Infrastructure Committee - June 24, 2026

Call the meeting to order with the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I think the uh here's the here's the agenda I put for you. Yeah.

The uh we have the minutes of the meeting on April 29th.

Uh that meeting I was in Africa.

Um we well that I I was here. So um Evan did do the minutes. We passed them out earlier in the week and uh have you all read them or satisfied with them? Okay. Well, I'll make a motion to approve the minutes of April 29th.

Second.

All in favor?

I I The meetings are adopted. The minutes are adopted.

Um and the OC appointments I think have been made.

No, they have not. Um, we have a new fiscal year starting July 1st and you know, put it in military terms. We want to find out who wants to reup.

So, Bob, are you going to be a member going forward? Okay. And I am too.

In fact, I was I think I was appointed by the selectment.

Were you?

Yes.

I I didn't I didn't bring that.

Oh, you remember which meeting it was?

It wasn't this last one though, right?

No.

No. It might have been the one before.

I didn't put anything in.

We had some nominations messed up this this past meeting. So, we're going to have to go back to them at the following meeting because there was a big list of appointments at the selectman's meeting. Yeah. And it didn't go there was some there was some that were off.

So So yeah, I I I stand corrected. While my name was on the list, I may not. Yes. So nobody there were no nominations as of the select board meeting because there was a kind of a clerical error in some of the stuff. So it'll be on the next one.

Yeah. Well, somebody's got to put in a memo unless you all do it individually, but I can do it collectively.

Are they all one-year terms on that?

It's all one-year terms. Yeah.

Yes.

Yeah. It's not like the wind power.

So, um, Evan, are you on for another year?

I'm on the fence. Things have been a little chaotic personal life, so I'm not really too sure at the moment.

I'm put that down as a yes.

You didn't say no.

Fair enough, Joe. Yes.

Yes. Hopefully, as long as I can continue to be helpful. Yes.

Okay. And then um your continuence depends on the select board, correct? Yes.

But you want to continue. Okay. I'm just going to You're going to write no on the side of my name.

No.

No. You finally passed my Jake.

Yeah. Maybe. And then Duncan Law um is the finance committee representative and his his participation next year would depend on the FINCOM, but he seems to enjoy the the meetings and so let's hope he does say yes. I will call Duncan and call his chair and and see. So, you know, we have um we actually have with the five of us or with the eight of us actually, assuming heaven comes back, we

have um seven and we actually have a place for eight. So, if anybody knows anybody who's very interested in it, please let me know and we can get them on get them on board. Okay.

All righty.

Okay. looking at meetings next upcoming meetings.

So, it's June. Two months is August, but I'm really loathed to schedule a meeting in August.

Y I've always been pretty much against August meetings. So, why don't we look into September and um there's the 9th of September.

Is there any need to meet? The only thing we'll have going on in definitely in September will be the actual bid documents will be out out in September.

Okay.

Based on the schedule. I'm trying to think if there's anything else in you don't have a date yet for the bid because the selectment approved the negotiation for the contract.

Right.

Um so Chris Chris has that authority.

Yeah, I think we might be okay to not do anything in August. If anything changes, I'll email you, Mar, but I don't Well, yeah. I mean, we can always have, you know, um a quick meeting in August and um I mean, I will be here most of August. I might be away like 5 days, but Okay.

You know, but it's still a time when the wheels of government slow down. And so, so let's do September 9th for now.

Is that okay?

Sure. Yeah. It's a Wednesday.

It's a Wednesday.

It better be Wednesday.

Yeah, it's two days after Labor Day.

Yeah. So, it's Labor Day is the 7th.

Yeah. It's late.

So, it'll be the 9th. Yeah.

99 and um it'll be 6:30 here in the select boardroom. and I will check with Carla um shortly to make sure we reserve the room.

Okay.

How about the we've got Roger your report on um the cheating project that's going to go forward.

