WEST WARWICK TOWN COUNCIL ACTING AS
SEWER COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
DATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022 TIME: 6:00 P.M.
LOCATION: TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1170 MAIN STREET
WEST WARWICK, RI 02893
Members present:
Council President Gosselin
Council Vice President Williamson
Councilman Messier (Arrived late)
Councilman Licciardi
Councilman Bourget
Participating communities:
Town of Coventry
Town of Scituate
City of Cranston
City of Warwick
Town of West Greenwich
RESOLVED, that the minutes of the February 15, 2022 Town Council meeting, acting as the Sewer Commission, is hereby accepted.
Resolution SC2022-08 was moved by Council Vice President Williamson and seconded by Councilman Bourget. All in favor, none opposed and unanimously voted to accept.
The following is taken from the Plant Manager’s report data from February, 2022.
• Average daily flow was 7.1 mgd with a maximum of 12.8 mgd and a minimum of 2.6 mgd.
• CBOD removal was 98% at 2.0 mgd.
• TSS removal was 98% at 2.5 mgd.
• Total Nitrogen is out of season.
• Total Phosphorus was 0.52 mg/l. DEM requirement is 1.0 mg/l.
• Sludge to Synagro was 484 wet tons. No sludge to Landfill.
• There was 1 public line block up:
1. Winthrop Avenue
• There were 4 private line block ups:
1. 2 on Providence Street (same residence)
2. Woodside Avenue
3. Intersection of Tampa & Noxon Streets
• There were no odor complaints.
• There were no facility violations.
• Mr. Chapdelaine said the maintenance position has been filled and the Assistant Superintendent’s position is still available. We didn’t have any viable candidates when we did interviews a few months ago. I contacted the DEM Board of Certification and asked that an exception be made to allow a candidate with a Grade 3 license to apply for the position with a stipulation that they would have to get their Grade 4 license within one year of their date of hire. The Town Manager and I met with the Board and they did approve this request. We will be interviewing a candidate next week.
• Councilman Licciardi asked why we have to dummy it down. Mr. Chapdelaine replied we started out with five candidates, all with a Grade 4 license. We interviewed four people, did a second interview with three people and offered the position to two of them. Both individuals turned the position down. Councilman Licciardi asked why they turned it down. Mr. Chapdelaine replied money. One went to another facility for a higher salary and the other realized what they were currently making with their salary and overtime would be more than they would make at our facility.
• Councilman Licciardi asked if we have an inventory at the plant yet. Mr. Chapdelaine replied no, we spent all the money on the units and getting lighting in them, we still have to build the shelving which will cost more money. Hopefully we can use some ARPA funds or Capital money to put in the shelving. Councilman Licciardi said you’re going to be putting in for a budget but you don’t know what inventory you have yet you’re still requesting money. Mr. Chapdelaine said you’re talking about getting the items on the shelves and I’m talking about building the shelving to put the items on. Councilman Licciardi asked if we know what items we have. Mr. Chapdelaine replied we know some of the items but it’s a small inventory, we want a larger inventory.
• Councilman Licciardi stated he’s been asking this for a year and at this point you still can’t tell us what we have for inventory. He thinks this is very poor. Mr. Chapdelaine replied this has been going on for more than a year and we’re in the process. We budgeted for part of the process last year and hopefully we can budget for part of the process this year. Councilman Licciardi said you have the space. We saw the shelves in the room when we toured the plant in February of last year. I don’t understand why we still don’t have an inventory. That’s the Town’s money and other cities and town’s money. Mr. Chapdelaine replied if the Town wants to give us more money to build a better room for our inventory.
• Councilman Bourget said he’s asking if you know what you actually have right now because not having shelving should not mean you don’t know what you have. Mr. Chapdelaine replied we have to ask multiple people to find out if we have something in stock and to find out where it is because we only have a small rooms here and there.
• Council President Gosselin said that’s the problem. He said he runs a tool crib in his office and he can tell you how many pairs of cutters or wire strippers, etc… are in there. That’s what he is expecting from Mr. Chapdelaine, some sort of inventory. He has to get everyone in the plant together with all their supplies to take an inventory and count what you have. That is exactly what Councilman Licciardi is looking for. You said yourself you don’t know what you have which means you don’t know what’s leaving or what’s staying.
