Water & Wastewater Commission
Regular MeetingFitchburg, MA · January 13, 2016
Minutes
FITCHBURG WATER & WASTEWATER
COMMISSION MINUTES
January 13, 2016
A meeting for the City of Fitchburg Water/Wastewater Commission was held on January 13, 2016 at the
J.A. Provencial Water Treatment Facility Building 1200 Rindge Rd, Fitchburg MA, 01420.
The meeting commenced at 5:12 PM
Members Present: Lenny Laakso, Commissioner DPW
Rick Healey
Michael McLaughlin
George Siener
Members absent: Dr. Ron Lubianez
Others present: John Deline Jr, Deputy Commissioner of Water
Jeff Murawski, Deputy Commissioner of Wastewater
Mary Jane Franklin Head Clerk DPW
Jennifer Lambert Principal Clerk Water Office
Item #1
Approval of last meetings minutes: The minutes for the December 9, 2015 meeting were approved by
unanimous vote.
Item #2
Public Forum: No public forum comments were received.
Item #3
Water Division:
Mr. Deline spoke in depth about the increase in the water rates and the effect it will have on the
elderly and general public. Instead of one large increase, it will be spread out for the next 3
years. Comparisons with other cities and towns were also discussed. Fitchburg still lowest
around. Final figures were given out on the increase. Motion to approve was granted.
Mr. Deline also discussed increasing service fees. Backflow prevention fee, emergency call fee, &
engineering services fee. Motion to approve was granted.
Mr. Deline proposed transferring $30,000 from the water system improvement account to cover
overtime through the end of Fiscal 16. Motion to approve was granted.
Item #4
Wastewater:
Mr. Murawski updated the Commission as to the status of the SEP project and the CSS 4D
project, both projects were wrapped up around the end of December 2015. Closure reports to
be submitted.
River manholes repaired
Final cost to be sent to Lunenburg for their part of the John Fitch Highway SSP
Commission was reminded again of the sale in process of FiberMark/Crocker Technical to
Neenah Paper/Liberty Paper and that it is currently in a holding pattern. It looks like the sale
might be made in two purchases, one for the property side and one for the business side. Mr
Healy raised the question about whether or not the City of Fitchburg should be talking to
potential buyers to get them to come to Fitchburg.
The Beech Street and Hazel Street projects will be going out for bid. Funding approved.
Purchasing department and Legal department are reviewing documents.
Meeting scheduled for January 14, 2016 with City Solicitor Pusateri and Asst. City Solicitor
Goldstein for discussion on ongoing procurement issues with the Purchasing Department.
Item #5
Other Business:
Commission was reminded to take the State mandated Ethics test and turn certificate into Anna
Farrell City Clerk.
The next meeting is scheduled for February 10th, 2016 at 5:00 P.M. at the J.A. Provencial
Building, 1200 Rindge Rd., Fitchburg, MA.
Meeting adjourned at 6:32 P.M.
Agenda
Water/Wastewater Commission
Meeting of Wednesday
January 13, 2016
5:00 p.m.
JA Provincial Building
1200 Rindge Rd
Fitchburg MA 01420
AGENDA
1. Review Meeting Minutes for December 9, 2015
2. Public Forum
3. Water Division
Final figures for proposed water rate increases
Overtime budget
4. Wastewater Division
SSU Project
1. Meeting held with New City Solicitor & Assistant City Solicitor on Thursday – January 7, 2016,
concerning progress delays, and associated risks.
o Update on OPM contract progress.
o Overall overview on process & steps involved in bidding the SSU Project, with emphasis on
the OPM’s role during pre-bid, bidding, bids review and award, construction and post-
construction phases.
o Standing, weekly meetings with the Solicitor are planned for the foreseeable future to keep on
top of Wastewater issues (and to help the new Solicitor get up to speed on Wastewater
matters).
Update on SEP Project, River Manholes Project, and CSS-4D Project.
Mill (business) sale in process (FiberMark/Crocker to Neenah Paper), and is believed that it will
close, and not continue business under the new ownership.
1. Review on billing landscape, in the absence of FiberMark/Crocker mill. (moot if new ownership
and mill operation continues at facility)
2. Update: Correspondence to Mill, and no direct response received in response to the November
10th, 2015 issued correspondence; an undated correspondence from “Liberty Paper, LLC” (out of
Boca Raton, FL) was received via FedEx shipment. Nature of correspondence concerned:
Notification of change of ownership;
Liberty Paper has entered into “Asset Purchase Agreement” with the current operator of
the plant;
Liberty Paper has no immediate intent to make changes to the facility’s current
operations and processes; and
Requests transfer of Industrial Pretreatment Permit (#311) to Liberty Paper upon closing
of “Asset Purchase Agreement”.
Authorization of funding approval requests (updates):
1 Secondary Systems Upgrades (SSU): Supplemental loan authorization borrowing.
2. Beech Street & Hazel Street Sewer Separation: New loan authorization borrowing (construction
and construction administration costs).
Update on request to solicit service proposals for:
o Sewer user rate study;
o Update on “Affordability Analysis” work performed by CDM in 2011;
o Wastewater Division support assistance in developing Asset Management methods and planning
tools.
5. Other Business
Set next meeting date and location
Adjourn
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