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| WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY MINUTES |
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Click
here for May 9, 2005 Minutes Click here for June 13, 2005 Minutes Click here for July 11, 2005 Minutes Click here for August 8, 2005 Minutes |
For minutes prior to January 2004, please
contact Judy Archer of Public Works
at 203-854-7791 or jarcher@norwalkct.org
SEPTEMBER 12, 2005
ATTENDANCE: John Atkin, Chairman; Jim McInerney; Timothy Buzzee; Beatriz Ruiz;
Frederika Bikakis-Hajan (5:47 p.m.)
STAFF: Lisa Bardon, DPW Operations Manager; Ralph Kolb, DPW/WPCA
Wastewater Systems Manager;
OTHER: Vicktor Huliew, OMI; Kevin Dahl, OMI; Thomas Hamilton, Finance Director
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Atkin called the meeting to order at 5:40 p.m.
APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM WPCA MEETINGS HELD ON JULY 11, 2005 AND AUGUST 8, 2005
Minutes of July 11, 2005
** MR. MCINERNEY MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JULY 11, 2005.
The corrections to the minutes are as follows:
On page 2, under Finance Director Report, 1st sentence, the word Unis should
read MUNIS.
On page 2, under Finance Director Report, 4th sentence, it should read “Mr.
Hamilton said that revenue from last month was on target.”
On page 4, under Status of 3rd Taxing District Letter of Intent, 2nd paragraph,
delete “Mayor Knopp arrived at 6:25 p.m.”
On page 1, under Attendance, delete “arrived at 6:25 p.m.” after Mayor Knopp.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Minutes of August 8, 2005
** MR. MCINERNEY MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 8, 2005.
The corrections to the minutes are as follows:
On page 2, under Finance Director’s Report, 3rd sentence, it should read “the
biggest adjustment to be made relates to the debt service and depreciation.
On page 2, under Finance Director’s Report, 5th sentence, it should read “This
will put the depreciation at $1.982 million that were not reflected in the statements
yet.”
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
RESOLUTION OF THE POSITION OF SECRETARY; CONCLUDE ELECTIONS
This item was tabled.
FINANCE DIRECTOR REPORT
Mr. Hamilton said Ms. Bardon included the standard financial package in the agenda. It is for the current fiscal year related to revenues and expenses. The year-to-date sewer use charges haven’t been posted yet so they don’t show substantial amounts collected to date. The tax collector gave Mr. Hamilton two reports for August indicating that $4,530,000 had been collected, which is just under 48% of the amount that was levied. That is on track and slightly ahead of where they were last year. He asked his staff member to review the sewer use fees, the amount billed, the adjustments year-to-date, and prepare a projection going forward. The WPCA used the updated consumption figures that became available from the 1st Water District.
Ms. Hajan arrived at 5:47 p.m.
The actual numbers higher that they received from the district were higher than anticipated. The projection from Mr. Hamilton’s office is that they will collect just over $9,000,000 in sewer user fees, including the City’s sewer fee of $380,000, which is about $300,000 more than expected. That projection includes potential additional adjustments estimated at $150,000. Ms. Bardon said the date to file is August 15. Additional updating needs to be done to the grand list. There were a total of 33 appeals received since the bills were mailed out. Of the 33 appeals, two were denials and the rest were adjustments.
SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING TO ESTABLISH A SEWER USE RATE OF $4.95 PER 1,000 GALLONS FOR TEMPORARY DISCHARGES TO THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM
Mr. Kolb said that the billing of temporary discharges was brought to the attention of the Board last month. The Board recommended that they go back to Corporation Council, and Corporation Council recommended that it goes to a public hearing. The rate has to be set, and the public hearing will be scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on October 17, before the regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. The difference in the fees is that it won’t be a flat fee, because these are temporary discharges.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR REPORT
a. NPDES Permit Status
Ms. Bardon said a response was received from DEP on the comments made on the permit. The bulk of the issues was worked out. The DEP wants documentation from the phone conversations that took place. Mr. Kolb, OMI, Pepe & Hazard summarized the comments and the phone calls, and they will get a draft back before the permit is finalized. Mr. Kolb said that everything remains the same for chlorine. Ms. Bardon said that they won’t accept the final permit until is to their complete satisfaction, including the cover letter. It has to be readvertised again to the public. It is expected to take about two months before seeing the final permit.
