January 16, 2008
A regular meeting of the Board of Water Commissioners was called to order at 6:30 PM by Chairperson Richard Fournier Commissioners present were Lucien Langlois, Paul Poulin and Robert Delisle. Ex-officio member Mayor Danderson was not present. Also present for this meeting was Superintendent Roland L. Viens and Debbie Baillargeon.
There were no Public or Board comments at this time.
It was moved by Commissioner Langlois, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to accept and place on file, the Minutes for December 18, 2007.
Under the Berlin Water Works Monthly Status Report dated January 11, 2008, Superintendent Viens reviewed the following with the Board:
1. Superintendent Viens informed the Board that after the snowfall in December it was necessary to clean the hydrants. Staff rented a skid steer from ProQuip for $340.00. There were a couple of issues with the snow removal at customer’s properties but they have been resolved. Commissioner Langlois mentioned that the curb stop at 45 Charron Ave was lifted possibly by skid steer when clearing hydrants, the staff will be notified. Chairperson Fournier stated that in the future we may have prisoners from the State Prison to shovel snow away from the hydrants.
2. Water flows are higher than normal, the staff is monitoring. There was one leak detected on Hillside Avenue that will be checked to see if it is the customer’s service or the Berlin Water Works line.
3.The Early running Water program has not started yet, only two customers have been told to start running the water and the Berlin Water Works has opened two of the blow offs to prevent freeze up.
4. Superintendent Viens stated that the recent Berlin Water Works news release was covered by both local papers. The Berlin Daily Sun paraphrased the news release and the Berlin Reporter printed the complete news release.
5. With the help of Tracy Wood, P.E. we were able to get the hydrant flow information from the hydraulic model for St. Vincent de Paul Nursing Home. They need the flow measurements for the design and engineering of their proposed sprinkler system project.
6. Superintendent Viens provided a draft letter to the City Manager showing the balance of money left over from the final paving of the T Buck project streets. The amount of $46,008.51 will be applied to Western Avenue paving from South End to near Mink Street. The letter will be sent to the City Manager.
7. Berlin Water Works finished installing the Wood Street extension water main this week, 880’ of 8” HDPE and a fire hydrant on Bemis Street has been installed and the remaining 80’ of 8” HDPE will be completed in the spring when we can open Wood Street. While working on the project we found that there is an easement for a future sewer line crossing from Wood Street to Bemis Street we installed a tee at this easement location for a future water line. At a future date we would install a hydrant and about 300’ of water line if it were requested.
8. Superintendent has been working on the Capital Plan for 2008 & 2009 construction, part of which determined the final paving schedule for streets completed. The final paving schedule shows the streets for Berlin Water Works to pave and the streets for the City of Berlin to pave.
9. Superintendent Viens mentioned for information purposes only that there is an issue of parking on Willow Street the meeting with Traffic Safety has already taken place, but we have not heard of any results. The parking issue does not impact Berlin Water Works as we park on site.
It was moved by Commissioner Delisle, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to accept the Berlin Water Works Monthly Status Report dated January 11, 2008.
Superintendent Viens distributed the cashiers report just before the meeting started. After a brief discussion, it was moved by Commissioner Poulin, seconded by Commissioner Delisle, with all in favor, to accept and place on file, the Cashier’s Report for period ending December, 2007. Superintendent Viens also informed the Board that the Northway Bank was requesting they sign an extension to their agreement for the line of credit because the Bank had missed the timetable they needed to complete the agreement. They also needed a signature from James E. Michalik and the Superintendent was able to contact Attorney Michalik to have him call the bank. The Board proceeded to sign the form for Northway Bank.
