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Minutes of NVC Meeting of January 20, 2002 President
Ken Vlodek convened the meeting of the Northport Village Corporation Board of
overseers on January 20, 2002, at 10:17 AM in the Drinkwater School with
Overseers O'Malia, Lightner, Trenholm, Smith, Doucette, Treasurer Handler, and
Clerk Lagner present. Also present were Crofoot, Superintendent Fancy, Merolla,
Manager Paige, Samway, Phillips, and several other residents. The
minutes of the December 16, 2001, meeting were approved. The
Treasurer's report was approved as follows: The Treasurer's Report was approved as follows: General Government Checking $48,074.35
Community Hall
289.75
Money Market
42,360.76
Total Government
90,724.86
Water Department Checking 22,451.40
Sewer Department Checking 16,158.58 CD721053 19,359.70
Money Market
21,689.43 Total Sewer Dep. 57,207.71 Russ
noted that the town of Northport has not been depositing our tax share in a
timely manner. This means interest is lost and increases the possibility that
checks can be misplaced. He has requested that checks be deposited weekly. A
study is being made of the tax lists, looking for errors and omissions. By
comparing the property, water, and sewer users lists, Russ and Elaine Smith hope
to create a correct, current data base that can be kept up-dated. Two
checks originally on the warrant have been voided: (1) Fire Island Construction:
damage to the culvert should be paid by the contractor causing the damage.
Russ will send a letter to Kevin explaining why NVC is withholding
payment, with a copy for the clerk to attach to the minutes of Dec. 16, 2001.
(2) Belfast Water District, for the bill which Collins paid directly to them.
Collins has been notified of this action. Resident's
Concerns Nitzburg:
The road has been re-graded to lead the water away from the problem area. Ken
will write a letter to Mr. Nitzburg. Village
Agent Plowing:
John ____ in Searsport is plowing and sanding for the Village. Parks
bid specs: John Fancy and Bill will give the data to Ken, who will write the
specifications. Water/Wastewater Beverly
Crofoot reported on the meeting of the Water/Wastewater Committee. She
noted that water use is up 50 percent since connecting to Belfast. We
have received the papers from Rural Development for the funding. It was pointed
out that these loans can be re-financed if a better rate is found. Funding
Documents for wastewater/storm water and roads:
RUS
Bulletin 1780-27 was presented and voted upon as follows:
Yeas 5
Nays 0
Absent 2 The
"Resolution of the Board of Overseers of the Northport Village
Corporation" (copy attached) pertaining to the Rural Development Grant was
presented and voted upon as follows:
Yeas 5 Nays
0 Absent
2 It
was moved to accept the resolution as presented and authorize the officers to
execute. VOTED. Funding
Documents for water:
RUS
Bulletin 1780-27 was presented and voted upon as follows: Yeas
5 Nays
0 Absent
2 The
"Resolution of the Board of Overseers of the Northport Village
Corporation" (copy attached) pertaining to the Rural Development Grant was
presented and voted upon as follows:
Yeas 5 Nays
0 Absent
2 It
was moved to authorize the officers to execute the resolution as presented. VOTED. Water
meters, read by radio, will cost about $90,000, plus $30-40,000 for
installation. Meters will have to be disconnected and drained at the end of each
season, either by unhooking them and leaving them hanging, or installing a meter
pit, at an estimated cost of $500. The Board must decide who will read the
meters, and what billing process to use. The software for billing water
customers based on meter readings is expensive, so it may be more expedient to
ask the Belfast Water Company to handle this. Meters will be installed this
summer with the new billing system beginning January 2003, and the first bills
to be sent in April 2003. The
NVC cannot close on the loans until a pay-back structure is in place. The money
must be borrowed on a short-term loan so construction can be completed, then the
permanent Rural Development loan will be used to pay back the short-term loan.
Closing on the permanent loan is scheduled probably for the 3rd book quarter of
2002, with the first payment due one year from closing. At this time the new
rate user fees will not have been in effect for a full year, so sufficient funds
must be set aside to cover this situation. Dirigo
is preparing final plans for the Phase I Infrastructure Project bids.
