki road neighborhood the kind of that whole entire area in Middle Street and stuff like that went work through that whole
8:02entire area knocking on doors um there was about 700 there uh we got into about 400 houses 4 to 500 houses was they still working out the final numbers uh and again we were seeing about a 10% return there it was actually LED so you know I would have thought that area would have been fertile ground you know being some of the older tenement houses in the city yeah you
8:32know you know we chose that area because that's what we thought too being some the older tenaments being some of the areas where we've done less main replacement uh being some of the it being an EJ uh census block did Play Into The Matrix that we used when choosing that as well so uh we were a little bit surprised on the outcome uh we just issued the contractor another area uh which is said entally is pretty
9:00much eastn a all the way to the east uh in that whole entire County Street Corridor that's an older section as well yep you know so we're hoping to be able to get into that area not tons of water made replacement in that area uh we're hoping to be able to get into that area uh and have them so they're doing door knocking uh the contractor is bisco uh bisco bisco Contracting Corp um there
9:29two bisco companies just wanted to make sure I had the right word but bisco Contracting Corp uh is the company that's doing this uh so they are going around door knocking uh they have bisco attire on they have an ID badge uh so they're finded you know some people when you knock on their dealer they don't want to let us let let you in but that's always been a problem meter Replacements
9:51it's people are hesitant yep no matter what you have for identification and so yeah again the identification is uh is finding the lead Services right now is one of our issues you know as much as I just had a meeting with EPA uh today about a gr another grant program technical assistance grant that they have out uh looking to get them in to help us potentially uh build a
10:18commercial that could uh go on TV uh do some commercials on uh on local radio uh to try to open up public awareness about the program and stuff like that so anybody out there if uh somebody's coming to your door knocking out the door uh asking to do water service inspection they should have a they should have an ID um from the city of Fall River you do have the right to say
10:45no but if you do say no please call the water department to schedule an inspection we will do that uh you know we had staff out there this past weekend on Saturday uh the Water Department did knocking on doors and we had probably three or four people they were working in the staff and Road area uh we had three or four people you know oh no I don't want to let you in right now well
11:10call the water department they called on Monday they were able to schedule appointment at their convenience to allow us to come in to do the inspection yeah you know we're putting a lot of effort in here and we would like you know the community to help us out be able to get into do these inspections again somebody shows up on your doorstep if you don't want to let them in that's
11:31fine but at least call the water department to pre-schedule an appointment and we'll leave to send one of our staff members out or what of the contractor yeah Outreach has always been um a difficult and you know it's it's always been a a fight um have you been talking well I'm sure you have talking with the EPA about you know the situation keeping them aress of how the we'll call it how the battle is
12:03going uh yeah so EPA we've definitely been in touch with uh our current ACO is with d and uh I'm sorry that's what I meant confus so we're just putting together numbers now and we plan on briefing them uh we do have a quarterly uh quarterly report due uh at the end of this month so once we submit that quarterly report uh we I'm planning on contacting them to uh explain to them
12:31the uh the issues that we're fighting again uh I think they're going to be happy that we're not fighting as many Lads as we thought they should be my hope is that uh you know again uh you know we're spending a lot of time a lot of money a lot of energy locating these and uh we're not getting credit on our ACO so I think we need to have that conversation with them well we need the
12:54credit on the ACO um definitely um and I agree with you they should be pleased because of the effort being put forth by the city um the city of Fall River is doing massive Outreach massive amounts of work um go pick on somebody else you know but uh yeah geez it's amazing 60 out of out of 600 yeah we see right now about a 10% return on uh on actual verifying they once we get in
13:40that again I think it's in relation to uh some of our past uh you know records not being kept up to date and stuff like that and uh but again so we do have an October deadline for the LCR l in COA revised rule uh that we need to submit a uh a full uh inventory to D so this is check it off all those boxes on our inventory anyways okay um so the contract
14:14amendment is before us in the amount uh for Woodward and current in the amount of $172,000 um motion to approve motion um seconded all in favor I I so approved next item dish Wireless towns and hill we have a new contract for uh a new this would be uh now when it says dish we're talking about yeah sell site correct correct y so this is uh with Dish wi not sure how the companies work this