b. Status of Sewer Use Fee Appeals
Mr. Kolb said this had already been reviewed, and there is on-going correspondence to eventually finalize.
c. FY 04-05 Final Report on Contract Operations
Ms. Bardon said the final report is included. The comments of the Board from
the July 11 meeting are included, as well as from the August 5 meeting with
City staff and OMI. If they need Malcolm Pirnie to come back, they will be at
the next meeting.
d. Status of 3rd Taxing District Letter of Intent/Engineering Study related
to generator installation at the WWTP
Mr. Kolb said the City received the initial engineer’s report. He and Mr. Alvord met with the 3rd Taxing District and they outlined their concerns. The 3rd Taxing District will work closely with City staff and OMI personnel.
e. Collection System Issues – General: None
Mr. Kolb reported that there were no significant collection system issues. Mr. Dahl said the Keeler Brook project had become a repair issue. It involves the area under the bridge at North Main and Washington. They are trying to find the best time to do the repair work to have the least impact on traffic, etc.
f. Open House – October 1, 2005
This is the 2nd annual Open House. A tour will be conducted by OMI. The tree contact and the Norwalk Tree Alliance will be there. VHB, Inc., will be there to discuss the paving program. Touch a truck will be available for the children, and pictures will be taken. There will be light refreshments served.
g. Westport Interlocal Agreement
Pepe & Hazard gathered some sample agreements for the WPCA so they could approach Westport. Wilton is probably not going to be involved.
h. Information copies:
1) WPCA letter to White Woods Lane Association
Mr. Kolb said that there was a letter included in the package from the WPCA to the White Woods Lane Association, and that the purpose of it was to clarify the status of how to handle non-Norwalk properties connected to the Norwalk wastewater collecting system. They have not received any reactions yet. Ms. Bardon said that One Whitewoods Lane has approval from the WPCA and Westport to connect to the system.
CONTRACT OPERATIONS REPORT
a. Public Works Director Report
1) Monthly Operations/Weekly Coordination Meetings Briefing
Mr. Kolb said that he and Ms. Bardon continue to hold coordination meetings
with OMI on Mondays, and as soon as they have a contract with Malcolm Pirnie,
they will meet bi-monthly.
b. OMI Report
1) Keeler Brook Consent Order Update/Construction Schedule/Impacted Areas
Mr. Dahl said all repairs have been done with the exception of North Main Street. The manhole covering and grouting will be done by next week. Ms. Bardon said they need to send the DEP an extension letter. Allstate was given 80 days from August 1, 2005 as part of the agreement with OMI to complete the work. Households were notified ahead of time about the repair work, and they were provided a phone number if they had questions or concerns.
2) Monthly Operating Report – July 2005
Mr. Dahl said there was a line in need of cleaning. The excavation on site was necessary to get access to the line and then get it cleaned. There were 235 work orders completed for this month vs. 81 last month, and there was a backlog of 154. There were three safety tailgates for the month. The Old Trolley Way and Center Street project was a total of $202,000, including the contingency.
3) Collection System and Pump Station MMR Accounts
There were two bypasses in July. CCTV (closed circuit tv) had 1.12 miles completed
for July, which brings the
total to 256.5 miles completed, with 179 as the estimated total system miles.
They added one staff member to the collection department, bringing the total to 22. There were no safety issues to report. They reported the best month ever for nitrogen.
They are still showing a balance to the collection system of $539,000, and the Keeler Brook Project is estimated to be about $350,000 of that.
ACTION ON ANY ITEM DISCUSSED HEREIN
None.
ADJOURNMENT
** MR. BUZZEE MOVED TO ADJOURN.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn Marr
Telesco Secretarial Services
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