Uh yes. Do you want me to run through the list now? The uh Okay. So just in terms of update, a typical meeting updates um regarding the prior project, we still have some punch list items to wrap out but wrap up I should say. Um we did do some of that over the last couple of months, but there's some minor things that need to still take place associated with mass DOT and the finalization of

the work on Route 6, Gford and Osborne.

So, um, so the contract is still on the hook till all those open items are, uh, resolved.

Um, in terms of the, uh, and at any point if you want me to stop, let me know. But, uh, in terms of the private service connections update, we did had a, we did have a couple more, uh, connect, I believe since our last meeting, now we're at a total of 49 confirmed. So, roughly 29% of the total available services to residents, meaning a curb stop located at their property

line. 29% of those folks have uh have connected um regarding the the Keading one earmark. Um so the the Briggs Road Fire Station, Oakland Loop area.

Sure.

Roger. About the um private service connections. How about the um the two families we discussed at the last meeting that had the distress wells? I believe it was Benoy Street off Route 6.

That one is on the agenda. We're going to touch on that. Yep. We're going to It's a good point. Yep. We'll bring that up. Um, so in terms of the uh again the Keing uh Keing one money, uh we've we've got the plants basically at 100% design. The uh the permit uh has been submitted to Mass. We received some initial comments from Mass DOT. We're waiting on the final comments from operations and

traffic at Mass DOT and we expect to have all those uh comments back by uh July 9th. And then typically what we do is we update the plans and address those comments in through the state highway access permit uh process. As a reminder, we have to do that because there is a section of Route 88 that's within the state layout that requires to seek mass DOT permits.

And Roger, just so you know, the other night on conservation, we approved the um the NOI.

Yeah, the NOI. So they came through on Tuesday night and we approved that on Tuesday night.

Excellent. Thank you. Thank you, Jake.

So um so and as a reminder again and we'll talk about this a little bit in more detail but the design procurement for the next phase the keying one work um and as a reminder we have the both the uh federal funding and the local match uh the local match is being paid for through the state federal funding match. So there's no additional cost to the town for the match. The 20% has been

identified and we have a commitment letter for the Keing one. So both the federal um and this and the match has been secured. Uh the goal is to sec is to bid that that Keing one project which again is Briggs Road in the Oakland neighborhood um which is Arlington Street Glennwood for example um is is going to be structured so that we bid it out with some alternates and I'd like to

talk about that a little bit. So, the alternates allow us to bid the base contract, which is going to be the the main work that we're going to fund fully, is going to be the Briggs Road extension up to the fire station at 85 Briggs Road. Um, and the idea behind that is so that the way the law reads, we have to add alternates so that if the total bid exceeds the amount that's that we've

programmed to do all those streets, we can then pick and choose where we want to apply that money um in the Oakland neighborhood. So, it's a strategic method that's used so that we don't find ourselves in a position where we don't have some flexibility in awarding the bid.

Um, if you turn to the back of the memo I provided, um, we've got a we've got a sort of a diagram with a lot of a lot of, uh, lines on it, but basically the intent there is to show where the potential alternates could be. So, the the light blue line is the existing water main that was already brought down Osborne.

And if you follow Osborne, we've got some different shaded shaded lines that um identify the potential alternates.

And the way we thought we would structure that, and we'll talk about this again in a little more detail, but bid alternate number one would be the Arlington Avenue uh neighborhood in part because we did receing and we did receive some some feedback there. Uh we did have some folks on Arlington A that did demonstrate they were interested in connecting. Um so that would be alternate one. That would

be the first place we would go after the base bits road if we had enough money to do that. That would be the first place.

If we had still money left over, the second bid alternate would be the Elmwood Avenue um portion of the um of the of the I'm sorry, Oakland loop.

So that would be bid alternate number two. And then bid alternate number three uh would be the extension. Uh and those will look like they probably twoinch lines up um or down further down Oakland Street and further up uh Glenwood A. And those lines are demon are shown here in uh green.

So I know it's a little there's a lot of lines here, but if you know if that works for the committee, then that's the way we would want to structure the bid.

Mhm.