Under Old Business:
a. Federal Bureau of Prisons – Water Service Status: Superintendent Viens had a meeting at City Hall today with Wright –Pierce, City’s Engineers on the Prison Project; Key Span, Portland Natural Gas (PNGT), Public Service of New Hampshire(PSNH), Greg Placy of the NH Department of Transportation, City Public Works Director. The meeting was for the Federal Prison Utilities. The only signed contract at this point is with Berlin Water Works. The City of Berlin has partial agreement for Design and estimate of sewer line installation. PSNH will be running new poles and wires from White Mountain Lumber to the Federal Prison Project site. The issue of trees was brought up at the meeting and PSNH would like to see them removed, Superintendent Viens offered to have Berlin Water
Works remove the trees or hire a contractor to remove the trees and divided the costs between the utilities that require the trees to be moved. The realignment of the road will determine where the utilities are located. Berlin Water Works is still proceeding with the wetlands permit as we will need it to cross the brook. The current deadlines for the project are Berlin Water Works and PNGT October 1, 2008, PSNH July 2009 and City of Berlin sewer line 2009.
Under Federal Prison subject, Superintendent Viens discussed the rental of a fusion machine from ISCO they would provide the operator for a cost of $2.17 ft and total cost of about $12,000 plus freight. The fusion machine also has a cooling system so there is no need to wait for the cooling of the joints. The process would require one Berlin Water Works employee on site. We are presently looking for a site to store the pipe for the work north of the brook crossing, we will approach the contractors at the Federal Prison site to secure a location to store pipe. The pipe would be fused to 1000 foot lengths and could be completed in one week with the rental machine. It was moved by Commissioner Langlois, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to authorize the Superintendent to proceed with
rental of the fusion machine from ISCO Industries for the Federal Prison water line project.
Superintendent Viens proceeded to discuss the progress on the Federal Prison water line project as follows: Fittings and valves as well as two to three complete valve/tee assemblies are stored at the Androscoggin Treatment facility. Today a 12” valve was serviced to prepare for the installation of the first valve cluster tomorrow. Until the realignment of the road is complete we will only be able to install the prepared valve assemblies and some water line on the Androscoggin Treatment Plant Facility land.
b. Jericho Lake/State RV Park Gravel Issue & Transmission Line/Culvert & vents Status: No change at this time.
c.Water Rates – Status: The Superintendent has been studying the debt load which will decrease in 2014 and also the timing for the water usage at the new Federal Prison. The Superintendent will continue to review the numbers with the staff, the spending rate for first six months of fiscal 2008 and will inform the Board of future information.
d. Brown Farm Well Head Protection and the Wood Pellet Project Status: Berlin Water Works is requesting the Planning Board to have the developer do an environmental engineering study to see if the plant will impact the Brown Farm well. Berlin Water Works has a proposal from GeoInsight to do the environmental study. Chairperson Fournier will send a letter to the Planning Board Chairperson Fran Cusson and to Berlin City Planner Pam Laflamme requesting that the developer pay for the environmental study.
e. Metropolitan Telecommunications and Verizon –Status: Superintendent Viens stated that the subject involved two items, land lines and cell phone lines. Staff has met recently with the land line Representative Dan Olmstead and was able to repackage our land line plan, eliminating a land line. The cost change will be evaluated once we receive our first bill under this new package. The Berlin Water Works cell phone contract with US Cellular expired in the fall. The staff wanted the lap top for coverage to be wireless. A new plan with Verizon was signed because they have wireless service for the lap top. The wireless phone service must be activated under a Verizon cell tower the closest to Berlin is Gilead, Maine. Once it is activated the wireless service will work off of all
the other cell towers. Steven Lefebvre will be activating the wireless service tomorrow.
f. SARKAR Proposal Status – No change at this time.
g. Line of Credit- this item was discussed earlier in the meeting.
There was no other old business at this time.
Under New Business:
a. Chemical Bid Results – the Board reviewed the Chemical Bid results and went with the Superintendents recommendation for the bid awards. Bid for Sodium Hydroxide 25% will go to JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc. for the price of $1.07 per gallon. Bid for Sodium Hypochlorite 15% will go to Harcross Chemicals, Inc. at a price of $1.41 per gallon for orders between 1000 and 1999 gallons and to JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc. at $1.07 per gallon for orders of 2,000 to 2,999 gallons and to JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc. at $.87 per gallon for orders of 3,000 to 3,000 plus gallons.
b. It was moved by Commissioner Langlois, seconded by Commissioner Poulin, with all in favor, to approve interest payments for the ’93, ’94 & ’95 Water Bonds in the amount of $125,395.50 due February 1, 2008.