• Council Vice President Williamson said we’re all in agreement that there should be an inventory and I think Mr. Chapdelaine is saying that it’s a work in progress as he now has the physical space. She asked who will be charged with the asset management. Mr. Chapdelaine replied that is normally designated to the Assistant Superintendent. Once we get that position filled they will be taking on that roll of using our program to monitor and figure out what items we have in stock.
• Councilman Bourget stated the other part of inventory is also a piece of paper. Councilman Licciardi has been asking for many meetings now. If you have it in a separate room, go mark it all down. Mr. Chapdelaine said so you’d like us to take an inventory of what we have in stock now. It’s just not organized so I haven’t really done it.
• Council President Gosselin said organize it one way or another. Council Licciardi said organize it because you’re going to be putting in for a budget. Your budget last year was $200,000 in the red and if the inventory isn’t done I’m voting no on the budget. Knowing what you have to see what you need is the key to everything. Mr. Chapdelaine replied he will definitely get started and by the next meeting he will have at least some of the information.
• Council Vice President Williamson said getting it started with the understanding that you don’t have an Assistant Superintendent and with the understanding that Mr. Corrente just came on board. Inventory is very important but there are other things that have taken some precedence as well. If you start that process it will be easier for you to transfer once you have your physical space set up.
Significant Industrial Users
• Noramco submitted their self-monitoring reports and all parameters were in compliance. Noramco will be terminating operations at the Coventry facility therefore we will discount the industrial flow in next year’s budget.
Food Service Permits
• A new permit was issued to Applebee’s due to an ownership change.
• A permit was reissued to Filippou’s Twist Pizza in West Warwick.
Plan Reviews
• Plans were reviewed for 113 Tiogue Avenue. It is a mixed-use building. The plans were in compliance and a letter was issued.
• Plans were received for the former 1149 restaurant. It is now being proposed for a gas station and convenience. The plans were in general compliance. They will be tying into the line at East Greenwich Square.
• Keyes Storage, LLC submitted plans for a new building that were not in compliance with regulations and a letter was issued.
• We inspected a cannabis analysis facility on Main Street in West Warwick. They did not provide a site plan or the required information. They are currently deficient and we are awaiting a response to our permits.
• Councilman Licciardi asked about the private pump stations. Mr. Geremia replied we are working on the private pump stations. We’ve billed out 22 and 18 have paid. Mr. Corrente has submitted delinquent letters to those who haven’t paid.
• Mr. Geremia stated it’s difficult finding a point person within the condo associations.
• Council Vice President Williamson asked who is sending out the bills. Mr. Geremia replied the Sewer Commission.
• Mr. Geremia stated we have also followed up on the operational costs of monitoring the private pump stations and we are underbudget in regards to expenses and we are collecting revenue.
• Mr. Geremia stated we need to do further research into some of the private homeowner’s associations because some of them are not pump stations they’re just sewer systems.
• Mr. Geremia stated next year the private pump station bills will be incorporated in the general bill so there won’t be an individual bill going out. They will not only be assessed for their capital and operational costs, they will also be assessed their permit fee for private pump stations. He said he’ll have a more detailed report when we go through the budget meetings.
• Year-to-Date Operating and Debt Expenses for Fiscal Year 2022 through the end of February totaled $6,037,126 which is 64% of the annual budget.
• Fiscal Year 2022 Sewer Usage collections through the end of February totaled $5,287,620 which is 81% of the total billed.
• Fiscal Year 2022 Sewer Assessment collections through the end of February totaled $232,084 which is 104% of the total billed. Of the total collected, $2,272 represents interest.
• Cash and Investments through the end of February totaled $3,241,614.
• In February I mailed delinquent notices to the eight private pump station owners who had not paid their previous invoice that was due November 1, 2021. They were advised in the invoice that 1% penalty and interest was applied to the past due amount.
• Also mailed in February to ratepayers who were past due on their sewer usage bills were 2,107 delinquent notices totaling $1,071,896. In prior years delinquent notices were only mailed to ratepayers who were delinquent $200 or more. This year they were mailed to ratepayers who were delinquent $5 or more. If those past due amounts are paid, we’ll raise $97,795 in additional revenue.
• For FY23 Budget Workshops, we had one on March 10th and the next one will be on April 7th. Our Public Hearings will be on April 12th and April 26th.
