MINUTES

PUBLIC HEARING

UNIFORM RATE BENEFIT ASSESSMENT CHARGE

APRIL 27, 2005

The meeting commenced at 7:08 p.m. In attendance were MetCom Commissioner Tim Wood, staff members King, Shreve, Frederick; and attendees noted on the attached list.

Mr. King welcomed the public and introduced the officials present. He stated that the purpose of tonight’s meeting is to discuss the new proposed method of financing the following capital improvements:

·        Water lines, sewer lines, water elevated storage tanks, and wastewater treatment plants;

·        Replacing and upgrading facilities as required by the State;

·        Expansion necessary to keep pace with population growth within the County; and

·        The ability to office service to those areas that need it.

Following a brief summary of MetCom’s Mission Statement and the law under which it operates, Mr. King stressed that the Commission is financially self sufficient; with the required funds originating solely from its customers.

The Service Charge generates revenue to fund personnel, chemicals, equipment, electricity, gasoline for vehicles and maintenance of the water and sewer systems. The method of calculating this charge to a single uniform rate was implemented in 1993. Applying the same principle to the Benefit Assessment Charge (BAC), which is responsible for repaying the debt service on water/sewer lines and other facilities, became the subject of lengthy debate over a prolonged period of time. With the assistance of an expert on financial management systems for public utilities, it was finally approved by the MetCom Board.

At this point, Mr. King invited Mr. Shreve to give a Power Point presentation, a copy of which is attached to the Minutes. A copy is also available for viewing on MetCom’s website at www.metcom.org. Mr. Shreve stressed that the numbers have been updated since the initial Public Hearing held in February. They are staff’s best estimate at this point and are subject to change.

Questions/Answers

Q.        Some homes have sewer grinder pumps. If the electricity is interrupted can it be connected to a home generator? If so, what is the related voltage?

A.         It can be connected to a home generator that has sufficient amps (220 volts), by a licensed electrician. However, the entire house would have to be hooked up to it.  There are two ways to do this. There is a manual disconnect switch that turns on the generator which disconnects everything in the house, including the grinder pump, from the main line out in the street; and, then there is the automatic disconnect which is designed to automatically roll over to the generator and turn it off when the outside power comes back on. It must also be noted that the pump station is fed by the grinder pump which has a standby generator.

Q.        Has your Board adopted this new proposal?

A.        It has been adopted subject to the approval of the Board of County Commissioners and the legislature. The Hearing document will be kept open for 10 days following tonight’s meeting; but staff will continue to accept public comment over the next several months. This process is ongoing until completion of the hearing in the fall when the bill will be presented in Annapolis.

Q.        Is there an electronic version of tonight’s Power Point presentation?

A.         Yes. It can be viewed on the Commission’s website at www.metcom.org. Any questions or comments following tonight’s hearing can also be posted at this site.

Q.        My understanding is that there are traces of fluoride found in Maryland water. Does MetCom add fluoride to any of its systems? If not, why do some systems in other areas of the State do so?

A.         No, MetCom does not, and has no intention of doing so at this point as a result of its customers voting overwhelmingly against it at various Public Hearings which were held throughout St. Mary’s County. At this point, Lexington Park was the only system with added fluoride.  It was both a cost and safety concern issue. However, you may contact the office to determine what the natural level of fluoride is in your area. It varies from place to place in the County and ranges from 0.3 to 0.7/0.8.  MetCom staff tests for natural fluoride levels and provide that information to dentists and customers who are interested.

Q.        Mr. Chico Rivers, President of the Homeowners’ Association of Wicomico Shores, expressed his Association’s total support for MetCom’s proposed new system. However, he expressed their concern regarding proposals by developers to complete the development of this community, which he indicated could possibly triple the numbers of the neighborhood; stating that it would have a disastrous effect in the area. He requested information on the process that a developer would be required to undergo, including cost, for providing MetCom’s portion of the infrastructure for water and sewer.

A.         This subject is not the topic of the Hearing tonight, however, it is not the Commission’s intention to advocate or push for the rest of that development. In any case, no further development can occur unless the Board of County Commissioners approves implementation of a special taxing district to pay for the construction of the roads that would serve that area. They would also have to change the water and sewer plans to enable water and sewer lines to be constructed by MetCom within a special taxing district.

The meeting concluded at 8:45 p.m.