PORT EWEN WATER & SEWER BOARD
JULY 14, 2009

 

The regular monthly meeting of the Port Ewen Water and Sewer Board was held on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 with the following members in attendance:

          Donald Kiernan, Port Ewen Water & Sewer Superintendent
          Ronald Phillips
          Kevin Rentfrow
          Michael Tronolone

Absent were Douglas DeKoskie and John Meehan.  The Liaison from the Esopus Town Board, Carl Belfiglio, was attending a workshop meeting elsewhere in the building.

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 PM by acting chairman Ronald Phillips.

  1. MOTION TO ACCEPT MINUTES OF JUNE 9, 2009 MEETING

 

A MOTION WAS MADE BY MICHAEL TRONOLONE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 9, 2009 MEETING.  THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER MEMBER PRESENT TO SECOND THIS MOTION WHO HAD ALSO ATTENDED THE JUNE 9, 2009 MEETING.

  1. CITY OF KINGSTON—RE: SEWER CONTRACT—SIGNED

 

Superintendent Kiernan reported to the board that the new contract with the City of Kingston continues to the year 2035.  It will be renewable for thirty more years at that time.  Some items in the contract are:  The Town of Esopus was given a quota of five days per quarter to exceed the allotted gallons of flow; Once per quarter BOD samples will be taken (biochemical oxygen demand); Once per year flow monitors will be calibrated; The Town of Esopus will be billed quarterly instead of annually.

  1. INFLOW & INFILTRATION

 

Superintendent Kiernan advised the board that the meters have been pulled and he is waiting for the final report from Morris Associates.  Actually, the flow meters were kept in place for an additional month.

  1. BIRCHES—PUMPS/GENERATOR/AS-BUILTS

 

Before the Port Ewen Water & Sewer District takes over, Birches must match the same pump stations as the others in Port Ewen.  The Town of Esopus does not own the project’s roads yet.  There are no as-builts yet.  There is no generator yet; Superintendent Kiernan is of the understanding that the generator has been changed to the Ingersoll-Rand brand.

  1. SEWER PUMP STATION OVERFLOW

 

Superintendent Kiernan advised the board that on June 8th at 12:45 AM the Rest Assured Alarm Company said an alarm had re-set itself.  In fact, a generator had shut down due to high temperature.  For approximately twelve hours the pump station overflowed into the Rondout Creek.

Repairs were made by Southworth at no charge.  Central Hudson’s response time was two hours.

On June 10th Superintendent Kiernan contacted a new alarm company, SAFECO Alarm Systems, Inc.  They will monitor phases at all five pump stations.  All new alarms will be installed.

Board member Ronald Phillips inquired if a contract exists with Rest Assured Alarm Company; Superintendent Kiernan replied that there had been an annual fee, but no contract.  Mr. Phillips wondered if there might be a rebate from the annual fee.

  1. SAFECO PROPOSAL

 

There is money in the Sewer Budget to pay for this service.  SAFECO will submit monthly monitoring reports which will indicate who was at pump stations and what dates and what times.

A MOTION WAS MADE BY MICHAEL TRONOLONE AND SECONDED BY RONALD PHILLIPS, GIVING PERMISSION TO SUPERINTENDENT KIERNAN TO CONTINUE COMMUNI-CATIONS WITH SAFECO ALARM SYSTEMS, INC. REGARDING THEIR PROPOSAL.  ALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.  MOTION CARRIED.

  1. AGREEMENT

 

A draft is included with this month’s agenda of the Agreement between Donald F. Kiernan and the Town of Esopus Town Board.  Superintendent Kiernan’s position becomes part-time, he continues to be granted Civil Service Status, with rights pursuant to section 75 of Civil Service Law.  This agreement is for two years.

  1. JOB DESCRIPTION

 

Included with this month’s agenda is a job description of a half-time employee, whose title will be decided by the Town of Esopus Town Board.

Upon Ronald Phillips request, Superintendent Kiernan explained that this employee, possibly a “Foreman,” would be trained to prepare for the Superintendent’s position and take a Civil Service exam for same.  This employee would be second in command, after the Superintendent.

Board member Michael Tronolone inquired if this employee’s position would be part of the union.  Superintendent Kiernan replied that he did not know that.

  1. FEMA/SEMO

 

FEMA and SEMO have approved our engineering report; now we are asking them to approve the addition of four more wells, each pumping one hundred gallons per minute.  Superintendent Kiernan also was thinking, why water could not be discharged into the plant and mixed with river water?  This is something to think about.  Ronald Phillips asked if some of the current wells are gravity wells; the Superintendent replied that all of the wells are pumped and up along the road.  Michael Tronolone wanted to know if dewatering is part of our budget at this time.

  1. EXCEEDANCE EPA ACTION LEVEL 1300/26 WEEKS—START CRYPTO SAMAPLES

 

Superintendent Kiernan reported to the board that for the next two years, beginning in October, one water sample per month must be taken from the river at the cost of $625.00 per month.  We do not have a choice in this matter, since the E-coli levels were elevated.  Filtration helps with cryptosporidium, chlorine does not really help.  Ultraviolet treatment for our plant would cost around $200,000.00; maintenance is very expensive.

Michael Tronolone asked if filtration units at the plant were damaged during the slope failure; Superintendent Kiernan replied that no, only the clarifier was damaged.

  1. PAYMENT OF VOUCHERS

 

A MOTION WAS MADE BY RONALD PHILLIPS AND SECONDED BY MICHAEL TRONOLONE TO APPROVE THE MONTHLY VOUCHERS FOR PAYMENT.  ALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.  MOTION CARRIED.

  1. MISCELLANEOUS

 

Superintendent Kiernan mentioned to the board that the PCB levels are being very carefully watched.  Nothing is elevated yet.

Michael Tronolone inquired about turbidity; Superintendent Kiernan replied that there is no turbidity problem.

  1. ADJOURNMENT

 

A MOTION WAS MADE BY RONALD PHILLIPS AND SECONDED BY KEVIN RENTFROW TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.  ALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.  MOTION CARRIED.  THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:20 PM.

                                                     Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                     Gloria Meschi, Secretary
                                                     Port Ewen Water/Sewer Board