Water and Sewer Annual Meeting 2025
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Tuesday,
June 3, 2025
6PM – 7:30 PM
Minutes
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Minutes
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Town of Richmond
Annual Customer Meeting of Water and Sewer Commission
Minutes of June 3, 2025
Members Present: Erin Farr, Bard Hill, Jay Furr, David Sander
Members Absent: Morgan Wolaver
Staff Present: Superintendent Steve Cote; Assistant Superintendent Brad Snow; Town Manager Josh Arneson; Assistant to the Town Manager Duncan Wardwell.
Others Present: The meeting was recorded for MMCTV Erin Wagg, Becky Vigneault.
MMCTV Video: MMCTV Erin Wagg
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm9TgJr7n7xfcKxRghWWSdATHBzGQTgkK
Call to Order: 6:00 pm
Welcome: Wolaver
Public Comment:
Wolaver wanted to thank Cote and Arneson for their hard work.
Discussion of Accomplishments of Past Year
Timestamp: 0:01
People who participated in discussion: Arneson, Wolaver, Cote
Arneson went through a presentation that he shared. Cote said Mike passed his test and has a bit more apprenticeship hours left. Snow is re-taking his test soon and is studying hard.
Cote changed the screw in the press and it’s running much better. They have over 300 new water meters installed and only have 3 left to do, one being Camel’s Hump Middle School where they have to wait until school is out. Cote gave kudos to Snow for installing all these meters. Arneson said Cote did an excellent job getting things up and operating again after last year’s flood.
Cote loves the new Mission Monitoring System which he can control from his phone. He wants to add a way to monitor pH, chlorine and fluoride on the same system, which will have some cost associated with it.
It cost $5,700 to raise the control panel up to 5 feet elevation to avoid future flood damage.
Review of public feedback on logo options for the Water Resources Department and consideration of approving a new logo
Timestamp: 0:14
People who participated in discussion: Arneson, Farr, Cote, Hill
Option 1 was voted on the most. Farr wondered why it wasn’t explained who would pay for this and why a logo is needed. Arneson explained it’s to replace an old logo. Cote explained that many people think his dept is the Fire Dept because of the red truck. Hill feels the artist should be compensated $100 for the logo. Farr said there is a uniform line item in the budget, which this money will cover the new logo and getting shirts and caps.
Farr moved to approve Logo Option One as the new logo for the Water Resources Department. Furr seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Hill, Furr, Farr, Wolaver, Sander in favor. Motion approved.
Review of Consumer Confidence Report
Timestamp: 0:23
People who participated in discussion: Arneson, Snow, Cote
Arneson stated that the report was sent out to all water users. Snow explained that lead residue is present due to old pipes and the tests are done inside people’s homes and so those lead values in the report can be due to internal pipes with lead residue. Cote said there are 10 sources where the samples are taken from. Snow said the addresses are posted on the State’s testing website.
Discussion of Upcoming Project
Timestamp: 0:30
People who participated in discussion: Arneson, Cote
Arneson said updating the Wastewater facility, and water line replacement at Tilden Ave is a near future project. Cote said the 20-year study is increasing nearly every day and may cost over $20 million. Once the plant is updated it should last for 20 years. Cote reported that the control panel in the water house is a mess and he has a quote to replace that panel for $15,000. Installation of a new influent pump which they will install themselves will happen soon. He needs to clean the digester in the near future.
Discussion and consideration of approval of FY26 Budget & Rates
Timestamp: 0:40
People who participated in discussion: Arneson, Hill
Arneson reported water spending will decrease by $10,000 and Wastewater will increase by over $30,000. Wastewater costs for the customer will increase by about 10%. Unrestricted funds for Water are now $154,394 at the end of FY24 and will be $147,992 by the end of FY25. Wastewater had $311,681 at the end of FY24 and is around $140,000 at the end of FY25, which some of those monies will come back due from FEMA due to the 2024 flood damages. He mentioned when current loans will be paid off. Increase in water rates will be around 20-25% for residential and commercial usage, and 18% for schools. Wastewater will increase overall 10%. Hill asked what does that look like for an average user, which Arneson showed means that a $900 bill last year for residential usage will now be around $1200 if the same amount of water and wastewater is used.
Furr moved to approve the FY26 water and wastewater budget and rates as presented. Sander seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Hill, Farr, Furr, Wolaver, Sander in favor. Motion approved.
Discussion of appointments for the Water and Sewer Commission
Timestamp: 0:57
Arneson said letters of interest must be in by June 11, 2025.
Cote thanked the Town and Water and Sewer commission members for their willingness to collaborate and their support, which Snow seconded.
Adjournment
Sander moved to adjourn. Furr seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Hill, Farr, Furr, Sander in favor. Motion approved.
Meeting adjourned at: 6:59 pm
Chat file from Zoom:
00:34:44 brad: Option 2 👌🏼
00:35:08 brad: Dang
00:43:02 brad: I did the best I could
Agenda
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AGENDA
June 3, 2025
Water and Sewer Commissioner Annual Customer Meeting
6:00 PM
The Richmond Board of Water Commissioners will hold their annual Customers Meeting on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM in the meeting room on the third floor of the Town Center at 203 Bridge St. Richmond, VT
The meeting may also be joined virtually:
Join Zoom Meeting Online:
us02web.zoom.us/j/86542963629
Join by Phone: +1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 865 4296 3629
Passcode: 605395
If you have questions regarding these meetings or the subjects that will be discussed please call the Town Manager Josh Arneson at 434-5170.
Agenda
6:00 PM Welcome and Public Comment
6:05 PM
a) Discussion of Accomplishments of Past Year (15 min)
b) Review of public feedback on logo options for the Water Resources Department and consideration of approving a new logo* # (10 min)
c) Review of Consumer Confidence Report (10 min)
d) Discussion of Upcoming Projects (20 min)
e) Discussion and consideration of approval of FY26 Budget & Rates # (30 min)
f) Discussion of appointments for the Water and Sewer Commission (5 min)
7:35 PM Adjourn
________________________________________
Time is available at each meeting for public comment.
If you would like to schedule a time with the Commission or need assistance to participate in the meeting, please call
Josh Arneson, Richmond Town Manager at 434-5170 or jarneson@richmondvt.gov
Links to videos of Water and Sewer Commission meetings can be found at mtmansfieldctv.org
Documents related to this meeting can be found at: www.richmondvt.gov/documents/water-sewer-commission-meeting-documents/
*denotes action item # Indicates documents in the packet