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Sewer Commission 12/10/2024
(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)
Join us as we look into the latest board meeting that navigates the surprises and challenges thrown by the latest weather, alongside the routine yet pivotal updates from the Board of Commissioners. We kick off with essential approvals and updates, including new sewer connections and construction progress. Discover how the recent storm's aftermath, with power outages and infrastructure damage, is shaping future plans. We'll explore the impacts on key projects like the operator generator project.
In our exploration, we tackle a malfunctioning logic controller at the old King Street Pumping Station and the innovative contingency plan being put in place. The Route 44 pump replacement project is also under the spotlight with budgetary hurdles and the need for timely action. As we wrap up, we'll share the heartfelt holiday wishes exchanged during this meeting and the importance of contract signings before the year's end.
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Good evening. Call a monthly meeting of the Board of Super Commissioners to order at 6 PM on December the 12th. First item, of course, is usually the approval of minutes. Mr Pickle is under the weather and won't be here tonight. I hope he gets recovering fast. It's a tough time of year to be sick. Entertain a motion to accept the minutes. If you've had a chance to read them, mr Kellogg, I have. That was good to me. I see. No, no corrections needed. From whatever motion made to accept the minutes by mr keller, I will second it. Any other questions wrong, none being none. All those in favor. Aye, aye. The vote is two to zero correspondence. Nobody likes to write to us, that's okay.
Speaker 2:Superintendents report what's like it is hard to get set now. It's hard to get set now. It is Superintendent's report for December 12th of 2024. Under our department operations we have had four connections to the sewer system since our last meeting, one of those being a two-unit duplex at 13 Broadway. The construction of that building has been lingering on for what seems to be two or three years now, actually not more. That sewer connection has been lingering on for what seems to be two or three years now, actually not more. But that sewer connection has been made there and I believe they still have to do a water connection, so they're running a water service from across the street. The work on the sewer connection for the eight-unit condo on the corner of Leonard and Carroll Drive has started. This is something I've been actually bringing up to you guys probably for six months now. The connection is expected to be completed within the next couple weeks.
Speaker 2:The force main for the simulcast building has failed pressure testing once again. This is actually the third attempt. So the contractor is trying to isolate the leak and make the repair. The owner is hoping to complete the building and have opening in February. One issue they have with this force main is they've actually blacked off the roadway or entranceway into the building and the force main is under that. I think they're trying to come up with an alternative. Rather than have to dig it up, they have what they call a lining system. They can actually line the pipe. They may actually even snake and pipe inside the great swing that's there. So I'm still up in the aisle. They're gonna make their chair of that court and I attended the meeting at the top of the DPW Commissioner in the staff on the 18th of November. This was to discuss the progress of the plant reconstruction project. My understanding of this is the work is, for the most part, completed and maybe with some incidental work to be finished, possibly punchless items or such an idea like that.
Speaker 2:Storm update as you know, we had a frequent storm yesterday. The crew was busy yesterday responding to multiple pump station calls. We had multiple pumping stations running on backup generators throughout the town. Many of the stations were operating on backup power for at least six hours or more, with calls coming in throughout the night, with the last call being roughly at about 1.15 this morning. I believe it was the TMLP going around switching power back on. So we'll get all. The power is off. Power is now on at the stations. He did have some slight damage to the fence over at South Street East Pumping Station. The tree had fallen and basically the top of the tree took out didn't take it out, but damaged the fence around the pump station. So we'll be looking to repair that.
Speaker 2:Operator generator project. The contract that started would work as expected. A few weeks back he did sway from the schedule by altering the installation procedure. Originally he was going to go and basically dedicate his time to each pump station by installing the transfer switch and then the generator. But what he did, he ended up actually going around and replacing transfer switches at each station first. So he completed all seven at this time. He completed that seventh one last week.
Speaker 2:Generator replacement will be starting next Tuesday with the O'Brien Nav Station moving on to Judson Street on Wednesday and then I'm sorry, yeah on Wednesday and then the Nottingham Drive on Thursday. The contractor will have a temporary standby generator on site while performing the work. Kraft Power will perform start-up and load bank testing on the new equipment. So he is doing these three and the remaining four will be sometime after the new year. He has to schedule Kraft Power to come in and do the start up on them and I guess they're booked up until sometime after the first of the year. The initial three will be getting completed next week, as mentioned, and then no work until after the first of the year. Why did the chain drop? Why did he change his side of the weather thing or stock related thing? No, I think basically waiting for the other four is because he can't get Kraft Power to come out here and do the stock once they're replaced. So he's got the first three scheduled for next week.
Speaker 2:Actually, in changing his work procedure with the transfer switches actually worked out really well. He was able to get them out of the way and actually most of these stations ran yesterday on the new transfer switch with the old generator. So actually he worked out pretty good. You can see the pictures down there. That was at the Market Basket front of the station. The picture on the left was the old switch being removed. The middle picture is with it removed. You can see the space there and then the third picture is the new switch in place. So these Koala switches are really nice switches, so a big improvement from the general asset. Much smaller. They do look smaller, don't they? Yeah, I think there was a lot of wasted space in the old cabinet, but certainly is a lot smaller Special time meeting.
