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, August 19, 2013 in the Littleton Water and Light Department (LWL) conference room. Present were Commissioner Eddy Moore, Commissioner Perry Goodell, Commissioner Ralph Ross, Financial Services Director Cheryl Wilkins and Superintendent Thomas Considine.
MINUTES REVIEW:
The minutes of August 5, 2013 regularly scheduled Commissioners meeting were reviewed. Commissioner Goodell made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
SUPERINTENDENT/ MANAGERS REPORT:
1. The NISC preliminary project implementation schedule was discussed with the BOC in regard to the department’s Customer Information System (CIS) and the Accounting and Business Solutions (ABS), (utility billing and asset management) conversion process. NISC personnel are expected to be at the department the week of October 27th to begin the conversion process and will spend time with LWL personnel over the next year during the implementation and training process.
Prior to NISC site visit in October the department is responsible for increasing our server network capacity and improving the data backup systems functionality. SNS is preparing an estimate to upgrade the current backup server and it is expected that the current USB hard-drive backup will be replaced prior to NISC October visit. Additional hardware server capacity (hard drive and RAM) will be added by in 2014 to accommodate the new systems.
2. LWL personnel, assisted by contracted tree trimmers, have made good progress on Farr Hill Road with regard to replacing deteriorated poles/ wire and tree trimming. The department has been encouraged by the positive support given by the local residents in the neighborhood. The top of Farr Hill and other high elevation service areas were especially hit hard by the snow storm this past Memorial Day weekend that interrupted service throughout the weekend in those areas.
3. M2 Water Services, a contractor working for the NHDE, is in the Littleton service areas conducting acoustic leak detection as part of water conservation grant that the department received. Under the terms of the grant approximately thirty (30) miles of water mains will be tested. The department is responsible to repair all leak found as soon as practicable after being verified by the department. It is expected that M2 will be in Littleton for the remainder of this week, to date four (4) potential leaks have been identified by M2.
Commissioner Ross asked if any of the potential leaks found appear to be substantial in volume.
Superintendent Considine stated that with the exception of one location the leaks appear to be on service/ corporation valves and not very large. A potential leak at the road intersection of Chiswick Avenue and Union in front of the car wash may be a joint. The size/ quantity of the leakage cannot be accurately determined until the site is unearthed and repair is made. The leak found on West Drew Street was about two (2) to three (3) GPMs being produced through a 1/8” diameter-hole in the pipe at 75 PSI.
4. The water main on School Street, adjacent to Maple Street, was connected to Maple Street by LWL personnel. This work is in preparation for replacing the two (2) inch galvanized water main that feeds this portion of Maple Street. The department proposes to replace the water main along Maple Street from the intersection of Oak Hill Avenue to School Street in 2014. In addition ledge probing was recently conducted in preparation for the pipe replacement. A section of ledge or a large boulder was found in only one localized area at a depth of six (6) feet within the proposed pipe line. Depending on the actual depth found it may not present an installation problem for the new pipe.
5. Engineers from Cla-Valve Automation are planning to visit the department the week of September 2nd to review and evaluate the new flow controls being utilized by the department at the Apthorpe water storage tank. The flow controls are a self-contained rate of flow valve that is regulated by a dual pilot system and powered by an in-line DC generator. The controls regulate the line pressure/ flow between the intake and the storage tank overflow during periods of low system demand as monitored at Railroad Street throughout the water distribution system.
GENERAL BUSINESS:
1. The BOC discussed the results of the wholesale power solicitation that took place on August 7, 2013 and were pleased with the prices that the department locked in for 2014, 2015 and 2016. Superintendent Considine stated that some of the peak power price quotes were rejected for 2014 which resulted in department locking in about a ten (10) percent less than planned. If peak prices stabilize in the fall the department may be able to secure the additional (10%) resources. The BOC agreed that based on the prices received that power supply expenses should be stable going forward though the forward capacity prices may fluctuate.
2. The BOC reviewed the pole attachment agreement between the department, FairPoint Communications (FP) and 186 Communications (Wave Guide). Several addendums were added to the agreement that address LWL costs associated with accommodating an attachment request in the department’s service area.
Following some additional discussion Commissioner Ross made a motion to accept the proposed Attachment agreement between the department FP and Wave Guide, Seconded by Commissioner Goodell.
Vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0
Commissioner Goodell, BOC Secretary, executed the agreements on behalf of the BOC.
3. The BOC reviewed and discussed a notice given by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers dated August 5, 2013 which stated that the “Union is interested in making changes to our Collective Bargaining Agreement.”
Superintendent Considine stated that this is a formality based on the current CBA that terminates on December 31, 2013.
The BOC agreed that they will need to enter into Non-Public session at a later date to discuss pending negotiations. No further action was taken with regard to this matter.
CUSTOMER & PUBLIC CONCERNS:
The BOC discussed the water hammer event that affected the water main along Meadow Street and what could be done to mitigate the effects of the high pressure surge from causing system damage(s).
Superintendent Considine stated that the department has requested information with regard to purchasing a surge anticipation valve that could be easily installed.
Commissioner Ross stated that he would be in favor of installing the valve if it was going to work as expected.
Superintendent Considine stated that there are several different types of valve available that are supposed to meet our system needs, and that he is working with the manufacturers engineers and will report back to the BOC when the valve design is finalized.
Commissioner Goodell stated that anything that the department can do to protect the water main and mitigate the high pressure surge would demonstrate that the department was proactively attempting to control a situation that it did not make.
The BOC agreed that the rate of return on purchase prices of a valve would be quickly realized if one water leak was prevented due to costs of the site work.
ADJOURNMENT:
Commissioner Goodell made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by
Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
Meeting adjourned at 2:15 p.m.
The above read and approved.
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.