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MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
ST. MARY’S COUNTY METROPOLITAN
COMMISSION
SEPTEMBER 08, 2005
The meeting commenced at 1:35 p.m. In attendance were
Commissioners Taylor, Gant, Murphy, Suggs, Cranford, Wood and Henry;
staff members King, Shreve, Frederick, Sullivan, Cullins and Bryan. Also
in attendance were Jacki Meiser, General Counsel, and Mr. Adam Bednar of
the St. Mary’s Today publication.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Gant
moved to approve Minutes of the July 21st, 2005 Regular
Meeting. Commissioner Wood seconded the motion and approval was
unanimous.
LENGTH OF SERVICE
AWARD
Commissioner Taylor
presented Joseph E. Bolt with a 15-Year Meritorious Service Award and
thanked him for his service on behalf of the Board.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Commissioner Cranford
moved to adjourn into Executive Session at 1:09 p.m. to discuss
personnel action and potential litigation. Commissioner Wood seconded
the motion and approval was unanimous.
The meeting
readjourned into Regular Session at 1:30 p.m.
Commissioner Gant
moved to approve Minutes of Executive Session dated July 21, 2005.
Commissioner Cranford seconded the motion and approval was unanimous.
Commissioner Cranford
moved to approve staff’s recommendation that Ms. Anne Bauer be
considered for the position of Regular, Full-Time Administrator,
Department of Fiscal Services & Information Systems, at Grade D/Step 13,
$75,308/year, subject to all pre-employment requisites being satisfied.
Commissioner Gant seconded the motion and approval was unanimous.
Commissioner Wood
moved to authorize staff to proceed with pending litigation as discussed
in Executive Session. Commissioner Murphy seconded the motion and
approval was unanimous.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
A. St. Clements Shores
WWTP
Mr. King reported that
staff is in the process of reviewing the final section of the St.
Clements Shores WWTP Evaluation Report prepared by Dewberry & Davis.
This indicates that the existing Rapid Infiltration Basins (RIB’s)
cannot serve more than the existing 100,000 gpd design flow of the
treatment plant. However, it did not take into account the adjacent
property along Compton Road. The Report also stated that soils on the
Golf Course property are very similar to those at the RIB’s site.
Although this is encouraging, it would also present similar
difficulties; i.e. narrow clay layers that do not allow direct, rapid,
vertical movement of water through the soils down to the water table. To
determine if the same solution can be applied in this case would require
additional soils investigation. However, staff does not know what the
cost would be at this point, or how much additional capacity can be
generated from this location. The Board will be presented with more
definitive answers to those questions, together with recommendations, at
the October meeting.
In conclusion, Mr.
King reported that the cost to upgrade the treatment process at the St.
Clements Shores WWTP, in order to serve 250 additional dwelling units,
is in the range of $1.2M.
B. Marlay-Taylor WRF
Capacity Allocation Status
Mr. King briefly
reviewed the history of this facility, and offered a repeat of the Power
Point presentation which was previously given to the Planning
Commission. A printed copy is attached to the Minutes.
During Mr. King’s
review of Page 2 of his presentation, Commissioner Wood questioned
whether the unit relating to EDU allocations in 1969 and 1984 should be
changed from 350 “mgd” to 350 “gpd”. Mr. King agreed.
Mr. King stressed that
MetCom must ensure that the rate at which allocations are granted does
not exceed 500 per year. To better achieve this, he has made the
following recommendations to the Planning Commission: (1) the phasing
process needs to be reinstated into the Zoning Ordinance and
Comprehensive Plan; (2) The Zoning Ordinance needs to be changed back to
require that the allocation, at least for sewer, should be granted
following record plat approval; and, (3) Developers should be encouraged
to only request capacity at the rate that they consider houses can be
built. He has not received a response to these recommendations to date.
However, he and Denis Canavan, Director of LUGM, will discuss them
further and report back to the Planning Commission.
B. Patapsco Aquifer
Study Interim Report
Mr. King reported that
he participated in a recent meeting with Messrs. John Grace and Saeid
Kasrei of MDE, to discuss the State’s position on the referenced Study.
He is pleased to report that all of the new flows in St. Mary’s County
over the next 25 years can be obtained from the Patapsco, without any
further decline of the aquifer’s current level occurring. However, the
aquifer’s recharge area is extremely close to the surface in NW Charles
County in the areas of Indian Head, La Plata and Waldorf. If MetCom
continues to utilize the Aquia without using the Patapsco; and Charles
County continues to use both upper and lower levels of the Patapsco as
they have historically done, management level will be reached. In
addition, possible dewatering in the aquifer within those areas will
occur. Because the State will not allow this to happen, the rate of
withdrawal from the Patapsco will have to be reduced in Charles County.
A further option would be to relocate their well fields closer to the
borders of St. Mary’s County in order to reduce the cones of depression
that have formed, or are forming, in those areas.
Mr. King subsequently
reviewed highlights of the Patapsco Aquifer Study Interim Report
together with potentiometric surface contour maps, copies of which are
attached to the Minutes. He noted that members of the Water Policy Task
Force and Maryland Geological Services staff will be presenting a more
detailed version of this Report to the Board of County Commissioners
next week.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR’S
REPORT
A. Sludge Upgrade
Update
Mr. Shreve updated the
Board on the Marlay-Taylor WRF Sludge Upgrade Project. A copy of his
presentation is attached to the Minutes.