• Council President Gosselin asked if we have that many delinquent notices under $200 that will raise almost $100,000. Mr. Corrente replied yes. The increase in postage was less than $500 to mail those additional delinquent notices so the decision was made to send them out.
• Council Vice President Williamson explained that it wasn’t that we were forgiving the past due, it was on their bills but we just didn’t send a special delinquent notice.
• Councilman Licciardi asked delinquent from when. Mr. Corrente replied anything that’s past due, current or prior years.
• Council President Gosselin said that it was a good decision.
• Councilman Messier asked when they are sent out. Mr. Corrente replied delinquency notices go out twice a year.
• Council Vice President Williamson stated she received feedback from people who did receive delinquency notices that really didn’t know they were delinquent. Councilman Messier asked if that wouldn’t show up on your next tax bill. Council Vice President Williamson and Mr. Corrente replied it does show. Mr. Corrente explained it says past due in small print on the bills and any past due amount is included on the first quarterly stub.
RESOLVED, per recommendation of the Superintendent of Sewers and James J. Geremia & Associates, Inc., to award the bid for Primary Clarifiers (2022) (Contract No. 2022-08) to Hart Engineering Corporation of Cumberland, Rhode Island in the amount of six-hundred and fourteen thousand dollars and zero cents ($614,000.00)
This project is to be funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) as awarded to the Town of West Warwick, and be it further resolved that the Town Manager be authorized to sign all related documents associated with the award of this contract.
Resolution moved by Council Vice President Williamson and seconded by Councilman Messier.
• Mr. Geremia stated we received two bids yesterday. The lowest bidder was Hart Engineering in the amount of $618,000.
• Mr. Geremia said the reason for the urgency is a major failure with the Primary Clarifiers. There is only one unit online. One is down and cannot operate. It is key to our operation as it takes out our solids and our phosphorous.
• Mr. Geremia apologized for the rush in awarding this bid and explained that in order to expedite the installation and repair, the Town executed a purchase order on an emergency basis to buy the drive mechanism that had failed. Delivery time is 10 to 18 weeks. By awarding the contract now they’ll be ready to go the first week of April.
• Mr. Geremia stated the total cost for the drive and this award, not including engineering fees is $664,200. We had budgeted $682,000 so we have a contingency of $17,000.
• Councilman Licciardi asked what is the engineering cost. Mr. Geremia replied $7,000 for design and the construction administration, if necessary, is $18,000. This project went into the ARPA funds so it doesn’t impact the operating budget.
All in favor, none opposed and unanimously voted to accept.
RESOLVED, per recommendation by the Superintendent of Sewers, to award the following bids for PLANT CHEMICALS (Contract No. 2022-09) to:
Holland Company, Inc. (Adams, MA) for Alum at $1.43 per gallon
Univar Solutions USA, Inc. (Morrisville, PA) for Sodium Hypochlorite (15%) at $1.991 per gallon
Univar Solutions USA, Inc. (Morrisville, PA) for Methanol in the amount of $1.9982 per gallon
Borden & Remington Corp. (Fall River, MA) for Sodium Hydroxide at $1.9985 per gallon
Madigan Lime Corporation (Lancaster, MA) for Lime at $0.14 per pound
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Council President acting as Sewer Commission Chairman be authorized to sign any related contracts upon review and approval of the Town Solicitor and the Administration.
Resolution moved by Council Vice President Williamson and seconded by Councilman Messier.
• Mr. Chapdelaine stated the cost of everything these days has gone up and plant chemicals have gone up. One of our largest companies that we use for Alum has gone up 60%. Unfortunately, none of the chemical vendors wanted to renew their contracts this year so we had to go out to bid and all the chemicals came in higher than the previous year.
All in favor, none opposed and unanimously voted to accept.
RESOLVED that the consent agenda, having been posted, all matters having been referred to proper departments and being disposed of or awaiting recommendations the same is hereby approved.
Resolution moved by Council Vice President Williamson and seconded by Councilman Messier.
All in favor, none opposed and unanimously voted to accept.
None
A motion to adjourn was made by Councilman Messier and seconded by Council Vice President Williamson. All in favor, none opposed and unanimously voted to accept.
To view this meeting go to:
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