And and question. Yeah, go ahead. And for the uh the the public that's listening or watching, um the idea of the alternatives is that um we've been fortunate with the bids and they've come in less than the um engineers estimate for the work. So there's we're definitely going to bring the water main to the fire station, but we believe we have more money than that. And then we're going to choose out of these alter

alternatives to add this to the contract so we don't have to go back out and we have there's two things we don't want to do. We don't want to return grant money that we haven't spent and we want to use it in the best possible areas to serve neighborhoods. So that's that's the purpose of the alternatives is is to have sufficient work covered by the bid that we don't uh we don't lose any or

return any of the grant money.

Um my my question well now I have a couple of them actually but uh Roger um on the Arlington Avenue area when it um leaves Route 6 and comes down it turns left onto W Street.

Is that right?

But there's a a big old school house diagonally across from that turn.

Were they approached? Were they sent a letter?

Uh, I don't believe they were included in the in the No, they were not.

No, we should check because if we do, you know, given the survey that you did, um, two are interested in connecting, one is not sure and one is reporting a well a well concern which may turn into a connection. So, there's three or four possibilities there on Arlington. So, you know, this should be, you know, bid al alternate number one as you've declared it, but there's another there's

a school right there. It's called Green Green Greenwood School.

Okay.

And um it's a private residence now and we should really be in touch with them and see whether they want to want to uh want to connect maybe.

Okay. And the second thing I wanted to say is that you know the alternate two and three really got no response except one was not interested for sure.

Yeah. Well, no there there quite a few that weren't interested but um and so if we go back here to the money um if we get that PAS grant and you're hopeful right?

Yes. We're going to talk about Okay. We we pretty much have to allocate that to the Briggs Road section.

Correct.

Because they had a PAS hit.

Correct. And so that leaves, you know, this 1.2 million really to do something on U, you know, off of Route Six.

Well, the Briggs Road connection is a lot more than 300,000.

How much more?

Uh I think I think the estimate for the Briggs Road section is in the 850,000.

Yeah, just that little stretch.

Okay.

Yeah.

Okay. Well, I will I will stop my comment then because that leaves if it is $800,000, then that leaves only 600,000 for the neighborhood.

Yeah. As a reminder, we we submitted a $300,000 we talked about that at one of our meetings, a $300,000 request to to the to the mass D um in part because we just received a $4 million grant. So, I called them. I tal talked to one of the program directors and their response was, "Geez, you just got 4 million." But we decided to go ahead go back and try to go for a dollar

amount that was not going to make them feel like we're going back to the trough too many times.

Yeah.

So, we landed on that and it's 300,000.

I mean, it it's going to help. It's something.

Okay. So, it will help get us from Gford Road to Yes. Fire station.

And you're right. We do have to that money would have to be programmed, which we we can do. It's just a budgeting exercise that I go through when I submit the paperwork.

But yes, we would program that specifically.

Do we have to tunnel under Route 88?

No.

No, we're just going to dig up Route 88.

Road layout.

Huh?

It'll be in the road layout.

Sure.

No, but I mean um will we interrupt traffic and the surface? It would be okay. Yep.

Okay. All right.

That's a it's signalized there. So, we got know that advantage as well. Yeah, we did we did go through went through with Alex over at K Clim. We kicked that approach. So, it'll be a not to get into too much detail at this point, but it's it's going to be a three-phased uh work zone Briggs Road. We're going to be able to maintain some traffic there.

We're not going to shut root roots Route 88 down. And then second phase would be the middle of the road and the last phase would be the fire station side.

So, we we did go through quite a bit of sort of brainstorm and try to figure out Okay. Okay.

Roger, I have a question for you on that. Is there a way to do night work on that on 88?

Yeah, that's not out of the question. If we wanted to do that, then we would want to make sure we put that in the bid in the bid.

