Water and Sewer 2/10/25
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Monday,
February 10, 2025
6PM – 7 PM
Minutes
Approved on: Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Minutes
Printable version
Web version
Town of Richmond
Special Meeting of Water and Sewer Commission
Minutes of February 10, 2025
Members Present: Jay Furr, Erin Farr, Bard Hill, Morgan Wolaver, Lisa Miller
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: Superintendent Steve Cote; Assistant to the Town Manager Duncan Wardwell, Finance Director Connie Bona.
Others Present: The meeting was recorded for MMCTV Erin Wagg.
MMCTV Video: MMCTV Erin Wagg
https://youtu.be/Pe--cZbuXtc?si=SYFvf9HAaMLYkM1m
Call to Order: 6:00 pm
Welcome: Wolaver
Public Comment: None
Additions or Deletions to the Agenda: None
Review of updated Water Resources Department Logo
Timestamp: 0:01
People who participated in discussion: Wolaver, Cote, Furr, Bona, Farr
Cote stated that his niece has changed the two logos that were favored and asked which one people preferred. Bona and Farr said they like the first logo; it looks better on a truck. Furr suggested putting the logo out for viewing on Front Porch Forum. Wolaver feels the logos should be introduced to the public at Town Meeting. Cote stated that the employees of the Water and Sewer Department do not have business cards, and they would like to use the new logo for that and to make hats and shirts.
Review of First and Second Quarter FY25 Financials
Timestamp: 0:08
People who participated in discussion: Wolaver, Cote, Farr, Furr, Hill, Miller, Bona
Bona went through an overview of the FY24 budget status report and explained that Wastewater totals has a negative number, which is due to the 20-year study that is being done by Hoyle. Additionally, some equipment and maintenance went over budget in FY24. Farr asked for some clarification on the 2024 Jericho Road flooding expenses being included in this report, which Bona stated was an error on her part, it should have been from the 2023 flood. Hill stated that he is uncomfortable with having a large negative number on the budget status report, and he thinks taxpayers may also react to that. Furr wondered if the comments in the margin should be removed, which Bona pushed back on. Miller wondered if a narrative to go along with a budget report may be helpful. Wolaver thinks the limitations of this report is related to the software. Cote explained that the installation of the new water meters does cause some cost to his department, the cost of the meters includes training and software. Hill, Farr and Wolaver wondered if there was a simpler way to present this data to the public, explaining the numbers more clearly. Bona said she is hesitant to move this report to Excel and possibly be accused of manipulating the numbers.
Q1 for FY25 does not include some payments that were made recently. Farr thinks the flood expenses should be included in the budget status report, to which Bona explained that the flood was not budgeted for. Hill pondered why revenue and expenses are not included. Wolaver wanted to know if there is other software available to make budget reporting clearer. Bona said that other software is extremely expensive. Hill emphasized that when revenues and expenses are not included, he cannot surmise as a member of the commission if this is on track.
Update on installation of water meters
Timestamp: 0:53
People who participated in discussion: Cote
240 meters have now been installed. The Zenner portal payment is budgeted for, a one-time fee of $3400 for the year, but it’s not been paid for yet, so customers do not have access to the app.
Superintendent’s Report
Timestamp: 0:55
People who participated in discussion: Cote
The mission system for water health has been installed. Cote thinks they will go to off-peak, so that they only pump during off-peak hours to save some money. The system allows Cote to look at and know what’s going on at the Waterhouse at all times. He says it collects a tremendous amount of data that he has never had access to before.
The dewatering screw that is worn out and plugs up still needs to be replaced.
Adjourn
Furr moved to adjourn. Hill seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Hill, Furr, Miller, Sander in favor. Motion approved.
Meeting adjourned at: 6:57 pm
Chat file from Zoom: None
Agenda
Printable version
Web version
Town of Richmond Special Meeting of the Water and Sewer Commission
February 10, 2025
Richmond Town Center Meeting Room, 3rd Floor – 203 Bridge Street, Richmond, VT
Meeting may also be joined online or by phone
Join Zoom Meeting Online:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88076050795?pwd=TXFp0y61JoTBmDf4yU0cSoxjfaRsmD.1
Join by Phone: +1 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 880 7605 0795 Passcode: 899174
Agenda
6:00 PM 1. Welcome and Public Comment
6:02 PM 2. Additions, Deletions, or Modifications to the Agenda
6:05 PM 3. Items for Presentation or Discussion with those present
a. Review of updated Water Resources Department Logo # (10 min)
b. Review of Fourth Quarter FY24 Financials and First and Second Quarter FY25 Financials # (15 min)
c. Review of water data for January 2025 # (5 min)
d. Update on installation of water meters (5 min)
e. Superintendent’s Report (15 min)
6:55 PM 4. Discuss Items for Next Agenda and Adjourn
Time is available at each meeting for public comment.
If you would like to schedule a time with the Commission or need assistance to participate in the meeting, please call
Josh Arneson, Richmond Town Manager at 434-5170 or jarneson@richmondvt.gov
Links to videos of Water and Sewer Commission meetings can be found at mtmansfieldctv.org
Documents related to this meeting can be found at: www.richmondvt.gov/documents/water-sewer-commission-meeting-documents/
*denotes action item # denotes item(s) included in packet