The Board meets on the first and third Monday of each month. Meetings begin at 1:00 p.m. and are held in the department conference room at 65 Lafayette Ave, Littleton. Board meetings are open to the public and time is allotted for public comments at each meeting.
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The regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting began at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, July 20, 2009 in the Littleton Water and Light Department (LWL) conference room. Present were Commissioner Ralph Ross, Commissioner Eddy Moore, Commissioner Perry Goodell, Financial Services Director Cheryl Wilkins and Superintendent Thomas Considine.
MINUTES REVIEW:
The minutes of July 6, 2009 regularly scheduled Commissioners meeting were reviewed. Commissioner Moore made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Goodell.
The vote was in favor 3-0-0.
SUPERINTENDENT/ MANAGERS REPORT:
1. An email was sent to the Town Manager and Chief of Police requesting that the parking along Union Street near Lafayette Avenue is decreased to improve vehicle operator sight distance. LWL has suggested that the parking be restricted on both sides of the Lafayette Avenue and Union Street intersection for 140 feet to allow for adequate sight distance. LWL’s request is supported by the Chief of Police and is now being reviewed by the Littleton Highway Safety Committee. Hopefully a decision is made before the parking spaces are repainted. NHDOT will provide the necessary signage at the request of the town to delineate the parking areas.
2. A telephone conference call with La Capra Associates was held last week to discuss the Department’s wholesale power position going forward. It was decided that as the spot market price is lower than the contract price that LWL would take no action at this time. With the reduction of load across the system (down 6% more or less) the Department is actually purchasing more power than it can sell. During this slow down period La Capra advised LWL that they are reviewing contracts with potential power suppliers to diversify our power portfolio.
Commissioner Ross asked that La Capra provide LWL a recommendation in regard to the Department satisfying any green renewable credit for system wholesale power.
3. Work began Tuesday, July 14, 2009 to upgrade the water main on Redwing Lane in the Whitcomb Woods development. Several exploratory excavations along the preferred water main route discovered blasted rock/ledge at depth of approximately the 5’. It was decided to remove the blasted rock utilizing an excavator-mounted jackhammer to lower the pipe to attain a 6’ cover in lieu of placing costly insulation. With the exception of the paving the majority of the work should be completed by Friday, July 24, 2009.
4. LWL personnel discovered several vulnerable areas on the 34.5 Kv (line 30) overhead line that could potentially have lead to a power interruption affecting the whole system. Due to access restrictions that required specialized equipment LWL was precluded from making the needed repairs with in house personnel. USA Inc. was contracted to make the needed repairs.
OLD BUSINESS:
Mr. Steve LaFrance, President of Horizons Engineering reviewed an amended scope of work proposal with the BOC in regard to the final design engineering services for the Oak Hill precast concrete tank.
Commissioner Goodell stated that he still had some reservations with going with a one (1) million-storage tank and not 1.5 million and wondered if the Department was not looking far enough into the future.
Mr. LaFrance stated that the current system capacity exceeds what is required by the current fire suppression codes and that federal regulations with regard to disinfection by products discourage water capacity in access of what is needed, as it could become a liability.
Commissioner Moore stated that the current master plan for the Town of Littleton shows that future growth is expected and centered on the Exit 43 area west of town, which is beyond the gravity reaches of the Oak Hill reservoir.
The BOC continued further discussion after Mr. LaFrance left the meeting in regard to the merits of the project and having the good construction estimate to work with.
Superintendent Considine stated that once the plans are completed the project could be ready for the bid process at any time thereafter. Attaining the needed property from the abutter is the first priority as the current abutter is in favor of a lot line adjustment. Actual construction can begin sometime in the future when funding sources are secured, as the plans will not change significantly enough if construction was put off for a few years.
Commissioner Moore made a motion to accept the change of scope proposal as submitted by Horizons Engineering for final design services relative to the Oak Hill Reservoir upgrade in the amount of $36,995. Seconded by Commissioner Ross.
Vote in favor 3-0-0.
NEW BUSINESS:
1.Superintendent Considine stated that aluminum street light poles along Main Street are supposed to be returned to the LWL. Some of the poles are damaged and can no longer be utilized for public lighting purposes as a result of structural damage to the pole.
The Main Street poles are shorter than those used by the NHDOT for interstate ramp lighting. Several residences have asked for the old poles to date and he suggested that the department establish a protocol as to how to address the poles.
Following BOC discussion it was decided that the LWL should retain some of the poles that are structurally sound and in good conditions for spares until the Main Street project has been completed. The remaining poles can be sold or salvaged as their condition dictates and at the discretion of LWL, they are not to be given away. The Department will determine the fair market value, which will be review by the BOC at a later meeting prior to granting any request for poles.
2. The LWL received an inquiry in regard to purchasing the water tanker trailer stored by Clough Construction. The undercarriage of the tanker is in poor condition and the roadworthiness is in question. The tanker is typically used as a temporary storage tank when one of the distribution tanks is taken out of service for maintenance. Superintendent Considine stated that there are better alternatives that could be utilized and recommends that the tanker trailer be sold before it becomes a liability.
The Commissioners agreed to sell the tanker trailer.
OTHER BUSINESS:
1. Commissioner Ross asked how the meeting went with Fairpoint Communications on July 7, 2009.
Superintendent/ Manager Considine stated that he believed that the meeting was beneficial though he is not sure if anything will really change in how Fairpoint operates. Fairpoint did not provide an answer to LWL as to how long a customer needs to wait for a pole set and what did Fairpoint consider a “reasonable wait time” to be was left unresolved following the meeting.
2. Commissioner Ross asked about the overtime incurred by LWL personnel on Mann’s Hill due to a water leak last week and near Wal-Mart Drive.
Superintendent/ Manager Considine stated that a corporation failed on the high-pressure system on Mann’s Hill above the pump station. The failure was attributed to the deterioration of dissimilar materials (galvanized fitting used with brass/copper) being used together on the water tap. We suspect that the vibration caused by the construction activity on Mann’s Hill may have been the catalyst that caused the weak galvanized coupling to break after about 20 years of service.
The other leak was attributed to the abandoned storm water drain that parallels the centerline. The town abandoned the old storm water system in place and apparently several of the abutters cellar drain into the old system, the water backed up causing the rain water to surface from the abandoned storm water drain.
NHDOT personnel performing maintenance on the signal control wire damaged the power supply to the traffic light at the Wal-Mart drive intersection with US Route 302 (Meadow Street). This was the same area previously damage during an LWL pole removal operation.
ADJOURNMENT:
Commissioner Moore made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by
Commissioner Goodell.
The vote was in favor 3-0-0.
Meeting adjourned at 2:40 p.m.
The regularly scheduled Commissioner’s meeting is held twice monthly on the first and third Monday, at 1:00 p.m., in the Department’s conference room.