Back to Wastewater Master Planning Committee Meeting Minutes
SEPTEMBER 30, 2009
A posted meeting of the Hingham Wastewater Master Planning Committee (Committee) was held in the North Central Hearing Room, 210 Central St. Hingham, MA.
The meeting was called to order by Dr. Shilts at 7:13pm
MEMBERS PRESENT Kirk Shilts, Board of Health, Chair
Charles Berry, Conservation Commission
Richard (Skip) Hull
Mat MacIver
Frank Mahony
John Riley, Board of Selectmen
Michael Salerno, Sewer Commission
Roger Sullivan, Water Supply Committee
Gary Tondorf-Dick, Planning Board
Mark White
OFFICIALS PRESENT:
• CAMP DRESSER & MCKEE INC. (CDM) David Polcari, Project manager, CDM
Thomas Morgan, Community liaison, CDM
• TOWN OF HINGHAM Kevin Paicos, Town Administrator
Bruce Rabuffo, Selectman
CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS Dr. Shilts apologized for the seemingly slow pace that developing the wastewater plan has taken; he referenced his 8/23/09 correspondence for a more detailed explanation.
Dr. Shilts welcomed new members Berry, Salerno and Tondorf-Dick to the Committee.
AGENDA Dr. Shilts reviewed a draft agenda for the meeting.
Thereafter, the agenda was accepted with changes.
MINUTES Dr. Shilts reviewed the draft minutes from the January 9, 2008 meeting.
Thereafter, a MOTION was made by Dr. Shilts and Seconded by Mr. Mahoney and it was VOTED;
To approve the January 9, 2008 meeting minutes as presented.
* members in favor: Hull, MacIver, Riley, White & Shilts
*members opposed: none
Mr. Berry, Salerno, Tondorf-Dick & Mahony abstained from voting
Mr. Sullivan did not vote
GENERAL DISCUSSION:
HINGHAM INDUSTRIAL PARK Mr. Paicos spoke about a meeting he had with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) regarding a proposed commercial project that would be located within the Industrial study area. The MWRA said that they would like to have Hingham speak with one voice and finish the comprehensive wastewater management plan prior to the MWRA engaging in a detailed discussion about a solitary wastewater plan for the proposed commercial project.
Mr. Paicos said that his review of the July 2009 wastewater draft report seems to show a plan that is primarily focused on Hingham’s residential wastewater needs and somewhat sparse relative to the town’s future commercial needs.
Mr. Rabuffo provided a poignant review of the Town’s current fiscal health within the context of the country’s overall financial downturn. He concurred that the Industrial area’s wastewater management should be prioritized differently than the residential areas of Hingham because of the valuable economic impact that commercial development can bring to our entire community.
Mr. Paicos stated that he hadn’t read the entire wastewater study, but it seemed obvious to him that MWRA-supplied sewage, through either Hingham or Weymouth, would be required to meet the needs of the proposed (South Shore Hospital) commercial project. He added that the project’s developer is expecting to move quickly, about eight months, and this opportunity may be lost to a neighboring town if a wastewater (and water supply) plan is not finalized relatively soon.
Mr. Paicos further said it was his impression that this study could get the Town through the preliminary permitting hurtles and that for a small additional cost of about $50,000, “and hopefully half of that”, CDM could provide the additional engineering work that this sizable proposal would require.
Mr. Salerno mentioned that the creation of a new MWRA sewer district for the Industrial area would take legislative statutory action through a home rule petition, which can be a lengthy proposition.
Mr. Sullivan mentioned that the State’s water management act provides for economic growth as a specific factor for increasing a community’s water supply withdrawal. He said that Aquarion, which holds the water supply rights in Hingham, should be able to supply water to the Industrial area. It was also mentioned that water from Weymouth or even Cohasset could be wheeled into this area since the wastewater would not be recharged into Hingham’s aquifer/ watershed.
Mr. Riley mentioned that the South Shore Hospital proposal is similar to the Blue Cross/ Blue Shield development of a few years ago in that both involve non-profit organizations exempt from Hingham taxes. He added that the Industrial area’s potential for development is not going to go away and that the type and scale of growth within this area and the impact it may have on the surrounding infrastructure needs to be carefully thought over.
Mr. White asked Mr. Paicos to provide the Committee a proposed project step-schedule for the South Shore Hospital project that includes the incurring tasks, permitting schedule and expected time periods.
COMPREHENSIVE WASTEWATER
MANAGEMENT PLAN (CWMP) PROJECT
► PROJECT BUDGET: Mr. Salerno stated that essentially all of the $400,000 appropriated by Town Meeting for this plan has been spent.
Mr. Polcari and Mr. Morgan emphasized that the Town’s contract with CDM specifies delivery of a quality wastewater master plan, and that CDM is committed to completing this project under the financial agreement of the contract.
► PROJECT SCHEDULE: Mr. Polcari said that the next step would be to draft a final wastewater plan with greater detail going into water balance, for example, once the Committee has decided which alternative(s) should be included.
► PROJECT SCOPE: The Committee discussed the July 2009, CWMP Recommended Plan-Phase II draft report.
CWMP PHASE II REPORT:
• SUMMARY OF PHASE I CWMP
(Section #2) Mr. Sullivan stated that some of the material in the Existing Water Supply section is dated, inaccurate, and the reference to Aquarion as a private water company an irrelevant fact. Dr. Shilts replied that this entire section was written and submitted verbatim by Aquarion.
Thereafter, the Committee decided to remove the “private water company” reference and indicate that Aquarion serves “all” of Hull.
• ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION
(Section #3) Dr. Shilts proposed a priority ranking nomenclature relative to Table 2-7 that establishes three succinct categories.
“High Priority” category that includes the Fulling Mill Brook, Weir River Sewer District, Gardner Street, Hingham Center, Accord Pond, Prospect St. & McKenna Marsh study areas.
“Priority” category that includes the Cushing Pond, Whiting Street, Foundry Pond, Liberty Pole, North Sewer District, Summer Street, Industrial, Plymouth River & Accord Brook study areas.
“Low Priority” category that includes the Bouve Pond, Brewer Pond & Wompatuck State Park study areas.
Thereafter, the Committee adopted the above-mentioned category ranking for referencing the nineteen (19) study areas within the study, but did not assign study areas to the particular categories.
• REFINED ALTERNATIVES
EVALUATION (Section #4) The Committee discussed the following refined alternatives: Central Street Project, Foundry Pond, Summer Street (Northern) Martin’s Lane, Liberty Pole & Industrial Park.
Industrial Park:
Thereafter, the Committee decided to identify the Industrial Park area within Refined Alternatives Evaluation section of the study by creating its own signature subsection, which will include, among other things, a more extensive description of the economic value of this unique commercially zoned area.
Foundry Pond:
Thereafter, the Committee asked the Sewer Commission to re-define this refined alternative to just the few streets off of Hull Street that were (and still) considered problematic, but were not included within the Weir River Sewer District when the district was established.
Liberty Pole:
Thereafter, the Committee decided to highlight an example of a de-centralized alternative for this area by including the potential purchase of privately owned and highly suitable (reportedly) land along Cushing Street.
SCHEDULING The next meeting of the Committee is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, October 7th at 7pm.
ADJOURNMENT The September 30, 2009 meeting of the Hingham Wastewater Master Planning Committee adjourned at 10:12pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kirk J. Shilts, D.C.
Chair
Hingham Wastewater Master Planning Committee