WATER MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
January 12, 2010 Minutes
WMC members present: Sandy Bayne, chair WMC; Meint Olthof, vice-chair, wastewater; Karl Weiss, vice-chair, water; Marcel Boelitz; Charles Harris; Don Nuendel, Clerk pro tem; Dan Schwebach; Muriel Lightfoot, Alternate
Others present: Jane Crowley (Health Agent); Selectman Martin McDonald
Members absent: Bill Nugent; Stephen Wasby
The meeting began at 2:07pm and ended at 4:10pm.
The meeting started out with the introduction of the WMC's newest member Charles Harris. Mr. Harris has much experience in environmental compliance issues which include waste and drinking water. Welcome aboard Charles!
The minutes of the December 2009 meeting were approved. Also minutes of the of July 7, 2009 Technical Sub-Committee were approved.
A discussion was held regarding open meeting law, topics included:
- The 1984 court case, John M. Nigro & Others vs. Conservation Commission of Canton.
- Posting of meeting minutes.
A copy of the court case was distributed to each WMC member for review. A discussion of the review will be included on the February meeting agenda.
A discussion was held regarding the proposed town budget for FY 2011, topics included:
- Availability of funds to continue pond testing.
- Possibility of separating pond testing from well testing in the future.
- The $65,000 in the capital plan earmarked for pond remediation will require a 4/5 approval by voters at the Spring town meeting.
Discussions were held regarding the Nauset Estuary and Rock Harbor:
- No funding is available to date for an environmental lawyer to review the MEP report.
- Rock Harbor MEP report is closed out. The final report was issued December 2008.
- Meint Olthof's memo to the BOS to support the cost of consultant review of the Nauset Harbor/Town Cove Report.
Motion: Submit Meint's memo to the BOS. Seconded and passed 6 for, with 1 abstention.
- Orleans BOS have decided to set aside $155,000 for professional review of all outstanding reports.
- Federal money that may be available for the replacement of the culvert located at Dyer Prince Road. Plan to request Neil Andres to attend the WMC February meeting for a discussion on this possible project.
- The Boelitz review of the Rock Harbor MEP report.
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Motion: Submit Boelitz Rock Harbor MEP review with a cover letter to the BOS. Seconded and passed 6 for, with 1 abstention.
- Sandy Bayne will make changes to the cover letter she has drafted.
- A discussion continued in regards to the past dredging of Rock Harbor by CMZ. Sandy Bayne will check on available information before the February meeting.
A discussion was held regarding the newsletter:
- The final version of the Newsletter is ready for final printing.
- A mailing date needs to be established, hopefully before the Spring town meeting.
The town of Brewster is in the process of forming a Waste Water Management Committee and would like to meet with the WMC for guidance. The WMC will discuss schedule and details at the February meeting.
A discussion was held regarding the proposed Stop & Shop (S&S) gas station:
- There are concerns about a gas station located so close to Town Cove and a marsh at the rear of the parking lot.
- Dan Schwebach will draft a letter to the BOS regarding the WMC concerns.
A discussion was held regarding Pond issues
- If voters pass the $65,000 funding request at the Spring town meeting how will the money be budgeted?
- The need for a RFP for Pond study. Meint will draft the RFP.
- Herring Pond Homeowners Association meeting in which Sandy and Meint left to attend at 4 PM today.
- Importance of education to help increase pond health.
Sandy and Meint left at 3:45PM to attend the Herring Pond Homeowners Association meeting.
Karl Weiss presided for the remaining meeting in her absence.
Motion: To ask the Cape Cod Commission for technical assistance for the review of sample data from Little Depot and Bridges Ponds. Unanimous 5-0
A discussion was held regarding the Americorp project by Amie Vos in regards to the NSTAR use of herbicides and their affect on Eastham's private wells.
A discussion was held about considering the possibility of a County of Barnstable sewer system instead of each town operating separate systems. This will be an agenda item for the February meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Donald T. Nuendel
Clerk pro tem
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