Speaker 2:During the special Town Meeting held in November, the three suited condominium articles were approved, as you guys well know Accessory Dwelling Units and the MBTA Community Desert, something I've been discussing for a couple months now. The Cleaner Board, along with the Building Commission, continue to work on zoning bylaws for these two new housing requirements being put on cities and towns by the state. The planning board will be holding a public hearing on Thursday January 2nd. For the ADUs the accessory dwelling units From what I understand, the state is still working through producing guidelines that cities and towns have to follow. For the ADUs, another development has come about.
Speaker 2:Where originally it was mentioned to have an ADU, the property had to be occupied by the homeowner living in either one of the units, either the main unit or the new session-re-dwelling. This apparently is not the case. The property does not need to be occupied by the owner, meaning that investors or developers could possibly buy your neighbor's house and create an adu and all of a sudden you have a two pot, two unit apartment next year. I don't think it's a good scenario being done that way, because a developer ain't gonna care what his name affects the mbta communities that we put to a town vote as part of the annual town meeting in the spring. That vote will be for the townspeople to decide whether the town should accept or deny the MBTA Communities Act. As a reminder, this is to create zoning for an additional 750 apartment units. This will be in addition to the 40D developments we already have approved throughout the town. So that's gonna be the big I would assume, a big turnout in that annual town meeting. My hope is that it gets turned down.
Speaker 2:I just can't see the town taking on another additional 750 units. It could be a lot of people there on Januaryuary 2nd. And yes, that's right for the uh accessory. Yeah, I, I don't think there's anything we can do about that. They're just creating bylaws for it. I believe we're stuck with that one at this point.
Speaker 2:Uh, west pine states, which is, uh, we know as uh regular states at one time. This is down on pine street. Uh, this development has now started infrastructure work to include drainage and sewer. Main SW Cold has been monitoring the sewer work and providing reports for the project. Long Built Homes who's working on West Pine as well, as W engineering was in the office last week discussing the continued development of East Pine, which is which was expected. East Pine would be the property across the street from the West. So I don't know how many, how many else is the proposing that? That Melba? I want to say maybe 11, 20, some odd houses possibly across the street, route 138 construction, something we've been talking about for quite a while now.
Speaker 2:The gas company continues with its work on Route 138, although it appears to be moving a little slower, probably weather related. They probably have roughly 400 feet installed now on their Phase 2. Again, phase 2 is running from the area of the old Gap restaurant up to 1445. They are roughly now right about where John's Auto Talk is, so again about 400 feet up the road. The gas company has also been working on relocating their gas lane at the intersection of Mill Street and King Phillip Street. This work is being accomplished to allow for the remaining drainage work to be completed as part of the Mill Street roadway improvements. So I believe the gas company went out and started compacting that big trench they had dug over there. So they're compacting the whole thing. So I believe they're done with that part of the work. So CN Port will be coming in and finishing up the drainage work for the highway department. I'm expecting, probably next week, to try and get that wrapped up before the end of the year.
Speaker 1:Old King Street Pumping.
Speaker 2:Station. A problem came about with the logic controller at the pump station. The logic controller is the interface for the PLC. Parts have been ordered for the repair which is going to be completed the third week in January. So that interface is basically we have a computer system that runs the pumps and controls all the work of the pumps on the station and the interface is basically your touch screen. And what's the matter with that right now is it's locked up and there's no solution for it. Usually you can reboot them and they come back, but nothing's working on it. There's no problem right now with the station operating. Everything's operating fine.
Speaker 2:Our concern is that if the station goes into a failure, the PLC walks out, say we have a pump failure. The PLC walks out that pump. We go there, we repair the pump, we go and put the pump back online. And the way to do that you've got to go into the operator interface, acknowledge that the repair was made, put the pump back online. That operator interface isn't responding to anything, so we can't. If that happens, we're not sure if we're going to be able to come back. All right, um, so again, possibly ordered, hold them, get it repaired. And I actually have chris, uh, our um electrician working on a solution for, or a backup solution as you say, which will work.
Speaker 2:pretty much all our stations manual override pretty much if the plc goes down, we have float switches as a backup in the wet. Well, right now, then, float switches run through that plc. So if that plc goes down, even the float switches aren't going to work. So I asked chris to to create we. We're gonna have a little control box in our own and we're gonna pull the float switches wires out of that, out of the control panel. We'll wire them into this standby control panel that Chris is developing and we'll be able to bypass everything under that control panel and get it to operate automatically, just with the float switches. It'd just be an emergency Emergency. Hopefully we never get to use it. It'd be manned the whole time probably.
Speaker 1:I don't know. The idea is that we would be.