14:58is license agreement with them U we feel that that's the best uh option for uh that's a great Improvement before we cut leases and now it's a license to use excellent nice nice change yeah um uh so it is a 5year contract UH 60 months with uh up to four uh 5 months uh fiveyear extensions uh built in there is uh there is escalation uh of the uh lease
15:39amount uh as well as if they do uh extend on any of those options for it the uh amount is $4,500 per month uh for the uh for the license approximately year yeah to you know and I know there were some issues with some of the prior leases that we had in relation to B in this of our takes and repair of our Tes and things like that uh yeah I think we went
16:12through this license agreement and uh I think it's favorable for us uh the way that it's inter I would have to agree with you um yeah we got plenty of room on the uh floor uh plan of the uh site um we can get in and out yeah so that uh so that site is an interesting one so we have the wall all along South Street and up the sides uh
16:43there is a developer that currently has a plan Insight plan review to develop the lot on the side of it where the is that the former Church lot yes yep okay so we're working with that developer to make sure that we because currently we drive up that up there lot and historically over for many many years we've driven on that lot up to the back so we're working with that
17:09developer to make sure that we have the proper easements in place right away to be able to access that I'm sure he'll cooperate with us he has been so far yes yes see yes he will well are there any questions concerning the yo license agreement I do not believe so no no it looks good to me too I'm really happy to see this and the additional Revenue um chair would entertain a
17:44motion to accept license agreement so moved seconded all in favor I I moving along to the wupa rowing Center which I watched on YouTube the other night oh yeah um live from the uh Fall River rowing Center and they had um they had a film crew out there filming uh Twan skulls and you know when you see that and it is really incredible how long a course you can let I was
18:30astounded when I was told that the South wapa Pond would provide an olympic size uh rowing yeah yeah amazing they're they're doing a heck of a job over there yeah you know even so the head of the Charles which is a large almost World worldwide event yeah that could not be used for qualifying for the Olympics because it does not meet the Olympic standards current that's what I was told
19:01current and wind yeah and the South wo does meet wouldn't that be something someday to have the Olympic trials the United States open trials here in fall river that it just be that'll be great um so they're looking for a balance extension on their contract so if the board remembers when they when the tuer row and Center first started they uh got behind in some of their uh lease payments started out with
19:38BOS rowing Center uh and then transferred over to the rowing Cent uh we did we do have a lease with them for the property um the uh you know so we monitored that then we then when they got a new uh new struct in place uh they uh came they sat down with us talk to us about their past uh about their past due um rents amounts uh it was totaled up what it was due and
20:11there was an agreement that after a couple of years there would be a ballon payment made uh for the past du rent uh that time has come for uh that Ballo payment that to be due uh you know the rowing Center to dat uh since we've uh came into that agreement back in 22 uh has fully stayed up to date with any past due uh amounts that they uh excuse
20:37me not any past two but any current monthly rent charges they have been fully up to date with paying those um they have also made uh independent payments towards the uh balloon payment that was uh that was outstanding so it was $54,000 outstanding on December of 23 they made a $44,000 payment uh in in April of 24 uh they made a uh $500 payment uh within this uh within this letter it states within 24 they'll be
21:13able to make uh three more additional $500 payments uh six additional $500 payments in 25 eight additional payments within uh within 26 if the calendar years um and then the additional uh these uh additional payments will uh leave as a balloon payment of $441,000 so you know they've been good tenants they have a great program down there um I certainly do they have been fully up to date with their current rent
21:50payments uh lease payments uh we have collected uh over $100,000 for the water Enterprise fund uh from that building and if you remember that building was probably about two weeks away from being demolished absolutely absolutely um you know and it'd be a great I wish we could allow them um to exist there but being an Enterprise fund the rates being what they are um you know we do have to uh charge
22:27them and and uh but they're doing so much good I mean for for everyone involved down there it's just just wonderful um like I said amazing to to think that you know with and they have schools from all over coming yeah so it's not just Fall River they they they're from throughout the area they've been taking in uh people I know they're running uh summer programs so summer programs at different age