c. Requests from Senators and Congressman – Status—The Board agreed to write letters to Senator Gregg, Senator Sununu and Congressman Hodes to request funding for water line replacement and improvement. The Board suggested that the letter contain the fact that the pulp mill is closed and that the present grant money will be depleted in two years.
d. Superintendent Viens informed the Board that he had received the comparison of water rates across the state today. He entered all the information on a spreadsheet and distributed a copy to each Board member. It was noted that there are now eight communities or water companies that have rates higher than Berlin Water Works. There are an additional seven listings that are over $600.00. The state average water rate has not increased from $356 (2004) to $440 (2006).
e. Plan for 2008-2009 Capital, Revised Grant Scopes –Superintendent Viens stated that Gregg MacPherson of Rural Development had called him to ask when the balance of the funds for the Rural Development Grant will be expended. Superintendent Viens stated that he thought that the remaining funds would be spent over two years. There is $737, 914.01 left in the Rural Development Grant. The remaining money will be spent on paving and water main replacement on Western Avenue and also Goebel Street will be completed this information was forwarded to Gregg MacPherson today. The Superintendent then reviewed with the Board changes to the scope for EPA grant funds, the goal is to spend the oldest money first and spend down the money on highest priority streets. The Board agreed that the
Superintendent should proceed with his letter to Richard Skarinka to revise the EPA Grant scope.
f. Vaillancourt Diesel Generator Proposal – the Board decided to table this item as the present generator has been repaired.
g. Other New Business and Communications:
1. The Board discussed the request for the second payment from the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the amount of $1,044,000. It was moved by Commissioner Langlois, seconded by Commissioner Delisle, with all in favor to send out the second payment request for the Federal Prison water line project.
2. Superintendent Viens stated that the staff is presently reviewing meter and backflow prevention device size for the Federal Prison. Berlin Water Works will answer the request from Bell-Heery for specifications on meter size and backflow prevention, we will also propose that we order items for them.
3. Superintendent Viens showed the Board the new hand held for reading meters that was acquired through a trade for some salvaged valves that we had in stock. The hand held did not come with the touch reader. We borrowed one from E.J. Prescott for the last meter readings. E.J. Prescott proposed that we could buy one for $1,000 the regular price is $1,300 this purchase will include 10 radio read remotes. The proposal also included the purchase of radio read remotes to put on some of our customer account buildings. They will hold a price of $100.00 a piece until the end of this year. The remotes can be read from 800 feet away and are guaranteed for 20 years. They can either be attached outside over the new touch pad or inside. After a brief discussion, it was moved by
Commissioner Poulin, seconded by Commissioner Delisle, with all in favor, to authorize the Superintendent to purchase up to 50 radio read remotes at $100.00 a piece and a new radio read remote reader.
4. The Superintendent received a call from Bryan Lamirande regarding the temporary employees. He requested a meeting with the Superintendent and local union officials, Mark Lapointe and Ralph Lapointe, the meeting will be held after work hours. The schedule for hiring the temporary employees is based on funds and construction work each season. The Board discussed the employment of the temporary employees and found that with construction projects slowing down they may be laid off soon until spring. Chairperson Fournier suggested that they could paint and clean up some of the Berlin Water Works trucks before they are laid off. Superintendent Viens also stated that a couple of the trucks will not pass inspection this year and said that he may go down to Surplus in Concord to see what they have
for replacements. A discussion then started about the CAT backhoe that was sent down to CAT today by Arnold Drouin’s flat bed trailer. It is not holding oil in the engine; it is over the warranty period by a few months we are waiting to hear the results of the check up by CAT.
5. Superintendent Viens informed the Board that John Arsenault is now trained and certified to do Backflow prevention device testing and has begun to do some of the testing for Berlin Water Works.
It was agreed by the Board to hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday February 20, 2008 @ 6:30 PM at their 55 Willow Street Conference Room.
There were no Public or Board comments at this time.
There being no further business to come before this meeting at this time, it was moved by Commissioner Delisle, seconded by Commissioner Langlois, with all in favor to adjourn this meeting.
The meeting did so adjourn at 8:25 pm.
A True Record. Attest:
Robert Delisle, Clerk of the Board
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