28 January 2003

 

MEMORANDUM

 

From:   Manager

To:       Board of Trustees

 

Subj:     MINUTES FOR BOOTHBAY REGION WATER DISTRICT MEETING 14 JANUARY 2003

 

MINUTES FOR 14 JANUARY 2003 BOOTHBAY REGION WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

 

The Board of Trustees convened at 1400 hrs. In attendance: Trustee (Chair) Irving, Trustee (Vice Chair) McNelis, Trustee Crawford, Trustee Curtis, Trustee Pinkham, Administrative Manager Bob Raudenbush and Manager Jon “Ziggy” Ziegra.  Guests: Mr. John Van Orsdell, Knickerbocker Lake Association Absent: None

 

1.          Trustee Irving called the meeting to order at 1400 hr.

 

2.          Acceptance for the minutes of the 19 December 2002 meeting.

 Trustee Pinkham motioned, Trustee Crawford second, vote: unanimous

 

3.          The Board approved all warrants. 

  Trustee Curtis motioned, Trustee McNelis second, vote: unanimous

 

4.          Trustee Irving opened the 2003 landscaping bids.  After review by the Board, Quality Landscaping of Bath Maine was awarded the contract for 2003.

 Trustee Curtis motioned, Trustee McNelis second, vote: unanimous

 

5.          As a point of order Trustee Irving asked the Board for clarification on when his term as Chairman would end.  The Board decided to elect new officers after the May election.

 

6.          The Manager provided the Board an update on the acquisition of the Gosselin property.  He reported that he had talked with Andy Noyes, Appraiser and was awaiting his report.  The Board instructed the Manager to disperse the report once in hand, and put a decision on this matter on the 28 January 2003 agenda.

 

7.          The Administrative Manager reported that he had received and incorporated changes to the 2003 draft budget as directed by the Board.  The most significant change was the deletion of accounting line items not currently in use and adding minimum funding to all line items shown.   The Manager reported that he had included an Executive Summary and incorporated all Board comments.  The Board approved the Boothbay Region Water District 2003 Budget

Trustee Crawford motioned, Trustee Curtis second, vote: unanimous

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.          The Manager delivered the final district formation report.  It was reported that the closing for the District had occurred on 10 January 2003.  In addition, Geoff Hole reported to the Manager that the remaining procedural questions at the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) were now on “auto pilot” and he would be handling the District’s affairs.  Trustee Curtis inquired if there would be a need to submit two PUC reports for 2002.  It was reported that the PUC had requested this but it would be impossible because the East Boothbay Water District and the Boothbay Harbor Water System had no assets in 2002.  Therefore it was decided, after discussions with the District’s attorney, that the District would submit one encompassing PUC report for 2002.

 

9.          The Manager reported that he had met with Wright Pierce and discussed the addition for fluoridation.  He went on to state he had met with the Town of Boothbay and would be submitting an application for construction.  The Code Enforcement Officer placed approval for the fluoride addition on the February meeting of the Boothbay Planning Board.  Funding bids from local lending institutions were set to be opened on the 28 January 2003 meeting. Finally, the Manager reported that fluoridation installation at the Meadow Brook Wellfield had been waived.

 

10.      It was reported to the Board that the Manager would be meeting with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on 17 January 2003 to discuss the report provided and answer questions.  Attending the meeting on behalf of the District would be representatives from Wright Pierce, Woodlot Alternatives and Nancy Beardsley, Director, Maine Drinking Water Program.

 

11.      John Van Orsdell addressed the Board and inquired if the District had any plans to push for removing motorized vehicles, including snowmobiles automobiles, etc. from Knickerbocker Lake and Adams Pond.  The Board directed the Manager to look into what could be done and report to the Board on 28 January 2003.

 

12.      The status of the Kenniston Hill Standpipe/East Boothbay Interconnection was discussed.  It was reported that the project was #1 priority in the Maine for the Rural Development Agency (RDA).  A required environmental assessment was nearing completion to be sent to RDA.  With this paperwork, the package was complete for funding.  Funding was set for such time as the Federal budget is passed in Congress. 

 

13.      Trustee Irving reported that he and the Manager had attended a joint meeting between the Boothbay Board of Selectmen and the Boothbay Planning Board meeting on the current Boothbay ordinance revision.  Trustee Irving reported that the meeting was “very emotional” over two issues.  He went on to state that those issues, concerning appeal rights and hearing procedures, would be removed from the land use ordinance and voted on separately.   It appeared that any watershed ordinance work from the Planning Board would not be completed for the Town Meeting.  As recommended by Paula Thompson, the Board had three options which include:

 

a.        Push the Planning Board to take up the issue for May Town meeting;

b.       Use a citizens initiative; or

c.        Introduce an article in the May Town Meeting to instruct the Board of Selectmen to present a watershed ordinance for the Fall Town Meeting.

 

 

The Board discussed these initiatives and due to the local politics, and barring a change in direction by the Planning Board, option (c.) was most favorable to the District.

       

14.      Trustee Irving reported that he and the Administrative Manager would visit the lending institutions at that February Trade Show in Portland.  He reported that he would draft a proposal to each institution and solicit bids for services. 

15.      Trustee McNelis addressed the Board on tensions between the District and other governments in the District.  After much debate the Manager was instructed to make an effort to open communications with all institutions in the District. 

 

16.      The Manager reported that he and the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District had written a letter to the Town of Boothbay Harbor contesting the new road-opening permit.   The Sewer District was reported to be in the lead and that both the Manger and the Superintendent wished to address the Boothbay Harbor Board of Selectmen.  

 

17.      Trustee’s Crawford and Irving were presented documents needed to transfer the remaining funds in the East Boothbay Water District account to the Boothbay Region Water District. 

 

18.      The Board entertained a conference call with Mr. Carlo Pilgrim, Town Manager, Boothbay Harbor to discuss his request for a briefing on the District’s Budget to the Boothbay Harbor Budget Committee.  After Mr. Pilgrim was informed that the District would not and could not raise the Town of Boothbay Harbor fire protection fee, he withdrew the request for a presentation.

 

19.      The Manager reported that the George Mitchell Center at the University of Maine had scored a grant for watershed protection and outreach for Boothbay. A meeting was set for later in the week to discuss the project.  The Manager was instructed to brief the Board on the outcome of that meeting.  

  .  

20.      The meeting was adjourned at 1512 hr.

Trustee Pinkham motioned, Trustee Crawford second, vote: unanimous

 

 

 

END OF MINUTES

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

 

 

Jonathan E. Ziegra

Manager

 

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