Water and Sewer 6/2/25

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Water and Sewer Minutes 06-02-25 4 MB

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Town of Richmond

Meeting of Water and Sewer Commission

Minutes of June 2, 2025

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

Members Absent: None

Staff Present:  Superintendent Steve Cote; Deputy Superintendent Brad Snow; Town Manager Josh Arneson; Assistant to the Town Manager Duncan Wardwell; Admin Assistant Linn Caroleo.

Others Present: The meeting was recorded for MMCTV Erin Wagg, Jon Olin, Aiden Short and Kirstin DiPietro Worden from Hoyle Tanner, Lynnette Claudon from Department of Environmental Conservation State of VT, Linda Parent.

MMCTV Video: MMCTV Erin Wagg

https://youtu.be/WZLS3U6sxf0?si=qWOQoJD0MLw9Ia2u

Call to Order: 6:00 pm

Welcome: Wolaver

Public Comment: None

Additions or Deletions to the Agenda: None

Approval of Minutes, Warrants and Purchase Orders

Minutes:

Sander moved to approve the minutes of May 19, 2025. Furr seconded.

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

Purchase Orders:

Sander moved to amend Purchase Order number 4738 to Various Chemical Suppliers for sodium aluminate to the amount of $21,000.00. Hill seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Hill, Wolaver, Furr, Sander in favor. Motion approved.

Warrants:

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

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

Discussion of bid process for a contractor for construction of the Tilden Ave., Bridge St., and Cochran Rd. Waterline Replacement Project
Timestamp: 0:04

People who participated in discussion: Arneson, Hill, Cote

Arneson expanded that this is going out to bid this summer but the work won’t be done until Spring 2027. Cote said it would be impossible to get this work going this summer, and that gives us time to get the easements done prior to construction. Arneson suggested a meeting on June 30, 2025 or July 14, 2025 about this. Farr asked if it could be done on June 17, which is a Tuesday. Arneson will suggest some dates and get back to everyone.

Consideration of recommending that the Selectboard accept the loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for Step 1 design of the flood mitigation project for the Wastewater Pump and Force Main at 100% subsidy
Timestamp: 0:11

https://www.richmondvt.gov/fileadmin/files/Water_Sewer_Commission/Meetings/2025/05/4b_RF1-387-1.1_Richmond_Loan_Agreement_Signed_by_VBB.pdf

People who participated in discussion: Arneson, Cote, Hill, Farr

Arneson said this went before the board previously at 50% coverage, but it’s now at 100% coverage.

Furr moved to recommend that the Selectboard accept the loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for Step 1 design of the flood mitigation project for the Wastewater Pump and Force Main at 100% subsidy. Hill seconded.

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

Discussion of Septage Receiving Analysis with Hoyle Tanner
Timestamp: 0:12

https://www.richmondvt.gov/fileadmin/files/Water_Sewer_Commission/Meetings/2025/05/4c_Richmond_WWTF_-_Septage_Receiving_Analysis_Memo_-_05.23.2025.pdf

People who participated in discussion: Arneson, Olin, Worden, Hill, Cote, Short, Sander, Farr, Claudon

Olin and Worden were present from Hoyle Tanner and they reviewed some historical data and a budget for septage receiving using a presentation. Worden said biosolid facility repair costs were related to septage receiving in the recent years. Olin said usage rates were also related to costs associated with septage receiving. Hill asked about the cost of water usage due to septage receiving. Cote said the polymer system uses 2000-4000 gallons of water per day when in use, when not in use the plant only uses 400-1000 gallons per day. Hill continued that hidden costs associated with septage should be included in budget calculations. Olin said he thinks they captured the largest costs related to septage receiving and sludge. 13% of labor is related to septage receiving. Net cost benefit was estimated to be a bit over $200,000 per year looking forward versus looking backward a budget deficit was found to be over $88,000 without septage receiving, but this will lead to a rate increase of over 69%.

Cote said without taking in sludge he wouldn’t have enough fiber to run the press. Claudon added that the permit for accepting more septage would have to be changed. Cote said the upgrade of the plant will not increase the amount of septage that can be received. Hill mentioned that currently we are accepting more septage than needed, and  the people who are paying for this are only the residents on the system who typically have a lower income level, making them pay for receiving more septage is unfair. Sander said he agreed with Hill that people would not vote for this increase in rates to pay for accepting more septage. Olin claims having a bigger plant would benefit people.

Cote said downsizing the plant is not a good idea. Furr added we should not downsize but just not use the whole capacity. Cote said he must use the capacity, because of the permits. Hill said the plant was built for a cheese plant that is no longer in Town. Farr wanted to know what in terms of numbers a change in development would be and how it would impact the plant, to which Cote said the inhabitants in Richmond could double and the plant would still not be at full capacity. Farr added that what would it cost to cut back, how would that affect rates and permit costs. Olin said they would have to rework the budget, but there would be a cost related to doing nothing as well. Wolaver asked about the estimated net cost benefit revenue, how that was calculated, which Worden said was calculated based on historical revenue of the current plant’s capacity.

Discuss Items for Next Agenda:

All remaining items on the agenda were moved to the next meeting.
Request from the Town Plan Committee for feedback on the Town Plan
from the Water and Sewer Commission

Superintendents Report

Adjournment

Furr moved to adjourn. Farr seconded.

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

Meeting adjourned at: 6:57 pm

Chat file from Zoom: 

00:18:39          Duncan Wardwell:      I cannot hear you

00:20:54          Duncan Wardwell:      I can hear you now

00:23:06          Jay Furr:          Reacted to "I can hear you now" with 👍

00:40:56          Duncan Wardwell:      Yes I hear him

00:41:22          Duncan Wardwell:      Now I lost him

00:41:45          ashort:  Should I call Jon and he can ut on speaker?

00:41:49          ashort:  *put