Speaker 2:This is so we don't have to if that PLC goes down basically somebody's at the stand and turn that switch on or off all day long. So this is gonna take the place of that. It'll have relays in it and basically it's just gonna turn the motor starter on to turn the pump on. So it should be a simple thing to make and hopefully we don't have to try it, but it'll be there for us to use. This kind of came about because of this and it was like if this thing goes down, we can't get the pumps going and we're just staying here.
Speaker 1:They're in no man's land, Right? Yeah?
Speaker 2:So something we recommend. That way I think it will help us out throughout the town. Bid opening for the Route 44 pump replacement that was held on 11-21-24. Only one bid was received, from a company called Exilum, the amount of the bid being $254,510.37. This amount includes pump rebuild kits for each of the three pumps, which were for each of the three pumps was $16,985.79.
Speaker 1:Again, for each kit of three pumps, and so I'll end up for you on that. How does that compare to what we thought?
Speaker 2:the budget would be. So the pumps themselves, without the repair kit, were under what we weren't asking for repair kits originally. So, um, the pumps themselves came in a little lower than what we actually were budgeting for. Um, so with the three parts it brings it more than what we were budgeting for, but but, speaking with Greg Barnes, they've allowed me to spend and utilize additional APA funds to accommodate that, so we're still covered, we are still covered and we're covered actually to even include the engineering cost too Good, which would be in addition to the $254,000.
Speaker 1:No, very nice, should we get on of that okay, any comments?
Speaker 2:no, thank you very much, set meeting schedule.
Speaker 1:The meeting schedule, uh, has never changed. The second thursday has never changed. The second Thursday of every month.
Speaker 2:And this is the proposed schedule, so, which is every excuse me the second Thursday of every month.
Speaker 1:Unless situation happens that we can't have a portal, we will move it. You can publish this in the minutes and you can give it down put on a town hall. I don't think there's any reason to change All business. Route 24 replacement pump contract.
Speaker 2:I just touched a little bit on that. This was the bid proposal from Exilin and you can see the breakdown of the bid, starting with the original. So it's 198,000, and then they have a bond that they have to put up of almost 5,000. So it comes out to a total of 203,553 for the base bid. And then we have the alternates, which were the pump replacement parts that I just mentioned. Yeah, and second page showing the total that I just mentioned to you $254,510.37.
Speaker 1:Is that their signature Dated on the 21st? I believe it is yeah, that would be their signature yes, and title of person signing for the bidder, and then the direction of the. So, that is basically a quote. Acceptable becomes the contract, Right, Okay.
Speaker 2:So then, as part of the contract, timeborne is still waiting for some paperwork from them bonds, bond certificates and what not so once they get that, we'd be able to issue this. So I'd be looking for approval to sign the contract and once Time Bond expects to have that if not tomorrow, sometime early next week the remaining information they're waiting on. So I'd like to get this signed and once that is received, they would process the contract. And as part of thebecause we're using the output funds as part of that, we have to have a signed contract before the end of this month.
Speaker 1:So yes, we will not be able to wait until the second. So, when time gone, get you the information. We basically have a commitment from the bidder. Yes, it just needs our signatures. Okay, what do you need? Authorizations from the board to sign for us, yes, or do you need us to sign? I can bring it around.
Speaker 2:if you want and have you guys sign it once they get that, or if you want, I can sign it. There's one line here to sign. Basically, I'll be signing it as the title of the superintendent, with your approval.
Speaker 1:Fine by me, I'll put that in a formal motion. Motion to authorize the superintendent to sign the contract for the Route 44 replacement pump contract of a total of $254,510.37 when the last aspect of the backup is received from Ty and Bond within the next couple of days. Moved by Mr Keller.
Speaker 2:I would just add the discussion really wasn't preemptive without Mr Bickle here. He's privy to all this information before as well, so it's not like it's an act.
Speaker 1:Right, seconded by Mr Bettencourt. Now it's on the table for discussion. I believe Mr Bickle would be in compliance with our Full agreeance. He's privy to all the information that's been presented. We agreed to proceed under the function, so, unfortunately. Thank you for your vote, joe. All those in favor, aye, aye, the vote is 2-0 to authorize the superintendent to sign the contract. Okay, emergency business. We have none Now.
Speaker 1:Commission reports I have a brief one pertaining to the meeting we had with the the commission. Yeah, the commission in Taunton Project is basically done. They couldn't answer the question when am I going to get a bill, when is the town of Rainham going to get a bill and how is it going to be calculated? And they suggested we talk to the money person and they were supposed to set up a meeting for us and when they do, superintendent, and I will go down and get the information for us. Other than that, no public forum, no press time.
Speaker 1:But being the season that it is before, I ask for a motion to adjourn for the purpose of administrative work, taking no action. I'm going to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah and a joyous Kwanzaa. Hanukkah and Kwanzaa both start at midnight on the 25th it's an unusual and wishing all of our two people in attendance tonight a happy, healthy new year and to all a good night entertain. The motion to adjourn. Motion is made by mr Kelleher, seconded by mr bettencourt. All those in favor, aye, we are adjourned at 6 22. Thank you for your service.