11/18/2019 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

Home Browse Search

6 Board of Selectmen Minutes November 18, 2019 APPOINTMENTS & HEARINGS Presentations on Staffing Wastewater Treatment Facilities by Town Staff or Contract Operators; Case Studies of Falmouth and Chatham. Presenters: Ray Jack, Falmouth DPW Director: (continued) The $1.5 million budget supports $630,000 in salary and overtime wages for 8 operators. The plant services 2,300 accounts at a cost of$268 per year, treating 8 in. gpy of septage. There are 11 lift stations and 37 miles of mains (13 miles of force mains)within this system. A secondary smaller plant is situated in the New Silver Beach area in the vicinity of the North Falmouth School, and treats 13k gpd. Mr. Jack indicated there is no debt service on the wastewater system. It is 100%rate covered, including maintenance. Utilizing an Enterprise Fund, water and sewer expenses are shared. Operational costs do not cycle on the levy. The Town of Falmouth manages all operations of the facility. There are no contract operations. Capital expenses have a debt return on principal and interest. Betterments are an option. The allocation is generally 70%homeowner and 30%town. When considering betterments and SEU's Mr. Jack recommended defining what is included and what is not included, and to determine what system is fair and not necessarily challenged. Falmouth processes septage at a lower than market rate maintaining this service for the Town of Falmouth only. When considering overall funding, the town would need to make the decision to fund by the sewer rate to incur the debt service of the tax rate. It was noted the Long Pond facility was funded '/2 from the tax rate and '/z from the facility. The original construction cost was $40 in. There were 12 change orders, some of which were credited increasing the budget just under$200,000. Mr. Jack indicated that change orders become necessary with less preparation. It was recommended the town spend a significant amount of review on the design provision and allocate a contingency of 1.5%to the overall cost. It is important to have the participating community buy-into the project for support. In the Town of Falmouth a committee having technical skills with respect to design review was established, and costs were presented to the voters. It was recommended that a strong project team initiate discussions with DEP and make the extra effort on supervisory control to maintain budget projections. Dr. Robert Duncanson Chatham Director of Health and Natural Resources: In the Town of Chatham a committee was developed of citizens,the business community and others representing all of the geographic areas of town to review all scenarios and to educate the public. With an existing wastewater collection system and sewer treatment plant, the project plan was facilities driven. In considering scenarios and the environment as a primary factor, it was determined the town would sewer phase I and phase II, the immediate area in the downtown core of Chatham. It is the intention of Chatham to sewer 100% of the town. There is 20 years remaining in the overall plan. Dr. Robert Duncanson, Chatham Director of Health&Natural Resources indicated the oxidation ditch or carrousel process is used in the $150 in. plant collection system which is comprised of 14 pumping stations. With water mains, gas mains and utilities, the project is disruptive.