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 06, 2012 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 16, 2012 regularly scheduled Commissioners meeting were reviewed. Commissioner Goodell made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Moore.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
APPOINTMENTS:
Mr. Mark Brusseau, owner/operator of Absolute Extrusions, Inc., located behind the Littleton Learning Center on Union Street, asked the BOC for an exception to policy. The policy exception is in regard to paying the required two (2) month security deposit in advance of a reconnection of a delinquent account. Following a long discussion between the BOC, LWL personnel and Mr. Brusseau an agreement was reached and agreed to by all parties involved.
FINANCIAL DIRECTORS REPORT:
Mrs. Wilkins reviewed the financial statements for the month ended June 2012 with the Commissioners. Several discrepancies as compared to budget were discussed and explained by Mrs. Wilkins.
SUPERINTENDENT/ MANAGERS REPORT:
1. The electric division operating revenues were reviewed with the BOC in order to study the effect of realigning the energy component of the electric tariff. Revenues are tracking as anticipated though energy sales are trending just below 2011 sale levels. As a direct result of the rate realignment and overall reduction to the electric tariff (July 2012) electric revenues were down in each customer group attributing to an overall decrease of about 10 % in total monthly revenues.
2. Superintendent Considine stated that the owner (Tom Clark) of the White Mountain Hydroelectric Corporation (WMHC) approached him about a ISO-NE generators asset identification number. Mr. Clark stated that they are attempting to qualify their facility to sell renewable energy certificates to increase operating revenues. Mr. Considine provided WMHC with the ISO-NE contact information and advised them that they would have to deal directly with the ISO-NE with regard to this matter.
Typically generating facilities with a rated capacity of less than five (5) Mega-watts (WMHC is rated for 0.425 Mega-watts) are not within the ISO-NE operating jurisdiction as the qualifying criterion can be difficult for a small producer to satisfy. Typically WMHC operates on average at about forty (40) percent of their rated capacity.
3. Street lighting statistics in regard to the five (5) Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures that were installed (April 2012) along the northwesterly end of Main Street were discussed with the BOC. The fixtures have been in operations for three months and the energy consumption data was compared to data collected on the High Pressure Sodium (HPS) fixtures for the same period. No customer comments have been received as to the function or appearance of the LED lights placed throughout the town.
To date it appears that the LED street lights are operating at about forty (40) percent more efficient than the HPS Street lights (Kwh comparison) which equates to a savings of about $ 2.00 per fixture over this period. Assuming that no maintenance is required at these locations the return of the capital investment is greater than ten (10) years. This is directly attributed to the up front purchase price difference between the two fixtures.
The BOC agreed that due to the slow capital return there is no immediate need to replace functioning HPS street lights with LED’s. When inventory supplies were expended new LED lighting are expected to be purchased; there are about three (3) dozen HPS fixtures in current inventory.
4. The department filed two (2) preliminary insurance claims with the NH Local Government Center Property Liability Trust recently for a vandalism incident to the Goss Pump Station and for lightning damage to several water monitoring stations. Due to the insurance deductible the vandalism claim will most likely not be acted upon though the damage caused by the lightning strikes is expected to be about ten thousand (10,000) dollars and a formal claim will be submitted.
5. Superintendent Considine stated that this department is monitoring a suspected location where the department believes that theft of water service(s) is taking place. LWL personnel found a water shut off valve at the location turned on that was previously had been shut off by the owner of the property. LWL personnel were denied access to the property by the current inhabitants of the property so the inside connection could not be verified. LWL personnel have subsequently returned to this location to check the shut off valve, though the valve appears to have been tampered with the valve was in the closed position. If the department can determine that tampering is taking place the police department will be brought in to investigate.
6. The water storage tank construction project was discussed and a slide picture show was reviewed with the BOC. The tank footings and slab were completed on Tuesday, July 24, 2012 and casting of the tank walls and dome section will take place throughout the next eight (8) days. Erection of the tank walls and dome panel are scheduled to begin the week of August 13, 2012. Most of the heavy truck traffic has been completed as subsequent concrete pours are minimal compared to the slab.
Two (2) change order requests for proposal are being solicited by the department for decommissioning the existing impoundment reservoir and for repair to the existing concrete tank on Mt. Eustis. Contractor bid estimates shall be reviewed with the BOC prior to action taken by the department.
GENERAL BUSINESS:
Houston – Littleton LLC, property owner of the Highland Croft farm asked if the department would consider reducing the term of a performance bond, letter/ line of credit in regard to the blasting operations. According to the permit issued by the Littleton Zoning Board dated October 6, 2010 the property owner is required to supply the department with a “performance bond or other financial assurance for a period of five (5) years following the cessation of any blasting on the property.” This permit condition is to protect the current integrity (pumping capacity and per-chlorate contamination) of the Brickyard Well as substantial ledge blasting is planned within the protective well radius.
Following a brief discussion the BOC is in agreement that they would not entertain any proposed changes to the October 6, 2010 ZBA permit, and that the five (5) year term of the performance bond would remain as approved. Once the project is completed the BOC would be more amenable to discussing the duration of the bond after some time has passed and the condition of the wellhead can be assessed.
ADJOURNMENT:
Commissioner Moore made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by
Commissioner Goodell.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
Meeting adjourned at 2:20 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.