Contractors will schedule their own work, which could begin in the spring, (July
and August no work) and be completed in the fall. The
Board previously voted to postpone the bids until May in case some discretionary
funds became available, which now is unlikely. It
was moved that, in light of the fact that a major need to postpone the bidding
does not exist, that we authorize the bidding for this February, or as soon as
ready. VOTED. Russ
asked that the Bond Counsel, Mike Trainor, charge an hourly rate rather than a
flat percentage rate. A commitment letter from the lawyers is requested by Rural
Development as to projected legal costs. It
was moved to retain Mike Trainor as Bond Counsel for borrowing for the Phase I
infrastructure subject to commitment letter. Discussion:
NVC has a commitment letter for an hourly rate with Eaton-Peabody, (Mike Trainor
is included as he is an associate of Eaton-Peabody). Ken will check to see if
these letters will satisfy the Rural Development requirement. Therefore, the
motion was withdrawn. The
DEP has sent a letter requesting that the wastewater treatment plant be
evaluated, with the goal of improving its performance. For a fee of $2,000.00,
Dirigo Engineering will work with John Fancy and the Utility Committee on this. It
was moved to accept the letter and to authorize Dirigo to spend up to $2,000 on
an evaluation of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. VOTED. A
person to be the citizen contact during the Phase I Infrastructure Project, and
help procure signed easements, is needed. It is necessary to warn people of the
unavoidable inconveniences caused by the construction. To be mailed this spring,
a preliminary informational letter with a signature line granting an easement
might reduce the number of direct contacts necessary. John will ask Dirigo to
submit a bid for this initial mailing, and John will also write several articles
for the newsletter, one informational, and one about the water meters. Elaine
offered to track the responses, and Steve offered to help with the door-to-door
contacts. Written complaints should be addressed to the post office box. Ad Hoc-Arsenic Contamination Committee Galen
Plummer reported that at a meeting with the Northport Town Selectpersons
concerning a community block grant, they are very supportive. A figure of
$700,000.00 was discussed. Bryce Matthews with the Midcoast Regional Planning
Commission was suggested as a consultant. He is seeking other funding sources. Bryce
Matthews requested that an authorized contact person (the facilitator?) be
appointed to deal with the Midcoast Regional Planning Commission. Ken
created a sub committee of the Water/Wastewater Committee, with Todd and Matt as
chairmen, to be the contact with the Board, and to decide if a facilitator is
needed. The Ad Hoc committee will still remain active. Ken assured the residents
that this was a community problem that affects us all, not just a south shore
problem. Ken
suggested we have an open meeting to publicize the situation, but it was decided
to postpone a public forum while the committees gather more data. John
reminded the Board that the scope of the project needs to be clarified. Should
it include the sewer rebuilding in areas that were dropped from Phase I due to
lack of funds, the extension of the water line to the South Shore, the
connection to Bluff Road and other locations outside the Village limits- just
what should be included? The
following timeline was suggested:
It
was moved that the Board of Overseers is in support of the town of Northport's
application for a Community Block Grant for planning purposes for extending the
deep water line to the south shore and up to Bluff Road to address the arsenic
contamination problem, and that the Board authorizes a Water/Wastewater
Sub-Committee to also look at adding back the Phase I Infrastructure Project
omissions with the goal of presenting a project to the voters of the Village
Corporation in the summer of 2002. VOTED. Finance Dan
Doucette distributed the 2000 audit. He noted that interest rates on the first
three bonds are above 6%, while rates today are running 3-4%, and recommends
that we re-finance when we borrow money for the next project. It
was moved that Birchcrest be included in the bid for work, to be performed after
August 15, 2002, contingent upon authorization by the vote of the Village
Corporation, and receipt of a binding written agreement of repayment by each new
user. VOTED. Ken
says we should have the 2001 audit by the end of March, 2002. The end-of-year
2001 numbers were distributed. Parks Tree
work is done. The
formation of the garden club will be written up for the newsletter. Information It
was suggested that the Agenda for the Overseers' Meetings be published on the
Website. Recreation A
group has met to set up the Community Calendar. It should be ready by April. Safety Mary
Malone will be hired as lifeguard, working 40 hours per week at $9.50 per hour,
schedule to be arranged. She has given swimming lessons in the past. Russ
has found a back-up person, and this would make it possible to have a life guard
7 days a week, for longer hours. Legal Re
the suit with Northport, Ellie Lagner's deposition was canceled after 1/2 hour.
The Northport lawyer now wishes to depose John Dykstra. Depositions must be
completed by April 1. Trial will probably be some time late this summer. After
executive session, it was moved that Blaine Richardson be and hereby is
appointed a code enforcement officer for the Northport Village Corporation to
enforce, oversee, and administer all aspects of the Northport Village
Corporation zoning ordinance adopted on August 20, 2000, and that he take such
actions consistent with that ordinance within the geographic limits of the
Northport Village Corporation, with the exception of the land within the
Northport Village Corporation which are governed by the Town of Northport shore
land zone ordinance. VOTED. New Business Tim
Samway requested that we recognize Eldon Pond's significant contribution to
Bayside. It was moved that the Board set up a "Distinguished Citizens'
Recognition Award" plaque. Award presentations could be made at the Annual
Meeting. It was not brought to a vote, but the Board will investigate the form
such an award would take for later acceptance. The
meeting adjourned at 2:51 PM. Respectfully
submitted, Eleanor D. Lagner, Clerk Upcoming
meetings:
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