Water Management Committee
March 18 2009
Members Present: Sandy Bayne, Chair; Meint Olthof, Vice-Chair, Wastewater; Stephen Wasby, Clerk; Marcel Boelitz, Bill Nugent, Daniel Schwebach; Muriel Lightfoot (Alternate)
= Members absent: Donald Nuendel; Karl Weiss, Vice-Chair, Water
Others Present: Selectman Martin McDonald (part); Health Agent Jane Crowley; Tom Johnson,
Betty Ouellette, Donald Ouellette
The meeting began at 2:02pm and ended at 4:05pm.
The minutes of the meeting of February 9, 2009, were approved as distributed.
Donald and Betty Ouellette, Candlewood Lane, Eastham, were present, on the Chair’s invitation, to make comments as to what the Committee might do to make a better presentation than was made at the last Town Meetings.
Selectman McDonald, referring to the Board of Selectmen’s meeting of March 16, 2009, said that Selectman Martin had a good idea in terms of possibly melding the two water articles because of the possibility both would be defeated. He suggested to Tom Johnson that Johnson withdraw his proposal and obtain better financial information and said that McDonald would support it the following year. Stephen Wasby said that Johnson has to provide information and could do it for the next year, strengthening it in the meantime. Jane Crowley told Johnson that he would need much financial analysis before his proposal could go forward and that he should take Selectman McDonald’s suggestion under serious advisement; in addition, there was much permitting and regulatory review that would be necessary. She supported the
views of McDonald and Wasby. Johnson agreed that having both proposals doesn’t work, but argued that one proposal (his) provides for an immediate need, while the other (the Committee’s) provides for expansion. Responding to Crowley’s comment that once there was a new water arrangement, the agreement by which Orleans supplied some Eastham homes would terminate, Johnson said that state law says that if a town supplies another with some water, a municipal water agreement is not necessary.
Dates for various meetings at which presentations concerning the Committee’s proposal would be made were announced:
Finance Committee - March 18, 2009 - 5 pm
Eastham Forum Board - March 19 - 3pm
Board of Health - March 26 - 3 pm (following Nate Week’s wastewater presentation)
Conservation Commission - March 26 - after 7pm meeting.
Planning Board - April - date not set
public hearing - date not set
Reports were made on study areas:
(1) Bill Nugent distributed a summary of documents and other material on fertilizers,
herbicides, and pesticides that go into the drinking water and that mentioned alternatives.
March 18 WMC minutes - p. 2
(2) Marcel Boelitz had not yet obtained the list of towns without water supply systems.
Crowley commented on terminology concerning wells.
(3) Muriel Lightfoot would present information on storm water run-off issues next time.
(4) Dan Schwebach will be presenting a written report on matters relating to Orleans.
Chairman Bayne distributed a draft presentation for Town Meeting and a presentation made in October 2008 to the Board of Selectmen. Olthof commented; Bayne mentioned Crowley’s suggestion, which Crowley said was her opinion only. Wasby suggested there had been miscommunication about the intent of the document, which was for TM, not the BoS, and added that any misrepresentations of figures should be corrected. Olthof said that we needed a broader picture and to be able to answer questions raised before.
The Chair suggested that a subcommittee (Bayne, Olthof, Wasby) be designated to continue to redraft the presentation for TM. It was so moved and seconded and adopted.
Tom Johnson claimed that all e-mails exchanged among committee members are public documents. Wasby said that Johnson should make a formal request. Crowley said that the draft wastewater report by Stearns & Wheler, which had been given to a subcommittee for comment, was large and expensive to copy and she was attempting to be financial responsible. Answering a question by Wasby, she said that Town did have a policy for charge for copying ($.25/page) if someone wanted the report, although it would be difficult to find staff time for the copying. She also said one could edit documents by e-mail.
There was discussion of a possible request to the Finance Committee for funds to have Environmental Partners (EP) present at TM to answer questions. Wasby questioned why FinCom would support such a request if it was not supportive of the underlying proposal; Bayne said
that FinCom was still gathering information. Olthof proposed a letter for Bayne to send. Boelitz
said that it wasn’t right to have a consultant “anoint” a dollar amount; Wasby responded that the consultant was needed not for that but to answer questions beyond the Committee members’ ken, and that it was certain preferable that townpeople, not consultants, make the presentations. Dan Schwebach pointed out that there was a problem at the last TM of questions not answered. Olthof reported that at Orleans TM, there had been a combination of committee people and consultants who spoke, and that it had been a good combination. Crowley offered her opinion that on this matter, the Chair have a separate talk with the Town Administrator.
It was moved, seconded, and adopted to send the letter.
Chairman Bayne had sent Crowley a set of questions that we needed answered in connection with the TM presentation. Crowley said that some can be answered now, some based on regulations, and that we don’t pay EP for the answers to some of the questions. Wasby asked Crowley to identify other questions for which EP’s assistance was not needed or which were non-technical policy questions. Marcel Boelitz reintroduced the matter of why testing of three wells was necessary – why not stop at Well #1. Wasby responded that we decided to have testing of three
because the first might not test out and because of failures, contamination, and downtime for repair. Schwebach pointed out that we need a minimum of two wells, with one for backup.
Tom Johnson explained financial costs within the $4M for his proposal, which he says are
March 18 WMC Minutes - p. 3
validated figures. Boelitz spoke at length in continuing to question the Committee’s proposal, through a colloquy with Johnson, and said Johnson’s proposal “has merit.” Bayne asked what questions we wished to bring to FinCom and suggested some items.
In a further comment, Johnson said his idea was to have an Eastham well permitted for 500,000 gallons, and then with the pipe from Orleans in, get out of having water from Orleans.
Wasby asked about whether there would be a presentation on wastewater at TM, and said he didn’t want one. Olthof agreed it would confuse matters. Crowley indicated all presentations on wastewater, including a public meeting, as the Eastham Forum would not be holding a public forum on the subject.
Crowley presented an update on Board of Health matters:
- Over 3,000 reminders about pumping out septic systems have been sent.
- The matter of putting the DVDs from the Waquoit Bay sessions on the website is now in the Town Administrator’s hands and requires Selectmen’s approval.
- More than 1,000 vials have been sent out under the water testing program, and the response rate at this time is good.
- She discussed the grant from the Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative concerning
regionalization of wastewater facilities.
- She reported a “very productive” meeting she and the Town Administrator had with DEP in Boston. DEP was helpful on most matters but was adamant about the area near the landfill, and said that without town water, there would be testing and monitoring permanently.
Respectfully submitted,
Stephen L. Wasby, Clerk
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