6 3 2025 Watuppa Water Board

meeting to order, ladies and gentlemen.

Um, 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. Roll call. Mr. your clerk.

Uh, Bea present. Uh, President Ontario here present. Okay. Number one on the, uh, agenda is citizen input. I see no citizen input signed up. Let's move to item number two, minutes of the previous meeting. I, um, reviewed those earlier.

I find no, I agree. I find no exceptions or adjustments need to be made, if any.

this is the time to do it. If not, chair to entertain a motion to approve the minutes as submitted by the clerk.

Seconded. All in favor? I. Item number three, proposed leak abatements. Uh leak abatements received per our leak abatement policy.

Um, we can I as usual these have all been reviewed and we have in our meeting packet the results of the examinations and again 20 of the 22 abatements that we will entertain this evening are for toilet leaks. I would urge people to pay attention to leaking toilets, please.

They are expensive when your water bill and some of these in one case was $5,000 for astronomical, you know, astronomical bill from a leaking toilet. And people don't believe it. You know, the the toilet is it it it is just infamous for that flap valve to sit there and boy, gallon after gallon after gallon 24/7.

Um, per the leak abatement policy, the total of the abatements uh before the board are a total of $17,963.

Um the chair to entertain a motion to approve the abatements as submitted, examined, and checked by uh the administer. Um so moved. Yes. Seconded. All in favor? I I before we move on, that brings us to a total of um just in the first 6 months of this year almost $60,000 in abatements for and most of them 80 to 90% are for toilet leaks. Uh that's for the fiscal year. For the fiscal year, I

stand corrected. That's not as bad as I thought. Then I was thinking that we were on a calendar. I apologize. I'm glad you corrected that.

That's not as bad as I thought it was.

That's really not bad at all. Okay, we stand corrected. Item number four on the agenda is the Aderondac Farm Award. Um at our this is the second um the original uh we had to go back out to bids for several technical reasons and the bids have come back in. This is for barn stabilization. Um engineering tur uh Mr. Turowski.

Um what do they they call this Turkowski 2 architecture? Is that it? T2 T2. Yes.

T2 architecture. T2 architecture has reviewed the bids in the apparent low bidder as Collins construction of Fall River. Um the um bid for the stabilization and for the other items that are necessary on the project.

Uh low bid is

$551,399.36. Chair would entertain a motion to approve the bid as submitted by the Collins Construction Company.

Motion made seconded the contracts. All in favor? My I moving rapidly along.

Okay. Phase 23.

Wow. Mr.

Furlow. So, it has been a little while since we've seen water phases. Uh, you know, the last one we did was in relation to the lead service uh replacement program. Yes. Um, so 23 uh we're coming back in front of the commission. uh with the this item agenda as well as the next one. Uh but this load order that's uh that's in front of you uh 23 will be for work down at the

water treatment plant. It's for water system improvements throughout but the actual uh identified work is down at the treatment plant. Um one of the projects is replacement of uh PLC programmable logic controller. So that's kind of what I call the brain really the nervous system brain of of the treatment plant.

You kind of have the scan of computers connects to the PLC that connects to the motors and the pumps that run the place.

Um so this PLC was installed uh when we upgraded the plant 20 years ago in 2005.

Uh it's it's already 20 years old. It's a 20-y old computer. So that runs imagine a 20-y old phone that that runs 365 days a year. Yeah. You know, so 24 hours a day it never shuts off. when you were talking earlier about this when you and I were talking about this once and I thought to myself in in light of today's computer software issues and and the issues with getting into systems it's it's necessary

that we upgrade these systems to the strongest security possible. Yeah. Um this is you know Yeah. So that's one portion of the project replacement of that. The other portion is uh roofs on the water treatment plant. So this is something that I've identified to the board as well as the city council in the past. Uh the main roof to the plant for where the control room is in the uh in

the laboratory. That roof was replaced during the 2005 upgrades. That roof is still in good condition. uh the roof to the chemical room as well as the filter room are the ones that we're looking to replace under this uh under this authorization. If I may, so the roof over the filter room is the original roof on that plant. Wow.

Yep. Almost 50 years old.

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Yeah. That long overdue. Yeah. Yeah. And again, you know, naturally when you when you don't do it, you get the leaks in and stuff like that. So that those are the two major projects that are included. There is some other things uh through this project are provided within your packet uh is a breakdown of those u an identification those uh additional projects uh as well as the uh cost. So

the overall loan authorization about is request of $4.2 million. of it would be paid back over the next 20 years. I don't anticipate that we'll be getting any SRF funding for this program as so we're going to be at market. We're going to be at market. When we went out to market this past year, it wasn't bad. Uh but it wasn't SRF, but it wasn't bad. Uh the SRF program right now with uh uh all

the cuts through the federal budget, you know, there was just an announcement that they were cutting the SRF program by 85% federally.

Uh so geez for the for them to do a roof I don't think it's going to be in our cards. They're right now looking at PAS projects uh lead projects uh is kind of their main concern. Anything outside of that they're really not touching. Yeah.

Just based on you know what what they released on their on their IUPs in the past couple of months. What do you figure market will be? You know, I think we were at uh 3. Oh, that's eight when they went out this past February. Don't hold me exactly. No, no, no, but I was think it was just in it wasn't four. It was a little bit below four. That's not

bad, Paul. Yeah. I I would hope that we'd be able cuz we the city has a credit rating where they're able to back it up to the Mob, which is the state's bonding. So we're able to go out with their bond issuers which gives us overall better rates. That's from my understanding of it. So that's really only 2% over SRF. Yeah, it is still 2% but it is uh it's not bad. It's not bad.

Not in this day and age. Not in this day and age at all. Um I'm shocked to not shocked. I'm I'm amazed that that roof is 50 years old. It seems like Wow. I know. I just Yeah. Time flies when you're having fun.

Now okay.

Um Yeah, we've got to You'll be forwarding a loan order to the council.

Correct. It goes to the mayor and the mayor sends it out to the council. Okay.

And how's the administration so far on this? Have they indicated one way or another? Uh I've had discussions with the CFO uh uh the administration with with these projects will be uh uh they're looking to see when they're you know in support of the project. So it's we just got to determine when they go down to the council. Super.

Um anything questions? No. Okay.

Entertain a motion to approve loan order in the amount of excuse me one second.

loan order in the amount of $4,200,000.

So moved. Seconded. All in favor? I. And again, this should this that shouldn't be any type of surprise to the council cuz I have been telling them for uh a while, you know, with you uh president as well in front of the uh commission.

Will you be including um this uh document along with the loan order? We always have. Yes. So the the document then if I may say so it won't be a shock. Correct. So the document that shows what the impact is on the rate for these authorizations.

We're looking at 26 cents for next year right off the bat, but it's necessary. This is our drinking water. Okay. Moving on to item number six.

Uh this is the Jefferson Street water system improvement. Um Mr. Clerk, so this is a phase 24 loan order. Uh again, this was separated out uh as a separate loan order due to it's it's you know not related work at the plant. Uh, and this is for a replacement of the water manes within Jefferson Street from uh from Warren to Brighton Avenue. Warren to Brighton Avenue. So, we had the fans

over the winter. Yeah, we've had a number of breaks out there. There's two mains that are out there. Uh, we have a 16 in Jefferson. Yes.

So that that feeds down and then event so that comes crosses the Quicochan River. Uh eventually well comes from Benford Street, comes down Cash Street, uh crosses over, goes to uh uh Alden Street, eventually over the Quico River right next to the the bridge that crosses the Quico River, makes its way up, goes down Jefferson Street, uh and then goes and feeds up to the Chicago street tank.

That's continues past the Chicago Street take.

That's right. Because they couldn't go down Brighton Avenue. That's right.

I just just thought of that. So, uh, again, the brakes we've had is the 8 in, uh, which is good, but, uh, bad because it's right next to the 16 in. Uh, that roadway is in horrible condition, uh, through through that area. Uh so uh I'm opting to uh do a project to uh replace those two mains which is a substantial undertaking and it's going to eat up most of the pavement in that roadway

just due to the size. Oh my gosh. Yes.

Just due to the size of those mains and then also redo the curb and sidewalk and pavement the curb the curve. So you get a brand new setup in the eight and the 16. Yeah. That's Boy, you're right.

That's going to tear though. Yeah, that'll be 4 million. Uh, let me see. So, the loan order to complete the Jefferson Street project is $4,700,000.

And if there are no further questions, approve the loan on Seconded. All in favor? All right. Very good.

Santag master plan update, sir. So, the master plan is something that we've used as a tool for a number of years. I believe the first master plan that I've seen that kind of one of the we've worked for was done in 20 was done in 2000, excuse me, 20 I think it was finalized. So, uh, that was kind of the first one that that we started working from. Uh, 2015,

uh, was the last update that we had. Uh, our plans typically project out a 20-year period. Uh, DP, uh, likes to see plans that are no more than 10 years old updated because you think in a 15-year period, a lot of stuff can change. uh you know technology can change uh you know goals and objectives can change so regulations.

Exactly. Exactly. So uh to go back and uh work through this plan and uh update this plan I think at this point is an extremely worthwhile uh endeavor. It's something that uh that we'll undertake.

Our staff will work with uh Stan uh to be able to work through and update the plan. Uh this plan was uh this plan was uh was originally done by uh FST uh which uh has now turned into stand tech.

Uh so they have a great uh history with this plan uh being able to work from it uh from all their past information but then also being able to bring it up to uh you know our current regulations, our current objectives and uh current budgeting uh strategies. So uh I think this is definitely something that's worthwhile. It's a tool that I use probably on a weekly basis whether it be

I'm reaching for the water uh plan or the wastewater integrated master plan.

Uh you know one of these plans I've usually used them on a weekly basis for planning. One of the things that we hear one of the items that we hear consistently constantly are do you have a plan? Have you have you got a business plan? Have you audited your books? have you done? This is all part of the professional management plans that this do department and the sewer operates under. And when people, you know, ask,

you know, what do you how are you running your show? Is this something off the seat of your pants? No, it's literally paint by the numbers. Um, as you said, Santac is the successor to Face Baford and Thorndikeke. FST's been doing work since the 19th century on this system or just about early 20th century, I believe. Yes.

Um, there's nobody that knows our system better.

Nobody.

So I wholeheartedly support this.

Um so we are looking at you know let me just catch up to something a second.

Um so updating the master plan. Do we have a do we need a um a vote on the total number at the Yes.

$293,000. Yeah. You know what it is? I I'm looking up got myself 293. Thanks, buddy. You stole this from me. I don't.

Yeah. The Santac master plan update.

$293,000 with you.

Sure. Sure. Now, the channel will entertain a motion to approve.

Second it. All in favor? I I the second part of this is item number eight, the Jefferson Street infrastructure uh improvements. And I would uh gather that this is the engineering necessary to complete the uh phase uh four. Uh so the chair would entertain a motion to accept the 135 infrastructure improvements. So moved. Motion made and seconded. All in favor? All right, Mr. Clerk, enter

municipal agreement. Just not this. I wanted to the Jefferson Street. I wanted to get a ahead of the road authorization with the design. So that's why we forward with it. Yeah, but this goes as part and parcel of that. Correct. Uh we're funding this se separate from that loan author from that loan authorization. No, I understand we're funding it separately, but this is part of that. Yep. This is that project.

Correct. All right.

It's okay. Items seven and eight. Item number nine, the intermunicable agreement.

Sir, so just uh I prior to the meeting, I wasn't able to fully uh develop this with the law department. I want to be able to sit down with them a little bit just to go through uh what we're doing for the intermunicipal agreement. So, I do apologize to the board, but I uh don't have that to present to you uh today.

Can we uh make a motion to table that item then? Item number nine.

That's okay. Seconded. All in favor? I I Okay we are all the way down to our item number 10, which is chemical awards.

Um Mr. Clark. Uh so in front of you you have a list as uh always we go out for yearly bids on our chemicals. Uh this year we uh went out for bid in quotes on chemicals that we required. Uh so I'll read through the list here. Sodium hypocchlorite uh uh to Univa for $139,990.

Mhm.

Uh poly aluminum chloride to Holland company $225,600 costic soda to B in Remington for $284,760 carbon dioxide to air gas for $125,925.

Yeah.