I'm just thinking that obviously if you know the traffic during the during the day on 88, it may may make more sense to do it like I don't know an 8:00 p.m. to or 7:00 p.m. to whatever that whatever their normal hours would be and then you would have less interruption. The only reason I know that is because we're dealing with Hicks bridge right now and everything going on over there with

Eversource. So I think maybe that would be a possibility if it could be done.

Could we do that as an option? Because I know the night works be will be a lot more money.

And that was the only my only other thought in the back of my mind is that it may jack up the cost. I don't know.

They can bid as an option.

Night night work is more expensive.

Yes. Yeah.

Yeah. It's more a lot more.

It would be more expensive. We don't have a lot of days. I mean, it's not going to take I mean, I'm thinking, you know, three days or so, not including the patching and stuff like that. We could get through that intersection. So, it would be, let's just call it a week's worth of night work, broken up a little bit. So, but yes, it would I mean, you get everything done and get

there and then just do that whatever you have to do on at night on 88 maybe. I don't know.

During the day, during the day, I believe, and I could be wrong, but I believe they can do in three phases, one lane at a time.

Yeah. M making whatever order you prefer. Look at the center lane, then the right lane and northbound lane and the south bump lane.

I think at the very least we should kick it around and see what the impacts.

Just see what they come up.

Yeah, good idea.

Roj um at the very least not on prime time like a Friday afternoon with the you know the most traffic.

Yeah. Some sort of like the DOT kind of does you know.

Yep. Yeah. I mean try try not to in inconvenience the public as much as possible.

Yep.

Yep. I don't disagree with that.

Chair, I have a question um for Roger with respect to this is kind of out of the agenda order. I just this deals with the bid alternates one, two, and three.

What it so the neighborhoods you have listed there with the basically it looks like Arlington would be the only one that would be well if we're going through those alternate bids. But with respect to the issue that we have on Bralt Street, is that something that could fall into this phase or is it completely outside of the scope of the work? Like let's assume we have the extra 400,000 or whatever that number is

left over and we know that uh South Bar Street has four or five customers that are pretty much impacted by Wells right now. Could that fall into this earlier bid?

We would have to go back and sort of do a re Okay. We do. Um I'm just thinking it's such a short run and if and if we have and we're heavy on while we have a little extra cash, does that make sense and what would that be priced at? I don't know those specifics, but I think probably what we might want to do is after we get the bids in, yeah, by some,

you know, so if the if they come in like crazy low or something like that and there's some money available, but keep in mind that the other issue associated with the uh Briggs Road is we have to extend the main on Route Six. So, that would be whether or not they would allow us to amend the existing permit. Okay?

And I talked to Bob a little bit about this, but that that's something that's the easier path. But if they require us to submit another permit on Route 6, then that would take some time.

Okay.

So, and that's through Mass D.

And that's mass DOT. And I'll be honest with you, I mean, they're doing their job. This is not But it's a process.

Yeah.

It's But but uh our permit, I know it doesn't apply to the work, but our permit now is still active, right? We haven't closed that permit out.

We have not. We have not. So, could you keep that permit open to It's possible to amend it.

Okay.

Yeah. And we did with the They have punch list work. So, our permit is open.

That's right. And we did we did issue some amendments to the prior permit. We had to we we extended the main a little bit if you recall up to 875. There was money left over to do that which worked out great because that particular property was in distress. They had a real issue as you're probably aware of.

So, they just by h by luck we extended the main that solved that problem. Okay. And we did we did amend the the permit um to add a blowoff connection to one of the drain man holds that belong to mass2. So we did amend the prior one a couple of times.

Okay.

So I think maybe with that maybe we shouldn't be in a rush to close out the permit.

Yeah. I wouldn't I wouldn't close it out before we see what we have for the bids that come back and what money is left over to possibly do that.

Okay.

Yep. That sounds like good ideas. Um, can you know I'm I'm thinking about just uh you know, knocking on some doors on these, you know, the the people who didn't respond. Um, can you give me a list of the addresses and the responses and all?

We do. We have a because I'm very interested in that old school building that we could maybe connect if they're interested.

