741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Water Pollution Control Authority

Meeting Minutes

Chairman

Ed Lynch

Regular Meeting

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

7:00 PM

Council Chambers - Hybrid

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Lynch called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

II.

ROLL CALL

Board Member Sharon Wadecki

Board Member Terry Jones

Present

Board Member Stanley Juber

Board Member Edmond Lynch

Alternate Member James A. Ball

Board Member Monir Tewfik

Excused

Alternate Member Tony Capon

Alternate Member Jeremy Norris

Non-voting

Jeremy Norris was present via Zoom.

Also in attendance:

Bill Saums, Town Councilor

Mauricio Duarte, GU General Foreman Water Operations

III.

APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

Jim Ball was appointed as a voting member.

IV.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTS

None present.

VI.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion to APPROVE Regular Meeting Minutes from August 22, 2023, as written.

Ms. Wadecki asked a question regarding the minutes. According to the minutes the Finance

Committee granted a bid waiver to Utility Financial Solutions but it was tabled in the vote under

New Business. Chairman Lynch said the minutes were correct that the Authority decided during

the discussion not to hold a vote. Ms. Wadecki asked why, it was answered that it was decided to

budget for the study in the next fiscal year.

Mr. Jones suggested adding a friendly amendment to the minutes acceptance as follows:

- Service Correspondence under VII. Communications and Correspondence: remove "Discuss

existing liens with Groton Utilities (car wash at Village Market)".

- Cost of Service quote review and discussion under VIII Old Business: remove "tabled from

8/22" and add " No action taken; the decision was made not to take action at this time and to

budget the bonding for the analysis in the next fiscal year".

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Wadecki Jones Juber Lynch Ball

Tewfik

AYE

EXCUSED

VII. COMMUNICATION AND CORRESPONDENCE

Operations Report.

The Ledyard Center third quarter testing results were reviewed. The results stated that the

running annual average is compliant.

Chairman Lynch asked why an OEL report was filed in September if the running numbers were

compliant. Maurice Duarte, Groton Utilities said that, if the numbers don't go down, they will be

over in the next quarter requiring an OEL report.

Blending of raw water is still taking place to reduce THMs.

Flushing will continue through October until reduced water temperatures decrease the

production of THMs in the water systems.

Mr. Jones asked if something was omitted from the reports explaining what the six bullets were

under distribution. In other words, the heading of the bullets is missing. Mr. Duarte wasn't sure.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Service Correspondence.

Discuss existing liens with Groton Utilities (car wash at Village Market)-

Chairman Lynch said there is a process that may be broken. He said he received a couple of

emergency phone calls from people trying to close on properties but couldn't until the water liens

were paid. Previously the liens were paid off through the Town Council but they should be paid

through Groton Utilities. He was able to help the callers. One of them was for the car wash at

Village Market. Chairman Lynch asked if GU could provide the WPCA a list of liens. He also

would like to know if tie in fees were paid. There was some confusion as to whether the car

wash would use wells or city water. Mr. Duarte said it would be city water but added that there

are old wells on the property. Mr. Jones said there will need to be discussions on rules for

permissible cross connections. He added that hardware changes may be required.

Discussion was had as to where lien lists should reside and how they should be handled. Mr.

Jones said the lien process should be defined to explain who will get involved when a closing

occurs and a lien comes up. Ms. Wadecki added that the Town Clerk's office should have the

liens listings available.

ACTION ITEM: Chairman Lynch will ask Ms. Daniels for a list of outstanding liens.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Aged Reports/Finance.

Everything looks normal. No questions.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Year to Date Water/Sewer Report.

No red flags.

ACTION ITEM: Chairman Lynch will a Mr. Stammel, Finance Director for a year end

water/sewer reports.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

PSR - Steve Banks.

The motor starter was delivered and installed.

The system is running successfully, employees no longer have to go underground for repair or

maintenance.

The WPCA will need to ask for an additional $5000.00 to integrate the SCADA system alarms

into the existing pump station alarms.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

VIII. OLD BUSINESS

Inspection of the Holmberg Tank quote.

Received new quote and it is the same as what was voted on.

There are three estimates. The Corrtech estimate was much more thorough than the other two

received. The Corrtech estimate is for $3,336.00. Chairman Lynch asked Mr. Duarte if GU has

experience with Corrtech, he replied yes, they have inspected a few tanks previously. Chairman

Lynch said he would like to use Corrtech. The assessment report is a separate fee included with

the estimate. Mr. Duarte commented that Corrtech provides very detailed reports. The

Commissioners agreed that using a ROV would be better than using a dive team for the

inspection. Mr. Duarte added that the ROV video would be clearer than a dive team video. Mr.

Saums said the terms and conditions should be read over carefully because they are written in

favor of Corrtech. It was said that GU has used Corrtech previously and since it is not a

high-cost job it's less risky. Chairman Lynch asked if Corrtech would be under GU's supervision

while the inspection is taking place, he said yes.

Motion to ACCEPT the Corrtech estimate of $3,336.00 using funds from the Holmberg tank

CNR account.