And those were the low bid lowest responsible biders. Correct. and we have done business with them them in the past. Correct. The chair would entertain a motion to approve the chemical bids.

Motion war the chemical bill bids as listed.

Motion is seconded. Uh we don't need them individually. I don't think so. No motion seconded. All in favor? I Okay.

Too bad we can't bottle carbon dioxide.

Yeah, I know. Very nice. when we're doing there's a lot of it some places.

Okay.

Um other business the new vehicle list and I see we're buying a Maverick. Yes. So again I just wanted to provide this as a list to the uh to the board. Really no action needed. Uh but uh we are uh this year doing some updates to the fleet. So Just wanted to provide you a list of some of the stuff that's coming in. Is that it? I asked this only in passing.

Um, it used to be the state contract was up at um Oh, Lord. Madigan.

No, see MC MHQ. MHQ. Um, is this some These are not through MHQ. So, there's multiple people on the state uh of the state's list. Uh these are through colonial colonial the Peter built through the Pet Peter built dealer who was off this uh they weren't off the state bid list. They were off the uh Plymouth County uh Plymouth County Consortium list which we're which we were part of. Uh they gave better rates

actually this better price into the state list. Yeah. Really? I mean that way you get the best prices and Exactly.

So we we there's a couple of different consortiums, not just the state bid list that that we belong to and we make sure that we get the best price, whatever one it is. So yeah. Yeah. Just a uh a 250 which we which we've got and it has been in service for some time. A Ford Maverick which we're uh we should get within a week or two. Uh that's you know it's a nice little truck. We

we once owned a Ford Maverick. Really?

Okay. Oh, the car. The car. And I was coming back from Charlton. Um, I used to take the Bills up to be burst and a guy ran Winter Street. I guess it was winter and t-boned me and put me through the windshield of the of the department Maverick. Oh, boy. Yeah. Well, don't drive this one. No, I know it. So, I mean, don't get it in brown. That's all

I can tell you is don't get it. It was the ugliest car you have ever seen. I think it was a 1975 Maverick.

It was hideous. Yeah. I don't know if you've seen the These are new from Ford.

They're they're like a small They're smaller than a Ranger. They're Yeah.

Shorter wheelbase. Yeah. Little pickup truck. Uh and uh uh I got one for one for water, couple for sewer.

Um, it's amazing the room inside.

They're pretty roomy in inside. You know, big guys were in them and they like it, you know, good on fuel. Good on. This one's actually This one is a uh uh uh hybrid. So, really? Yeah. Yeah.

The one that the one that is getting is a hybrid. So, and the 10 wheel Peter built dump truck. Oh, that's going to be sweet. That's the killer. Yeah. Yeah.

It's a It's a nice truck. expensive truck, but again, you know, you look at the 10 wheelers that we have in the uh Well, fast. Yeah, I think I think our oldest one is probably 20 years old. Uh and was actually started out as a DCM truck that somebody rolled over and then we got it and if it used again. Is that the Sterling?

Uh no, that one I think is Oh, that that came from Atlanta. The Sterling came from sewer. Yeah. Yeah, those were tough. Oh god, that was horrible. But we're still running those the Sterling six wheelers. We're still running those.

I'm amazed. I am amazed. But uh you know, again, it's something that uh just is needed. It's a great It's an investment that that was needed. Peter built outlive us. Um that's that's really good. That's really really good. And it's funny looking for that truck. It's uh they passed a law in Massachusetts that went into effect in January uh which um essentially makes it uh illegal to buy a diesel truck for a

business to buy a diesel truck um unless you're using it for snow removal is the only exemption and you can get approval from D if the motor was produced in 2025 or after. Um, so it's it's an interesting law if I follow a California one, but uh it's a law that's in place that we need to follow. This motor was produced in 24 that's in this truck. So that's why we were able to get it. It

was one of the only ones, but you know, I think with emission standards continuing to change, electrification, uh, coming down the line of even large trucks, you know, I think now is the time to put an investment into another truck. Help us avoid electric trucks, please. They're torquy, but all right. So, that uh is there any further business to come before the board? Anything from I have

nothing. Chair to entertain a motion to adjourn to seconded. All in favor? I