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SHELLFISH
COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
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City of Norwalk
Shellfish Commission Meeting
Nov.1st , 2007
CALL TO ORDER 7:12 PM
ATTENDANCE
Commission: John Frank, Jack Casagrande, Dr. Frank Serena, Pete Johnson
Staff: Tom Closter
Police:
Advisory: Mark Errico, Harbormaster Mike Griffin
Guest: NU/CL&P Chris Swan, Frank Poroit, Raul Debrigard, Jeff Martin,
Durocher Marine: Tim Paquette
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
Oct. minutes: Accept by Mr. Casagrande 2nd by Mr. Johnson,
Chair requests waiver of agenda to allow NU/CL&P to present
information on silt containment proposal for inside the harbor and answer
any questions.
Brief discussion of proposal described at last meeting, using articulated
pipe to contain silt and drawing cable up through that pipe. Outer casing
on cable has been found in rougher shape than predicted, but operations in
the Sound, outside the harbor, working 24hrs/day have brought up about 15000
ft of cable a day. They do not expect to be anywhere near that rate inside
the harbor, using silt containment, and pulling buried cable. There is about
56,000 ft of cable in the harbor, and they will not be working nights. They
hope to have equipment in place sometime Saturday and to start pulling cable
possibly Sunday, maybe Monday. Estimates of time needed to pull all the cable
inside the harbor range from a very optimistic two weeks to well over a month.
TREASURER
Comm. Johnson reports: No report. Data not ready for meeting will report next
month
SECRETARY
Commissioner Frank reports
Norwalk Yacht Club permit for dredging and expansion, relocation of dock system
has gone to public notice. We had opposed the dredging in the belief that
some was new dredging on a natural bed. Core sampling results confirm that
all the dredging is on previously dredged area, not on natural bed and we
have withdrawn our objection.
State of the Harbor meeting is Nov 7th, 7PM, rm 330, at City Hall and Chair
is being awarded the Dave Dunuvan Stewardship award.
Annual gathering of Shellfish Commissions is Saturday, Jan 12th, 9Am to 2PM
at the Sound School in New Haven. Mr Casagrande and Mr Frank attended last
year and learned a lot. Commission should be represented, and Mr Frank will
be out-of-town..
Mr Johnson called the Hour on Thursday, Oct 18th about the foul odor being
so bad at First St. A story appeared the next day. Mr Johnson met the Mayor
Sunday morning and told him he was not being well served by OMI and the City
staff responsible for enforcing the contract with OMI and the City and was
not getting the truth from staff.
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The next morning, Mr Johnson and the Chair met with some people at Liberty
Square who are effected every day by Odor problems, to discuss what can be
done to force OMI to contain the odor. We were pleasantly surprised to find
the foul odor completely gone. We assume the Mayor had taken direct action
and gotten good result. We hoped the problem was gone, but noted prior fixes
had been short term. Effort will be made to get copy of the OMI/City contract
and the DEP/City permit and develop a long range plan to fix the problem.
Time and again, OMI has demonstrated the ability to contain the odor, but
failed to find the will to do it for any length of time. Chair believes OMI
has some financial dis-incentive to run the necessary air pump/filter systems
full time. It was noted that problem seem worse in early morning hours and
may be, in part, driven by the process of changing sludge trailers at the
de-watering building in the early morning hours. De-watered sludge is routinely
trucked away at night or in the very early morning hours. Unfortunately, the
latest fix lasted about a week. The odor is back, as bad as ever, and will
effect quality of life, and property values, in a wide area around the plant.
Mr Closter stated his office has never gotten a complaint from the public
about Odor from the plant. Chair last spoke to the Mayor this week and he
defended the operation of the plant and suggested taking any complaint directly
to the water pollution control authority. There is another meeting being scheduled
Monday for the same group and Chair has been invited, and will attend.
COMMITTEES
HEALTH DEPT
Mr. Closter reports 6.11 inches of rain in October vs.5.79 last year and average
since 1987 of 6.08 inches. Total rain so far this year is 42.35 inches vs.
average since 1987 of 52,1. There were 393 calls in October. There was a partial
closure in the CAA area for over 1/2 inch of rain from 10/10/07 through 11/03/07.
and a complete closure from 10/11/07 to 10/27/07. There were five spills reported.
100 gals at 24 Friendly Rd, backup into yard for an hour on the 6th, 50 gallons
at 280 Flax Hill backup into basement for ½ hr on the 6th. Two at WWT
plant. On the 11th, during heavy rain, unknown amount for unknown time, and
on the 19th for 3/4hr, less than 100 gallons due to blockage, contained at
the site. On the 20th. 200 gals, at 137 Taylor Ave backup into basement..
WASTEWATER TREATMENT
Odor problem downwind of plant continues..
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WATER QUALITY
Meeting date changed, Chair reported investigation of report of dead fish
at Wall St. Apparently limited effect of big fish chasing bait too far upriver
and suffering from hypoxia. Testing results show water quality not bad, meets
DEP standards. Dick Harris spoke about new expanded testing/lab facilities.
PERMITS
Mr. Casagrande distributed a chart showing permit fees in other CT towns and
pointed out we are considerably lower than most. He suggests the commissioners
review the numbers with an eye toward any changes need to be made before the
new permits for
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next year are issued. After discussion, on motion by Mr Johnson, 2nd by Dr
Serena, rates for the coming year are unanimously changed. As follows.
Local adult permit $10 ( now 7) Local Sr $5 ( now 1) Non resident $25 3 day
non resident permit eliminated.
POLICE
No report, Chair reports new motor is on the boat, Treasure reports he is
getting bills for oil and parts he did not anticipate. Chair comments oil
bill sounds high, may be in error..
ADVISORY
Mr Errico reports water temp now 60o
HARBOR MANAGEMENT
Mike Griffin reports: Bond package passed at State level has money for local
dredging, but it is not clear if that is strictly for capping or for dredging
project generally. Brief discussion.
OLD BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
Mr Johnson asks about Christmas party. Chair puts Mr Johnson in charge, Mr
Griffin volunteers to assist. After brief discussion, it is agreed to host
a dinner for commission and their wives, and advisors, etc. All will buy their
own drinks.
NEXT MEETING
Thursday December 6th
MOTION TO ADJOURN
At 8:35PM by Dr Serena 2nd, by Mr Johnson
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