Back to Wastewater Master Planning Committee Meeting Minutes
OCTOBER 26, 2006
A scheduled meeting of the Hingham Wastewater Master Planning Committee (Committee) was held on Wednesday October 26, 2006 in the South Central Hearing Room, 210 Central St. Hingham, MA.
The meeting was called to order by Dr. Shilts at 7:45pm
MEMBERS PRESENT Kirk Shilts, Board of Health, Chair
Gene Babin, Conservation Commission
John Brandt, Sewer Commission
Frank Mahony
Tod McGrath, Planning Board
John Riley, Selectmen
Roger Sullivan, Water Supply Committee
Mark White
OFFICIALS PRESENT:
• CAMP DRESSER & MCKEE INC. (CDM) David Polcari, Project manager, CDM
Allan Roscoe, Assistant project manager, CDM
• TOWN OF HINGHAM Michael Salerno, Sewer Commission
CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS Dr. Shilts mentioned that based on our previous meeting, he thought that communication between the Sewer Commission and Committee would be more productive if our roles were more clearly delineated. Dr. Shilts added that it was his understanding that the Sewer Commission served as the governing entity for the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (Plan) and the Committee served as the administrator for its content. The Committee reviewed Article 23 of the 2004 Town Warrant.
Thereafter, the Committee will advise and assist the Sewer Commission in the development of the Plan.
AGENDA Dr. Shilts reviewed with the Committee a draft agenda for the meeting.
Thereafter, a MOTION was made by Mr. McGrath and Seconded by Mr. Riley and it was VOTED (unanimous);
To approve the agenda as amended.
MINUTES Dr. Shilts reviewed with the Committee the draft minutes from the October 18, 2006 meeting.
Thereafter, a MOTION was made by Mr. McGrath and Seconded by Dr. Shilts and it was VOTED (unanimous);
To approve the minutes of October 18, 2006 as presented.
SCOPE OF SERVICES Mr. Brandt reviewed with the Committee a brief history of the Sewer Commission’s discussions with the State MWRA, which led to the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan project. He discussed the selection of CDM as the commission’s consultant and the essential role that the Committee plays in the process.
COMPREHENSIVE WASTEWATER
MANAGEMENT PLAN PROJECT
► PROJECT SCOPE: Mr. Roscoe reviewed with the Committee the September 2006, Needs Analysis-Phase I, Draft Report. The draft analysis is composed of four (4) sections: Existing Conditions, Identification of Basin-wide Water Issues, Projected Future Conditions, and Wastewater Needs/ problem Identification. The Committee resumed discussion on the draft report, picking up where we left off during the previous meeting.
• PROJECTED FUTURE CONDITIONS
(Section #3) Mr. Roscoe reviewed with the Committee sections 3.2 through section 3.5.
Thereafter, the Committee provided editorial corrections relative to the following issues.
Request that the flow volumes in Table 3-6 be changed from peak daily flow to average daily flow. State Title-5 calculations most often reference average flows as opposed to peak flows.
Suggestion to replace the word “will” with “may” on page 3-12 within the North Sewer District section, second paragraph, final sentence.
Request that the “Spaulding & Slye” reference within the 3.2.2 Wastewater Flow Projections for Year 2005, Entire Town of Hingham section be removed and that the actual source of the data be referenced in its place.
Request that the final sentence of the fifth paragraph on page 3-22 within the 3.3 Water Supply Records that mentions summer populations in Hull and north Cohasset be changed to include an estimated summer population increase in Hull and north Cohasset extrapolated from actual seasonal Hull wastewater flow volume comparisons.
Request that the words “and Hull” be added to the first sentence within the 3.4.3 Needs Projections section that discusses water demand.
• WASTEWATER NEEDS/ PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION (Section #4) Mr. Roscoe reviewed with the Committee the section 4.
Thereafter, the Committee provided editorial corrections relative to the following issues.
Request that the 5th bullet under 4.2 On-Site Wastewater Disposal be changed to reflect that the Hingham EHO’s comment about Title 5 system inspection failure rate is an “estimate”, not a suggestion.
The Committee redrew the study area boundaries on map 4-2 splitting into two separate sections what was previously a single “Worlds End” study section. The Committee renamed the southern half of the region below the Summer St. highway “Summer St.”, and the northern half above the Summer St. highway “Cedar Gables/ Worlds End”.
The Committee renamed study area # 5 “Hingham Center” replacing the previous name Home Meadows.
Request that a Table be produced and inserted within section 4.4 Evaluation/ Assessment of Study Areas, which provides a detailed description of the three main category types; (1) Lot size & density, (2) Suitability of Subsurface Conditions for on-site disposal systems, and (3) Proximity to Environmental Resources.
Request that the entire final paragraph, which mentions the Committee’s scoring preference, within section 4.4 on page 4-5 be removed.
Suggestion that the second paragraph under 4.8 Subsurface Conditions, which describes sand and gravel soils include mention that of all soil types, sand and gravel soils are most conducive to adding amendments which can significantly improve the soil performance for on-site sanitary disposal systems.
Request that Figure 4-4, which shows an overlay of soil types and septic system failures be removed.
Suggestion to replace the words “will determine” with “indication of” on page 4-20, 4.10 within the Needs Assessment Matrix section, first paragraph.
NEEDS ANALYSIS, PHASE I
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mr. Roscoe reviewed with the Committee a draft Executive Summary of the Needs Analysis study results.
Thereafter, the Committee requested that the final Executive Summary contain all of the corrections and recommendations made by the Committee.
► PROJECT BUDGET: Mr. Brandt reported that the Sewer Commission has received $183,000 in billing invoices to date.
► PROJECT SCHEDULE: The Committee has a public meeting scheduled on Thursday, November 16, 2006 at 7:30pm for the purpose of reviewing the project’s Needs Analysis Phase-I draft findings with the public.
PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM:
11/16/06 PUBLIC MEETING
• FAQ’S DOCUMENT DEVELOPMENT Mr. Polcari reviewed with the Committee a draft document of sample Frequently Asked Questions.
Thereafter, the Committee accepted this document
• PRESS RELEASE Dr. Shilts reviewed with the Committee a draft press release.
Thereafter, the Committee gave direction to Dr. Shilts in redrafting this document.
• PUBLIC MEETING ADVERTISEMENT The Committee developed a list of topics that the proposed advertisement should specifically address, and how it would be best disseminated.
Thereafter, the Committee gave direction to Mr. Brandt for producing this advertisement.
SCHEDULING Mr. Polcari anticipated that the Committee would likely need to meet again sometime in late January 2007, to review section #5, Identification of Alternatives.
OLD BUSINESS:
ELECTION OF OFFICERS Mr. Babin stated that he was not interested in serving as the Secretary of the Committee.
Thereafter, the position will remain temporally unfilled.
ADJOURNMENT The October 26, 2006 meeting of the Wastewater Master Planning Committee adjourned at 10:15pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kirk J. Shilts, D.C.
Chair,
Hingham Wastewater Master Planning Committee