What What is that school, right? It's called Glennwood School and it was an elementary school that was active back in the 50s and 60s but u it closed and I guess elementary was consolidated with Mackur at that time but I remember Claude Leoo telling me he went there he had a uh was a Greenwood Park school I went there you went there too okay it's a private home now first grade yes it's apartments for a while

it's apartments.

My grandparents lived in one of them. I don't know if it's all one home now.

Oh, really? Okay.

Two apartments when it first was not a school.

Interesting. Okay. So, that's one. And then to, you know, go back into the other streets where we really had no no positive hits at all. Um, you know, because it opens up the question, do you know, we want to do we want to put it on Glenwood Avenue and Elwood Avenue if we have nobody interested?

So anyhow, just a thought.

Yep.

So if you can give me the, you know, the information that you got back from the responses and and you know, I I'm, you know, if anybody else wants to walk it with them, Jake, you're the you're the elected politician here.

I have enough jobs right now. I can't be a door knocker, too.

Right.

Maybe in the fall. I can't do it in the No, we're have we're I'm talking now, you know, right? And I think also for the public we should we should uh just make it clear that um the monies that we're talking about are all grant monies. So this is this are not not local tax money at all. And our congressman um Keading has got direct congressional spending grants for us. two of them. One the one

we're talking about now and a second one that's also approved. And our senator Mike Rodri has reached into a state fund for us to get us the local match. So even though there was a required local match, that's actually state money that came. So we're not um we've again not had to reach into the taxpayers for even the local match for the federal monies. And then the PAS grant is just because there is PAS

contamination in particularly in the north end of town and particularly the fire station which has a a public well.

Um and so that that again is state monies that we've applied into the water system. So this again is so far all of the expansions that we've been able to accomplish um that the town has been able to accomplish has been done with with either federal or state monies.

Yeah. And this is an important point that Bob makes because in 2024 in the springtime, as everybody knows, we took a a big, you know, water and sewer, primarily sewer project to the ballot box and um for $35 million loan to build water and sewer all the way on Route Six and that failed. Then in May we took it to the annual town meeting and with a sewer only very cartailed amount of 7

million but a still it would have been uh borrowings. Um and so the town rejected borrowings and the town rejected sewer actually but we have a little water utility and so our activities have been toward expanding the existing water utility which was set up I don't know 20 or 30 years ago and you know with a um enterprise fund with water commissioners etc. And that's what we are doing. We're extending that and

um we are having some success getting grants as Bob just noted. But I want to make it clear this is not what the town voted against. The town voted against borrowing. The town voted against sewer.

It did not vote against the extension of the water line. And um I just will make that point from time to time just so we're all clear.

Roger. Back to you. Sure.

So just just to put a bow on it. So in terms of the keying one, we're you know we're on schedule um schedule we p with respect to the permitting and the actual construction for that uh 2026 construction window towards the end of this year and there will be some finish work because of the timing of the of the contract. We anticipate that there'll be some paving early next year when the

weather breaks. So, so this is a project that would we we put into bid in um by September and this is a project that occurs mostly this fall.

Yep.

And then and then with potential pave final paving and everything in the streets in in the spring.

Correct. Yep.

But but all in this fiscal year, right? Correct. Yep.

So, uh, in terms of just and we touched upon this a little bit, but in terms of the 85 Briggs Road Fire Station, um, we we did, um, we submitted, um, the necessary paperwork. Uh, we submitted record, uh, water testing. It didn't include all the requisite water testing that we would need for the um, ECSDC or the PAS grant, if you will. The state came back to me and said, "We need

more recent tests." So we did go to the fire station to do the water sampling and we did get a hit of exceeded. It's over the threshold for the PAS at the fire station. We also got uh exceeded in the maganesees for the fire station. We updated the application and the statement of work and all the other stuff that they require us to send them and um and be and and so the fire

station ended up being a good place to go because of that. And we heard back from the um uh Mass D who administers the EPA PAS money and they allocated $300,000 towards the project. So that allocation means there's a good chance and I'm the superstitious guy and me kind of doesn't want to come the chickens until they hatch, but it looks good for the $300,000.

