Absent: Wayne Mcbreairty, Kenneth Hutchins

City of Biddeford, Maine

WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MEETING

Thursday, March 11, 2004, @ 4:30 P.M.

MINUTES

Attendance: Valerie Pelletier, Chair, Susan Regina, Suzanne Sexton, Tom Milligan, D.J. Nicholson, Richard Dutremble

Absent: Wayne McBreairty, Kenneth Hutchins

Item #2: Acceptance of Minutes: Accepted as printed.

Item #4: Unfinished Business – PFA – Deborah Miles – Susan Regina wanted to know how this even came before the commission without the customer paying the bills upfront. She thought that was the policy, sewer bills need to be paid before a petition for abatement can come before the commission. Rick stated that this abatement was not his end of it, that’s why he referred it. He felt this was a different case; this didn’t have anything to do with water usage. It has to do with the fact she’s put in a lot of money in renovating the building. Suzanne Sexton stated that we read her letter; we’ve read all her bills, nothing substantiates a leak. She further stated that the last meeting when she was here, she specifically asked for a count of how many people were in that building. Deborah kept saying there’s a lot less then there was. That’s when she was asked how many there were, and she didn’t know. Now she tells us there are 8 people less than there was before. But we don’t know what the original number was. It’s an 8 unit; according to the paperwork that she obtained from the water company everything has been actual consumptions. Suzanne stated she was sorry that she incurred a lot of bills rehabbing the building, but that has nothing to do with what we can do for her.

Suzanne made a motion based on the information that was received from Deborah Miles, and the Water Company, that her abatement is denied.

Susan Regina seconded the motion.

Unanimous, so moved.

1 Item #3: New Business: Budget - Valerie stated there were very few issues that were on hold. Guy Casavant passed out a handout to the Commission regarding the SCAD System and stated that he would go over this when the Commission was ready.

Valerie stated they would review the revenue report first and ask Rick to explain. Rick explained that the projection for receiving $4,095,297.00. As the budget stands right now its $4,145,297.00. The sewer user fees (4220) are down quite a bit, and that is because of the credits to Nissen, we’ve lost six manufacturing companies, and this is the first time since the sewer has been in inception that we have a true picture of what we actually bill out for units. He now has reports that give him the net and also the gross of all those billed out and all that have been credited out We are transferring some money from one fund to another, (i.e. I & I funds to revenues to cover some projects already approved). The transfer of funds is to cover the cost of projects that are in the budget, which are I & I projects. From 0715 (CIP). Richard stated the bottom line right now shows that we’re $50,000 short. Richard also explained that he’s taken part of his and Linda’s salary and put it into the IPP fund so we can recoup some of it. Legitimately we have 7%, which covers everything. Cas then wanted to clarify what was said by asking, the proposed revenues are $50,000 less than the exposed expenditures as of the last time the Commission did things? Richard stated that’s right. These revenues are all conservative.

4505-0715- Request for $50,000 for starting the implementation of the SCADA System. Cas explained where the figures came from after speaking with various vendors and companies that have SCADA. Total Build out at all our facilities, that’s 20 pump stations and the RBC treatment plant - This first years request would get a base station unit set up, and whatever antennaering or repeating we would need initially to serve the first four pump stations; one of the four would be the RBC in Biddeford Pool. The potential savings once the system is completely in place is approximately $ 18,650 annually; if the total build out were $185,000 then it would take 10 years for the system to pay for itself.

Suzanne asked how much increase we’re looking at. Richard stated 4.45%, which is about .10. If we had $50,000 less, the rate would be the same as last year. Suzanne stated that’s what she wants.

Susan Regina motioned to remove $50,000 out of depreciation. Suzanne Sexton seconded the motion Unanimous – so moved

Richard passed out a new spreadsheet with the $50,000 depreciation removed.

Susan Regina motioned to accept the budget as printed on 3/10/04, and recommend forwarding to Council. Suzanne Sexton seconded the motion Unanimous – So moved.

2 Item 4: Continued- b) WWMC memo to City re: Forgiving the $1.9 million Tom hasn’t gotten to it; he had to add a paragraph – Tabled until next meeting. c) Impact Fees (I&I) – Tom hasn’t done anything with impact fees; he didn’t think they should do anything right off. Especially with our expenses and needed I & I projects. We have that CS Phase II Master Plan which needs to get done by August of 2005 and he suspected there would be a lot more projects that we would be mandated to do or encouraged to do. So he’s just watching the situation, trying to figure out where that will fit into the over all picture of the Phase II Stormwater. We’re watching it closely at least its in place now it’s 5:1– tabled until next meeting.

Item #5: Staff Update: a) Water St. Treatment Plant/OMI- D.J. discussed a few things from the last meeting, the cover: the fellow is coming back to do the RBC and he hasn’t come in yet. But when he comes in, he would talk with him about it. Then he passed out Flow & Effluent for 2003, while discussing the graph he passed out last month; still looking into the spikes and what cause the increase. He then discussed the 2003 graphs. They delivered the DMR for March; had a good month for February with no exceedences. Nice clean water. He stated that they were starting their spring cleaning, going through building by building, cleaning and touch up painting, windows, etc.

Tom then discussed that CMP is about ready to start cleaning the site next door; the old Gashouse site. There has been talk by the City Manager and some department heads with Central Maine about the City getting that property. He discussed that Parks would like to get that site for continuing the Whites Wharf Park. Tom then discussed the fact that the Commission should express interest in that site, because if we have to go for primary treatment, it makes sense to have it here. We don’t have funds for a primary, but we want to at least make sure it doesn’t end up in a situation where we couldn’t use it. We could have an underground primary. Susan Regina stated that we already have a park on top of the holding tanks that we have. Why can’t we both benefit? Tom stated he thinks we could and that was his point, he just didn’t want it to get lost. There isn’t any other closer piece of land than that.

Suzanne Sexton motioned to allow Tom to pursue in writing to the City Manager and copy to the Council our interest in that piece of land as a first option, and if it’s feasible allow Parks and Rec to partake of the topsoil section if allowed. Susan Regina seconded the motion Unanimous – so moved

Suzanne then stated the only reason she did that was because when we discussed the Fournier Press, you’re not ready for that, because you don’t have Primary. If you had that Primary tank, then you can start looking toward the Fournier operating for you, and cost savings of big bucks.

3 The Fournier Press works well on Primary, but without it, he wasn’t sure how good it would work, and they’re not sure how good it would work. Suzanne then stated if you don’t get the piece of land you’d be shooting yourself in the foot because you’ll never be able to go cost effective any further than where you are.

Item 6: Other Business

Suzanne Sexton stated here we go with another paving season. She addressed the statement to Tom stating he presented the Commission with multiple designs about a year ago saying it was to late to do it, and where are we, and is it going to happen? Tom responded that they are going to change the design a little bit because they’re going to expand the parking lot over what it was. We’re leverage the money that was already assigned to this to get more money to get a bigger parking lot because it’s a match from a (MITF Grant). We’ve got that grant, and we’re in the process of getting the specs together now.

Susan Regina motioned to adjourn Suzanne Sexton seconded the motion Unanimous – so moved

Respectfully submitted,

Linda V. Ridlon

Committee Members: Cc: Susan Regina General Wallace Nutting, Mayor Valerie Pelletier Edward R. Clifford, City Manager Wayne McBreairty Tom Milligan Suzanne Sexton D.J. Nicholson Kenneth Hutchins Richard Dutremble