FISCAL OFFICER’S
REPORT
A. Accounts
Receivable/Securities Reports
Mr. King briefly
reviewed the Accounts Receivable and Securities Reports. Copies are
attached to the Minutes. Commissioner Wood noted that Comment # 3 within
the August 2005 Accounts Receivable Report, incorrectly /states the name
of the Restaurant as “Fritzies” rather than “Fitzies”. Mr. King will
ensure that this is corrected.
B. Leonardtown BNR
Upgrade: Benefit Assessment Charge Increase
Mr. King reported that
the Public Hearing relating to the rate increase associated with the
Commission’s share of the recent upgrading of the Leonardtown WWTP was
held on August 2, 2005. Minutes of the Hearing is attached. He stated
that there were no objections to the proposed rate increase, and
requested Board approval of the new rates. Further discussion was
delayed while additional documentation was retrieved.
LEGAL COUNSEL’S REPORT
A. Legislative Changes
2006
In response to a
request by them for proposed changes for the 2006 legislative year, Ms.
Meiser reported that MetCom has indicated to the Office of the County
Attorney that the Commission will be submitting a requested modification
of its section of the County Code to comport with its rate restructure
that staff is hopeful will be implemented on July 1st, 2006.
Mr. King added that the actual textual modifications will be submitted
in October following the required Public Hearings.
ENGINEER’S REPORT
A. Regular Report
Mr. Frederick reviewed
the Engineer’s Report, a copy of which is attached to the Minutes.
B. Approval
Engineering Fee
Mr. Frederick reported
that there were no attendees at the required Public Hearing held on this
issue, and nothing more substantive than a written comment requesting
definition of terminology was received. He subsequently reviewed, and
requested, approval of the proposed engineering fees for FY06. A copy is
attached to the Minutes.
Commissioner Gant
moved to approve the proposed rate changes for FY06 as published in the
Public Hearing Notice. Commissioner Cranford seconded the motion and
approval was unanimous.
In addition, Mr.
Frederick requested approval to accept Whitman, Requardt & Associates’
proposal to provide the professional engineering services required to
complete the documents for the construction of the Andover Road Grinder
Pump Station/Force Main in the estimated amount of $15,032.58. They will
complete the drawings and assist with any permits required, but will not
provide any inspection work. The project will be constructed by Bay
Country.
Commissioner Wood
moved to authorize release of the amount of $15,032.58 towards
completion of the engineering services for the Andover Road Grinder Pump
Station/Forcemain Project. Commissioner Cranford seconded the motion and
approval was unanimous.
At this point, Mr.
King stated that the prior motion made by Commissioner Gant relating to
the Public Hearing notice, referred to the rate increase associated with
the Commission’s share of the recent upgrading of the Leonardtown WWTP,
and not the proposed engineering fees for FY06.
For the purpose of
clarification, Commissioner Taylor stated that he will now entertain
motions for both approval of the proposed FY06 Engineering Fees, and the
rate increase associated with the Leonardtown WWTP Upgrade.
Commissioner Suggs
moved to accept the proposed FY06 Engineering Fees as presented by
staff. Commissioner Cranford seconded the motion and approval was
unanimous.
Commissioner Gant
moved to approve the rate increase associated with MetCom’s share of the
Leonardtown WWTP BNR Upgrade. Commissioner Suggs seconded the motion and
approval was unanimous.
In conclusion, Mr.
Frederick requested Board approval to accept Whitman, Requardt &
Associates’ proposal to provide the professional engineering services
required to recommend repairs to the façade of the former Control
Building at the Marlay-Taylor WRF in the amount of $7,216.84. This
amount will not be exceeded without prior authorization.
Commissioner Wood so
moved. Commissioner Cranford seconded the motion and approval was
unanimous.
FACILITIES MANAGER’S
REPORT
A. Forrest Farms WWTP
Update
Mr. Sullivan updated
the Board on the Forrest Farms Wastewater Treatment Facility, where a
Biolac treatment system upgrade is currently in progress. This is being
funded entirely by the developer. Although, the project is approximately
two weeks behind schedule, it is still expected to be completed by
December, 2005. Upon completion, it will replace the current Biocleer
system, and will enable the developer to build additional houses within
the subdivision.
B. Replacement Wells
to Meet Arsenic Standards
Staff has submitted
an “exemption” request to the State, of the January 23, 2006 arsenic
rule. This will allow staff to delay installation of the replacement
wells for up to a year. Although no response has been received to date,
approval is anticipated within a week. The six systems in question are:
St. Mary’s Industrial Park Water System, Breton Bay, Mulberry South,
Holland Forrest, Hollywood and Fenwick Manor.
COMMISSIONERS’ TIME
Commissioner Wood
questioned whether the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fee is to be paid by
all of the Commission’s customers, or solely by customers with sewer
service. Mr. King confirmed that all of MetCom’s customers, including
those only served by water, will be billed for this fee.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further
business, Commissioner Wood moved to adjourn at
3:15 p.m. Commissioner Cranford seconded the motion and approval was
unanimous.
Lilian J. Bryan,
Secretary
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