Um, I' I've sent Chris the re just recently all the documentation for his review and we'll get that over to the state. The state then takes that and sends it to the EPA for their final review and the hope is that um, you know, we'll get an additional $300,000 towards the project. So between the Keading one which was 959,000, the state match which was 239,000 and the PAS for this next phase of work

we're looking at roughly $1.5 million worth of grants and non-local funds.

Um and uh yes sir. Um, so the fire station just reminded me of something.

Our neighbor Little Compton I recently read about had contaminated wells in their town center, their town hall.

There's a school there and a bunch of municipal buildings and they got the money from the state of Rhode Island from what they call a forever chemical bank that was given to them from the federal government.

Yeah. They s they filled out a simple application because they needed it and they got money for a lodge filtration system and they handled it that way. Can we do that in Massachusetts?

That's pretty much the same thing that the PAS grant is doing here. The mass D administers it for Massachusetts. It's the same pool of money that's at the federal level and then they give it down to the local uh divi the departments of environmental protection. So write it out, right?

Rhode Island's own Department of Environmental Protection. So it's the same same same money.

Seems a little more competitive the the way you have to write it up. Seems a little more competitive. They got the they got the uh full amount for the project.

Yep.

Simply because they needed it.

Yeah. My sense is it's probably the same from what they from what they call a forever chemical bank. Yep.

In Rhode Island.

So, so the PAS is the is the forever chemical that they're talking about. Um, and I think it's we'll look into it, but I think def but we but I think it's the same stuff that we're applying for now.

Yeah.

I think they're just more mouths to feed in Massachusetts.

Um, heating too.

K2. Well, I just was going to touch quickly so that and the vice chair touched upon. So, we have I just summarized the uh survey uh that we sent out. Uh we've received 24% of the people responded. Um I won't go through that again since since the vice chair's already talked about that.

Um um I don't know if you you talked the chairman talked a little bit about the RFQ evaluation process. Um so we went through that process. the chair. Uh uh uh Jake and Chris were on the committee to review the um and Bob and Bob the chair. Yep. Uh review the u the packages that we submitted that were submitted. We had 16 in total interested folks. We only received one response which is the existing engineering firm

that we're working with right now. Um, it might seem sort of silly to go through this, but all this stuff we've then have to assemble and provide to our project officer at the EPA because CFR code of federal regulations at this at the federal level requires us to go through this process. And so we've the process itself also what I did is I included in the solicitation the option to extend services into the

Keing to money. So we won't have to go through this again. um and we would have satisfied that requirement.

So a a a subcommittee of uh of myself and selectman and the town administrator served as the quality u qualified selection committee. We reviewed everything independently voted for it. We have uh minutes of that meeting. Um and it was all done in a in a in a public meeting and we um then took that recommendation to the board of selectmen on Monday night and they approved that uh the the

design firm which is the design firm we've been working with with all the waterwork. They approved the design firm and authorized the uh town man the town administrator to u negotiate the contract and and having done that as as as Roger just explained when the keying to money comes available to us having already gone through that we we won't have to go back out and go through that process again.

Yeah. Yep.

And I just want to mention a kind of a wrinkle in the whole process because um the Keading money is a congressionally designated spending and it is federal money coming directly to us. A lot of federal money comes to the state and federal money administered by the state does not have to go through this process but a CDS does. So just just so you know.

So um so any all the documentation, work plans, CADEX, all the stuff that the uh state the not the state federal um procurement officer and the federal process requires. We've already submitted that all to them. So they have everything I think they need from us.

We're waiting to hear back and we're going to touch base with them this week and see if there's anything else they need with us. So that's moving along. Uh with respect to the Keading 2, the town received uh the Keading 2 uh money. Uh as the chair mentioned, also requires a 20% match. Um that Keing 2 earmark or it's not an earmark at this point, but the fund uh is 1,92,000.