23:01groups uh they're running adult programs uh they're running uh a program they call Stern to stem uh which stem would be uh in relation to schooling so they spend a certain amount of time in school uh working with the kids through the stem program uh which involves engineering and in science and math uh and then also a certain portion of time learning about the rowing and and crew uh on the on the boat so uh they're
23:33doing a lot of uh different things within the community uh they they've held uh they've held a couple of radas down there a couple of years ago the state championship was was held down there uh a last minute switch from another area uh they were able to get a grant to actually put out a cost this year so they had a cost out in the uh early spring um a full cost uh now they
24:00have a partial cost out because B use will increase on the pond and they didn't want to fully disrupt that um so uh I think they've been good stewards for the p uh as well as the uh yeah they really are uh just as a side note I uh actually went to a high school that had a rowing program and I rode in high school and um we ended up racing Believe
24:25It or Not internationally um against of Canadians in lunenberg novva Scotia but um this is just a terrific program and um I I'm very pleased to see this uh I'm very pleased to see this extension uh do we have to vote to approve or do we yeah I think I think I think you could could uh vote to approve the uh approve the extension I will I will work out terms and agreements with
25:00them and I will execute a uh an actual modific written modification that'll be great uh motion then to approve uh the extension motion to approve a balance extension motion to approve a balance three your specifications not not so not necessarily what what yeah okay thank you thank you seconded all in favor I I thank you that is okay very interesting fiscal year 2025 chemical can I hide under the table sir
25:42can I hide under the table while we go over yeah okay sure sure chemical Awards um they self-explanatory um the low bid was the bids were opened and we are accepting the low bid in each case um the first item is costic soda um the total price of 200 you know you want to take them individually why don't we do that uh we'll do costic soda at 8817 6 cents per gallon for a total price of
26:35$2,768 and the low bid to be awarded to bordon and Remington could we have a motion to accept that motion made seconded all in favor I I uh the second one is poly aluminum chloride the amount of £800,000 uh there was one bidder um 14 other chemical companies passed on this so we have the one bid from Holland company at 3134 per pound for a total price of $250,200 motion to motion seconded all in favor I
27:19I the second one is carbon di oide the uh low bid is Lindy Incorporated uh 345 tons at $395 a ton for a total price of $135,200 all in favor I next item is uh sodium silic fluoride 75 lbs uh the low bid is chemrite at $141 a pound total price of $15,750 motion award seconded all in favor I I sodium hypochloride 110,000 gallons we had three biders on this um low bid is bordon and Remington
28:25Corporation of Fall River uh in the amount of 100 excuse me correct that $1 5573 cents per gallon let me clarify that 1.55 73 cents per gallon one uh for a total price of $171,300 can I have a motion on that one uh motion to award motion seconded all in favor I I last item is sodium hypochloride uh 1,200 gallons we had one no we had one bid H at
29:10$3.99 per gallon for a total price of $478 and the low bid is bordon and Remington uh motion to accept seconded all in favor I I okay the last item here is Insurance um no o vehicle insurance vehicle insurance proposals for fiscal year 2025 for the water department have been received and evaluated there were two proposals um Hub International I'm not familiar with them uh they have a uh local office out
29:59of uh believe they're are milic Boulevard correct I believe yeah okay all right there were two bids uh Hub International and Bay Coast Insurance Hub International bid uh their low bid of $ 31,44 65 uh motion to approve I do yes motion made motion seconded all in favor I I just a quick question how how many um how many vehicles do we I think with trailers and everything like that we're a little bit over 30 30
30:44pieces yeah so we when we go out to bid too so we bid Water and Sewer uh out in one bid package we ask for separate uh independent pricing uh that way the drivers from water can operate so vehicles covered in vice versa uh so that uh uh that's part of it but I believe water would cover just under uh just over 30 vehicles and trailers and stuff like that and vehicles trailers back hes
31:13yeah exactly it cover it covers all of all of our motorized uh equipment uh you know like that get over the road registered up it drives over the road um the uh price has gone up a little bit over time time we have had a couple losses within the within the past couple of might have f b is nothing major luckily not got W but it does go against against commercial loss report that's good
31:45news is there any uh other business come before the board hearing none board chair to entertain a motion to adjourn motion made and seconded all in favor I I thank you very much thank you