Water and Sewer 10/20/25

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Water and Sewer Minutes 10-20-25 219 KB

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Town of Richmond

Meeting of Water and Sewer Commission

Minutes of October 20, 2025

Members Present: Bard Hill, Erin Farr, Jay Furr, David Sander, Morgan Wolaver

Members Absent: None

Staff Present: Town Manager Josh Arneson; Duncan Wardwell, Deputy Town Manager; Steve Cote, Water Resources Superintendent
 

Others Present: The meeting was recorded for MMCTV Erin Wagg, Denise Barnard, Gary Bressor, Mary Houle
 

MMCTV Video:  https://youtu.be/JoYuIUYRkz0?si=9FP_TbbSGbOXbuoV

Call to Order: 6:00 pm

Welcome: Wolaver

Public Comment: Sander stated that it is raining.

Additions or Deletions to the Agenda: None

Approval of Minutes, Warrants and Purchase Orders

Minutes:

Furr moved to approve the minutes of October 6, 2025. Sander seconded.

Roll Call Vote: Farr, Hill, Sander, Wolaver in favor. Furr abstains. Motion approved.

Sander moved to approve the minutes of October 7, 2025. Farr seconded.

Roll Call Vote: Farr, Sander, Wolaver in favor. Furr and Hill abstain. Motion approved.

Purchase Orders:

Sander moved to amend Purchase Order number 5010 to Hoyle Tanner for the 20-year wastewater treatment facility study to the amount of $162,400. Furr seconded. 
Roll Call Vote: Farr, Furr, Hill, Sander, Wolaver in favor. Motion approved.

Warrants:

Furr moved to approve the Warrants as presented. Sander seconded.

Roll Call Vote: Farr, Furr, Hill, Sander, Wolaver in favor. Motion approved.

Items for Presentation or Discussion with those present

Follow up on Oct. 7 meeting regarding Wastewater Treatment Facility 20-year study and the Pump Station and Force Main flood mitigation study

Timestamp: 0:05

Arneson reviewed that the Commission voted to approve the preliminary engineering report for the wastewater treatment facility 20-year study. 

Arneson stated that they reviewed some funding options but need to use a future meeting to discuss finalizing a budget bond vote for next summer of fall. 

Arneson summarized the discussion about the different locations of the pump station for the flood mitigation study. Cote reviewed that if they put the pump station at the park by the Round Church then they would have to go deeper (~35 feet) and it would require pylons to retain the sides of the bank and probably entail blasting. Cote illustrated that the site in front of the Waterhouse would have to be a concrete tube structure with a concrete platform about 7 feet high.  Cote stated that if they did it at the current site then the structure would have to come up ~9 feet and the construction would require demolition of current pump station and closing off one lane of Bridge St.  Cote and Bressor and the engineer looked at a location behind the current pump station which is above the 100-year flood plain but not above the 500-year floodplain but would require negotiating with the property owners for the right of way.  They will have a meeting with the landowners to see if this is something they can pursue. 


Review of requests from the property owner of 205 Jericho Rd. in return for an easement that the Town needs for the Tilden Ave., Bridge St., Cochran Rd. waterline replacement project
Timestamp: 0:23

Cote summarized that at the head of Millet St there is a lot of an infrastructure in the roadway and in order to make it easier for construction,  The property owner is asking for a sewer hook-up and water curb stop to the property where the camper currently is on 205 Jericho Rd. Hill had questions about the request specifications for 72 Tilden Ave and 205 Jericho Rd. Cote confirmed they could do the two curb stops at 72 Tilden.  The property owners wanted to talk to the engineer as they were vague on their request and understanding of the Zoning laws.  Cote illustrated that the idea of the curb stop is to avoid digging back into the travel lane.  Hill stated that for all of these connections, the proposal for water and sewer should clearly explain how much each one would be, including curb stops.  Arneson stated that they will bring this back to the next meeting with some better numbers.  Hill also requested the cost of the alternative of not doing the easement and staying in the right-of-way.






Update on easement obtainment for the Tilden Ave., Bridge St., and Cochran Rd. Waterline Replacement Project
Timestamp: 0:40

Arneson confirmed that they have obtained 13 of the 21 easements. Cote confirmed he would send Wolaver and Arneson a spreadsheet so they could follow up.


Update regarding online water accounts for customers to track water usage
Timestamp: 0:41
https://www.richmondvt.gov/fileadmin/files/Water_Sewer_Commission/Meetings/2025/10/4d_Information_regarding_online_water_accounts_for_customers_to_track_water_usage.pdf

Wolaver confirmed that it worked for him. Cote summarized a situation where they found a new tenant that might have had a running toilet at 150 gallons per hour.   Arneson demonstrated what it looks like for the Town account by month, week, day, and hour. Arneson stated that the leak alert feature is coming soon.


Update on operation of well and discussion regarding if there needs to be further water conservation due to the drought
Timestamp: 0:45

Cote thinks that they should continue to conserve water. Cote stated that for the most part the well has been operating normally. Cote confirmed that he is turning away bulk water haulers for instance a request for 8,000 gallons to fill a swimming pool. 


Superintendent’s Report

Timestamp: 0:49

Cote stated that they handled a tremendous amount of septage for this month, in the 800,000-gallon range. It has been hard to get Chittenden Solid Waste to get the trailer dumped so they had to shut down for three days of taking septage. Cote summarized that they have been asked to take 8,000 gallons per day for a washing project at Waterbury Dam.

Cote stated that 80% of the new influent pump is here and the pump and motor is on its way. Cote summarized that they switched the aeration tanks and in the process of changing all the diffusers.

Cote mentioned that Erin Kelley, the new hire, is fantastic and learning. She is signed up for a test at the beginning of November for her water license. Cote said that Coyle will be taking his distribution water license to finish up his water apprenticeship and start his wastewater apprenticeship. 



Discuss Items for Next Agenda:

-Spreadsheet for bond payments next few meetings
-Easement follow up
-Pump station follow up
-October water numbers

Adjournment

Furr moved to adjourn. Sander seconded.

Roll Call Vote: Farr, Furr, Hill, Sander, Wolaver in favor. Motion approved.

Meeting adjourned at: 6:58 pm

Chat file from Zoom: None