We have received a commitment letter for the state match. So, we have a letter in hand that says the t that the state's going to provide us the match that's necessary, which totals $273,000, bringing the keying 2 funding to $1.365 million.

And when we add in the 4 million and the Keing one, to date, we've we've pulled together $6.85 million in total grants.

And I'd just like to add a new development um because um last Wednesday the uh the state house passed a a bond bill and um inserted into the house version by our own state rep uh Steve Wlette and Dartmouth state rep Chris Marky was a million dollars to extend the water line down Route Six. Now, there are a lot of hurdles. It's got to go through the Senate. It's got to go to the governor.

It's got to be actually authorized for expenditure.

But this 1,365,000 could become 2,365,000.

And um just so you know and it's you know with with Chris Marky co-sponsoring the million-dollar injection with our own Steve Wlette uh indicates that you know this the town of Dartmouth is hoping to get the water line which starts for us in Fall River.

They want to get it all the way to the Dartmouth line so that they can buy water from New Bedford. I'm sorry from uh Fall River. Um, and so this would um bring that line a million dollars closer. Um, my understanding is the the full distance might cost $5.5 million, something like that. But, um, at least 1 million would bring us a little closer and we could serve some commercial properties along the way. So, good to

know.

Um, item nine does talk about South South Bar Street. So the uh so with the Keading 2 um we touched upon this a little bit at the last meeting but um we went through a process with the Keing one money to go to to identify where we where the committee uh wants to spend that money. Uh so South Baralt Street is a viable option or viable location for the Keing 2 planning uh due to the water

concerns and um that would require as we discussed an extension of about 350 ft in the Route 6 section and about 750 ft of water main up uh south Bar. Um, so this is something that we could discuss um along so that's not that's not going to cost 1.365 million. So we have the option of doing something similar. We can put together as we did in the Ky1 money some other alternatives analysis

that looks at potentially other neighborhoods or other locations besides South Baralt that you might want to bring the money and then try to figure out where you want to spend that. uh in part because ideally we'd want to unlike this this this trunch of money. We've gotten word from the EPA that all their guidance has come down so we're good to go with that money and so ideally be nice to be able to put that stuff

together. By that stuff I mean the bid documents and have it bid out in the wintertime because we tend to get better bids as you know in the winter time.

So Jake, now is the time if you want to invite Scott up to Ro. Oh, go ahead. Sorry, sir.

Roger. First of all, I apologize. I called it Benoy Street. I actually took it right out to make I It's Brawl Street and I was concerned about that was brought to our attention at the last meeting with the two families with the distress wells that were close by. So now it would be included in phase two.

Correct. What what we just talked about.

Correct. If that's what the I'm committee wants to do.

And when is phase two?

Um so we would be we probably be in a position to do that work next year.

Next year.

Yeah.

And it's two families very close.

It could be more.

We've got several months before even the slightest freeze. Is there any way we can run a temporary line to these close two families to help them out of this distress?

A at least until the at least until the freeze, which would be very close to phase two. And and then we we would um address it then. there's something we can do for these two families, right?

Um, while being super sensitive, it needs um it still would require the route six portion still is short at 350 ft right?

So, we'd have to extend that main.

That's where the water is.

So, we'd have to extend that. Um, the only other thing do do we have the capacity to do it? Do can we do it?

The only other thing we could do is sometimes you get lucky and the and you know the and if as long as mass DOT doesn't put some sort of restriction on the permit we could try to push the project sooner. I mean I've we've dug in the ground in November and December if the weather's good. You know that's not a problem. Um so if we wanted to sort of

really push that, we can try to get it done even sooner and knowing that we do the final paving and the final finish work in the spring. But yeah, I mean it doesn't you know, we can try to make that happen as quickly as possible.

And and that's why originally I brought up with the with the alternate bids on that other project that's already there if there is a way to to work it into the what's scheduled for the fall.

I mean it's I'm no engineer and I don't know how complicated it is, but I mean basically it's a straight shot and then you know, 1100 ft or another 750 ft up up that.