RESULT:

MOVER:

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

SECONDER: Sharon Wadecki

AYE:

NAY:

Wadecki Juber Juber Lynch Ball

Jones

EXCUSED:

Tewfik

Mr. Jones pointed out that the Corrtech quote was dated April 18, 2023, and states, "Project

pricing is valid for 60 days" and the 60-day window is now gone. Also, the quote is a part of a

much larger proposal which the Authority is not ready to move forward with. After further

discussion it was decided to rescind the vote, obtain a second more concise quote from Corrtech

(for just the tank inspection) and to table the motion until the second quote is received.

Mr. Duarte said he will obtain a second quote from Corrtech.

Motion to RECONSIDER.

RESULT:

MOVER:

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER: Stan Juber

AYE:

Wadecki Jones Juber Lynch Ball

Tewfik

EXCUSED:

Motion to TABLE the Corrtech estimate vote until a new quote is received.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Sharon Wadecki

RESULT:

MOVER:

Stanley Juber

SECONDER:

Wadecki Jones Juber Lynch Ball

Tewfik

AYE

EXCUSED

Any Other Old Business to come before the Authority.

Since Ms. Wadecki was excused from the August meeting, she asked to discuss the Cost of

Service Study further to help her understand why it was decided to wait until next the fiscal year

to fund the study. Mr. Norris asked if funds were available to go forward with it now, Chairman

Lynch said yes. He explained that the funds aren't necessarily the issue but rather which account

to use for sourcing the funds (Capital Budget or Operating Expense Budget). The

Commissioners agreed to wait until they could get a detailed report from Ian Stammel, Assistant

Finance Director showing exactly how much is available in each of the WPCA account line

items.

It was also mentioned that although the original intention was to wait until the FY 24-25 perhaps

the Cost of Service Study should be done at the same time GU is doing their study (current fiscal

year).

ACTION ITEM:

Chairman Lynch will ask Mr. Stammel to provide WPCA account reports.

This discussion will be continued during the October 24, 2023, meeting.

IX.

NEW BUSINESS

Motion to APPROVE payment of Groton Utilities invoice #23594, dated August 31, 2023, in

the amount of $2,301.55, for labor through August 20,2023.

Chairman Lynch asked what specifically the invoice was for. Mr. Duarte said the charges were

for lead service inventory. GU is almost done with inventory. The next step is to work with a

firm that GU hired that will make a model of all the unknowns and work with DPH to see which

pipes will need to be dug up and evaluated for lead. The unknowns are the Highlands and

Richard Road in Gales Ferry. An evaluation of the piping on both the customer and WCPA side

made need to be performed.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Wadecki Jones Juber Lynch Ball

Tewfik

AYE

EXCUSED

Motion to APPROVE payment of Groton Utilities invoice #23551, dated July 31, 2023, in the

amount of $1,832.48, for services through July 23,2023.

Chairman Lynch said it appears that this invoice is also for lead service inventories. Mr. Duarte

confirmed.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Wadecki Jones Juber Lynch Ball

Tewfik

AYE

EXCUSED

Weston and Samson - discussion and possible vote on their involvement in the bid process and

construction supervision, depending on which contractor is selected on the sewer line in the

multi- use trail.

Chairman Lynch said the bid service was not part of the original design. He stressed that the

funding for this amendment will come from federal ARPA money. Ms. Wadecki asked if the

cost of the bid service is $12,000. Chairman Lynch confirmed $12,000, which is shown as task

2.10. Chairman Lynch said he anticipates one more task to be added to the project which would

be the task of supervising the construction.

Mr. Jones pointed out several typos in the bid service PDF which will need to be noted during

the motion. The typos included spelling "WPCA" wrong and referring to "following article 210"

instead of "following article 209". The Commissioners referred to the previous agreement table

5.1 to confirm that the new task number should be 210.

Chairman Lynch read the following taken from amendment no 2:

The ENGINEER shall provide bidding services for the low pressure sewer extension to the

Ledyard Village Center. The length of the bidding is presumed to be 30 days plus additional time

necessary for the Town to execute a contract with the lowest responsive bidder.

A. Assist the WPCF* in advertising for bids.

B. Prepare for and attend one pre-bid conference.

C. Issue one (1) addendum as necessary to clarify, modify, or change the Bid Documents.

D. Attend bid opening (if needed) for the construction contract.

E. Review bids and prepare bid tabulation.

F. Review the qualifications of the apparent low bidder(s) as to the acceptability of

subcontractors, suppliers and other persons and entities proposed by Contractor for those

portions of the work as to which such acceptability compliance with contract requirements.

G.Report on the results of the reviews and issue a recommendation to the WPCF*.

*Typos that will need to be corrected.

Chairman Lynch said the assumption is that W&S will finish the bid process this fall and start

construction in spring 2024.

Motion to APPROVE Amendment no 2 to the Agreement of Engineering Services between the

Town of Ledyard and Weston & Samson for Ledyard Center Sewer after corrections to change

"WPCF" to "WPCA" throughout the document and new section 2.10 should be changed to

follow 2.09, not 2.10.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Stanley Juber

RESULT:

MOVER:

Terry Jones

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Lynch Ball

Wadecki

AYE

NAY

Tewfik

EXCUSED

Any Other New Business to come before the Authority.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to ADJOURN the Regular Meeting at 8:53 p.m.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

RESULT: