TOWN OF PROVINCETOWN — WATER & SEWER BOARD
Chairman Sinaiko called the meeting to order
at 4:10 p.m. noting the following attendees:
Members present:
Anne Lord, Jonathan Sinaiko, Sacha Richter
Members absent:
John Ciluzzi (unexcused), Terry Siegal
(unexcused)
Other attendees:
DPW Deputy Director Sandra Turner; DPW Staff
Dana Faris, Ron Gamella, Ryk Tyszka; Environmental Partners Group Staff Joy
Ursillo; members of the public and press.
Ms. Turner introduced Mr. Faris to the board. She indicated that, owing to the backlog of minutes, staff will
in the future be transcribing minutes of WSB meetings for approval at
subsequent meetings.
Public Statements
Mr. Sinaiko opened the meeting to public statements and asked that
speakers limit their remarks to five minutes or less.
Susan Rand Brown, re 478 Commercial
St. Ms. Brown read a letter she had
sent to the board. She requests a fair
review of her sewer usage bill. She had
a leak. While she paid for the water wasted in the leak, she feels she should
not have to pay sewer usage charges on water that clearly leaked into the
ground, and not into the sewer.
Lauren Richmond, re 36 Commercial St. Ms.
Richmond read a letter she had sent to the board. She requests an abatement of her sewer usage charge because the
bill is much “higher than she was lead to believe it would be,” e.g, $150 every
two years for pumping, not every six months.
She asked how the sewer rate was derived and questions the assumption
that “all water coming in also went out.”
Ms. Turner explained that everyone is paying the same rate at this
point, regardless of the hook-up date and that, as an enterprise fund, the rate
is based on the costs of operating the entire system.
Alexandra (“Sandra”) Smith, re 528
Commercial St. Ms. Smith spoke
regarding her water bill for peak season 2003.
Sometime between March and June 2003 usage increased dramatically and
then settled down to normal. She feels the
meter “went haywire” and then returned to normal. Ms. Smith says these are exceptional costs resulting from
exceptional circumstances, and would like more relief than is provided under
the 500% policy.
Edward Gage, re 19 Berry lane. Mr. Gage spoke regarding his water bill for
peak season 2003. The water usage was
triple the normal volume despite his efforts to conserve water and use it
carefully. He observed a test of the
meter that was successful. He cannot explain the surge in volume, but would like
more relief than is provided under the 500% policy.
Fred Sateriale III, re multiple
properties. Mr. Sateriale questions the
500% rule with respect to commercial properties. For example, if the water bill is normally $10,000 for a business
account, which is at the highest rate tier, the bill would have to exceed
$50,000 before any relief could be obtained no matter the circumstances. He feels this is not fair.
Provincetown Art Association & Museum. Barbara Rushmore and Salvatore DelDeo both
spoke regarding a sewer connection at the property located 460 Commercial
St. Mr. Sinaiko thanked Ms. Rushmore
and Mr. Del Deo for their comments but reminded them that, in the absence of
any representatives of the PAAM board, any discussion of a sewer connection was
out of order.
Abatement Applications
Based on staff recommendations Mr. Richter moved, seconded by Ms. Lord,
to grant the following water usage abatements listed on a warrant dated June
23, 2004. The motion carried 3-0.
|
8208 |
Bradford East Cd. |
208 Bradford St. |
|
3806 |
D&D Joseph Real Estate Trust |
9B Carnes Ln |
|
107 |
10A Bradford Street Cd. |
10A Bradford St. |
|
8706 |
Bradford Heights Cd. |
177 Bradford St. |
|
257 |
Melissa Schwartz |
24 Berry Ln |
|
9013 |
Alexandra Smith |
528 Commercial St. |
|
3505 |
Conwell Lumber |
21 Conwell St. |
|
6618 |
Edward Stuart |
342B Commercial St. |
|
6216 |
Southpoints Mashpee Realty Trust |
205 Commercial St. |
|
15008 |
Elise M. Cozzi |
61B Commercial St. |
|
7306 |
Nelson Hitchcock |
351A Commercial St. |
|
5208 |
Klara Műller |
12 Commodore Ave. |
|
214 |
Mark Cohen |
32 Pleasant St. |
|
12215 |
Green Shamrock |
49 Bradford St. |
|
9000365 |
Dorothy Feld |
125 Shore Rd #H, Truro |
|
825 |
Jennifer Garbiel |
3 Bayview Ave. |
|
9404 |
William Fitts |
38 Nelson Ave. |
|
6112 |
Fred Sateriale |
6 Winston Ct. |
|
3409 |
Harlan Streib |
22 Brewster St |
|
9115 |
Edward Gage |
19 Berry Ln |
|
2913 |
Lesley Gerould |
470 Commercial St |
|
606 |
Taylor-Zemo Realty Trust |
165 Commercial St |
Based on staff recommendations Ms. Lord moved, seconded by Mr. Richter,
to deny the following water usage abatements.
The motion carried 3-0.
|
1508 |
Elise M. Cozzi |
61B Commercial St |
|
9000396 |
Fred Sateriale |
104 Shore Rd, Truro |
|
7113 |
Fred Sateriale |
698 Commercial St |
|
4605 |
Marcia Basine |
262B Bradford St |
|
13615 |
Bear Oak Cd. |
18 Howland St |
|
6003 |
Shaun Pfeiffer |
288A Bradford St |
|
6608 |
Yvonne Colligan |
9 Conant St |
|
7312 |
Mark Becker |
24 Pleasant St |
|
8415 |
John Thompson |
2 Carver St |
|
7915 |
Bradford Fowler |
26 Montello St |
|
49883 |
W. Jacob Murray |
3 Race Rd |
|
4217 |
Muriel Coill Revocable Trust, H. Lewis, Ttee |
308 Commercial St |
Based on staff recommendations Mr. Sinaiko moved, seconded by Mr.
Richter, to grant the following sewer usage abatements listed on a warrant
dated June 23, 2004. The motion carried
3-0.
|
8109 |
Gabriel Brooke |
102A Bradford St |
|
3203 |
Paul Anderson |
518 Commercial St |
|
493 |
Paul DeRuyter |
237 Commercial St |
|
9874 |
Bernard Phillips |
105 Commercial St |
|
1818 |
ESP Realty Trust, E. S. Polay Ttee. |
225 Commercial St |
|
4714 |
David Mayo |
610 Commercial St |
|
34512 |
Angel’s Group Cd. Trust |
353B Commercial St |
|
7302 |
Seamen’s Savings Bank |
221-223 Commercial St |
Based on staff recommendations Mr. Sinaiko moved, seconded by Mr.
Richter, to deny sewer usage abatements for the following accounts. The motion carried 3-0.
|
7815 |
Lauren Richmond |
36 Commercial St |
|
7117 |
Martin Huey |
525 Commercial St |
|
5213 |
Donald Murphy |
56 Commercial St |
|
4201 |
Harbor House Cd. |
531 Commercial St |
Role of the Water & Sewer Board
As It Relates to the Board of Selectmen
Mr. Sinaiko moved, seconded by Ms. Lord, to have staff obtain an opinion
from town counsel regarding the purview of the Water & Sewer Board, what
powers the board has, what matters it can decide, and how it should determine
when to defer to the selectmen. The
motion carried 3-0.
460 Commercial St - Review of
Rationale for Not Granting a Sewer Connection During Technical Review Process
Mr. Sinaiko noted that 460 Commercial St never “opted in” for a sewer
connection. Ms. Turner reminded the
board that, inasmuch as legal representative of the Provincetown Art
Association and Museum was not present, no action could be taken on this item.
Laundromat Proposals
Ms. Turner presented the board with copies of the single proposal
received. Mr. Sinaiko expressed a
desire that the permit specify that noncommercial users be given priority. It was also suggested that the contract
should specify hours for public use, hours for commercial use, review and
modification criteria, and possibility of renewal/renegotiation at end of
initial term. Mr. Sinaiko then moved,
seconded by Mr. Richter, that staff combine these concerns into a
recommendation to be presented to the board of selectmen. The motion carried 3-0.
Other business
Mr. Faris noted that two members of the board have been absent without
notice for three or more consecutive meetings and that, under the town charter,
they were no longer eligible to be members of this board. Ms. Turner will write a memo to the
appointing authority, the Board of Selectmen, informing them that there are two
open positions on the board.
Ms. Turner advised the board that she had learned from Michelle
Jarusiewicz that the Town has received a CDBDG grant for $747,000 for
rehabilitation and security enhancements for Mt. Gilboa.
Ms. Turner also advised the board that the North Truro Air Force Base
will become the “true” emergency backup, after the Town develops another well
field for our regular supply. Thus far,
North Union Field is looking like a viable option. A meeting scheduled for July 19, 2004 with the Boards of
Selectmen from Provincetown and Truro.
Ms. Lord discussed publication of declaration of a state of water
emergency in order to inform the public of water use restrictions, especially
with respect to lawn watering and car washing.
Adjournment
There being no other business to come before the board, Mr. Richter
moved, seconded by Mr. Sinaiko, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 3-0, and the meeting was
adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________
Sacha Richter, Clerk