EASTHAM WATER RESOURCES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
EASTHAM WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT PLANNING COMMITTEE
Minutes of 3/2/05 Meeting
Attending were:
WRAB Chair Weiss, WRAB members Nugent, Whitemore, Lightfoot, Holt, and Bayne, WWMPC members Sullivan and Peterson, Health Agent Crowley and Americorp volunteer Michelle Palmer.
The minutes of the WRAB 2/2/05 meeting were approved as amended.
Weiss updated the group on the issue of the Cape Cod Waste Water Collaborative proposal from the County Commissioners and the Assembly of Delegates. A commentary on the draft proposal, based on the Jan. WRAB discussion, was distributed (on file.) Crowley reported that Dennis and Truro will not support the Collaborative.
Weiss announced a denitrifying waste water system workshop to be held in Falmouth on 3/15.
The Zoning Board hearing on the Roach property application was described by Nugent, who stated that the ZBA had voted 3/2 not to require a community waste water system be provided by the developers. Developer’s attorney Ford indicated that New Boston was still open to using 18 alternative systems if funding can be found. The hearing was continued.
Weiss reported that the Critical Planning Committee has met several times with the McShane Corp. re their 40-B proposal for the Brackett Rd. area. Nitrex waste water treatment will be used at this development, which allows the developer greater density. CPC is advocating an expandable system so that it could be used for future development on the Town owned Purcell property across Brackett Rd.
Bayne reported she will meet with BOS on 3/9 to present a rationale for their support of the $135,000 worth of pond testing ordinances being considered at the Assembly of Delegates, and a budget for Town support of pond testing for the 2005 season if those ordinances fail.
Crowley demonstrated the use of the new data base system which she has acquired for the BOH by showing the results of the well water testing program as sorted by various parameters. Americorp volunteer Palmer will use the system to plot the variety of results over time. She demonstrated some of the graphs she has developed. The board was quite pleased with the system’s abilities and thanked Crowley and Palmer.
The merger of the WRAB and the WWPMC was discussed. Weiss explained that charter research has revealed that because the WRAB is named in the charter its mission and formulation can be changed only by T.M. vote, which then must be ratified by the state legislature. The WWMPC, not named in the charter, can be changed by BOS vote; it could be disbanded or subsumed into the WRAB. However, the WRAB membership is limited to seven by the charter. The BOS will consider proposing a charter amendment to increase the number of members and expand the mission of the WRAB at the 3/7 meeting.
The group discussed the concept of merger once more. WWMPC Chair Jim Taylor has resigned to return to an active medical practice. Peterson expressed his concern that the goals of the WWMPC not be seen as secondary to those of the WRAB, especially when the RFP for a waste water plan is being sent out, and funding will be required for a consultant. Some WRAB members expressed concern over the disbanding of the WWMPC, and asked if the two groups could simply meet simultaneously so that the obvious overlapping interests could be shared. Whitmore will meet with Vanderhoef to request that the proposed revision to the WRAB charter include the goals of the WWMPC and expand the number of WRAB members to11. The expectation remains that over time the number of members would decline to11 by attrition.
Submitted by Sandy Bayne, clerk
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