So, um that's why I was leaning towards that and uh chair uh chair of just so you know the two residents uh they requested just to speak and if you wouldn't mind just kind of coming up just telling us the situation that you're you're in with at Baralt Street and then what has come to your kind of attention with other neighbors as well.

You can go there or you can sit at the table. You're probably more comfortable at the table.

We're not going to we're not going to bite you.

It's called the hot seat.

I am Randy Trial. I own the residence at Fort Bal Street. And my well was tested because of a new septic system going in at the house behind me on Bamin.

Yep.

And when they tested my well, it came back where it's not suitable for human consumption. Um, so we're at we now have water that we bring in. We use paper plates, paper cups. It's it's it's a it's a financial burden and it's also a health issue because we should not even be bathing in it. But we don't have another option for bathing every day.

So, we use it. Um it's not cuz it's not suitable for my dog to drink. It's it's I have a daughter with MS who has a very sensitive a very sensitive system. So, this water is already bothering her skin. Um, we have heard from some of the neighbors who also had their wells tested uh alongside the Barman residents. One of them came back with a with lead from what I understand and they have small

children there. Um, and the other neighbor to the right to the right for me, but the left of them, they also came back contaminated. And I would we're all so close together that I think if that letter went out to even others that didn't that didn't abut that one property. I'm sure there's more.

And in the situation in that neighborhood, there are some that are tenants there and and probably don't have the ability to test or haven't or the landlords may not have tested that.

Right. I know the house to one side of them, the one that came back with lead, um their um homeowner told that tenant not to drink that water.

Okay.

At all.

But that's all I know about that. And okay, I'm I'm concerned with my property.

Um, I don't know of of others on Bralt, you know, but like I said, I think if if that letter had gone to more residents, I think there would be more cuz like I said, we're all so close together.

How many houses are on that South Palt?

Do you know on the street itself?

About probably 10 between both sides.

Okay.

What is the next street over?

Bman.

Berryman. Have you heard any results?

Well, you said yes. This the houses on each side.

Started it all. Yes.

Right. The houses on each side are both contaminated as well as me. I'm behind them or in front of them.

Yep.

And um so maybe there's a need there on buryment as well. Yeah.

Yeah. I I would say so.

I know. I because they're definitely contaminated and they said they would definitely hook up if they could. That's what they said.

Okay.

my I don't I don't know if it makes sense if you're going to door knock. I know you haven't done a survey on that on Brawl Street, but maybe that's to see the the pressing need there if you come back and you have, you know, 10 houses there and six or seven of them said I'm connecting right away or they or some may not even be aware of the situation occurring at the

you know the street. I'm just trying to get you know just from my mind is you know the the water main line is there. I mean, it's like they can see it from their front front yard.

I know. When it comes to the shopping center. Yeah.

Yeah. So, I'm just trying to figure out if there's a way as a alternate bid to at least get that situation taken care of there. If if we can in that Keing one if we leave that that that permit open that um with DOT or if there's extra money there, you know, worst case scenario is it's something in the spring of 27. But, you know, now we're a year away and still having to figure out how

to shower and and and live in that kind of situation. So that's kind of the pressing issue.

The the thing about Keing one is it's well underway and um as Roger has repeatedly said you know or talked about you know all the permitting Yeah.

and all the procedure that you have to go through to do this and work on state roads.

I think the uh the critical step to get you waterers is to have a discussion with mass dot.

Yeah. That's what I'm thinking.

under under the could we amend the present when we work at Route Six.

The state highway department has to approve give us a permit to do that work.

We we possibly can amend that permit to do the 350 ft and and to have a conversation with with them. And then maybe we put this in as an alternate in in instead of those as the bid on alternates the route six and and Bralt as a uh as an alternate.

Okay. And so you thinking Baralt would be the first alternate?

Yes.

That's the first street. So, I mean, I'm just Well, Arlington would be the first alternate, I think, because they've we've gotten good responses there, but do they have a water issue there?

I'm just thinking from a public health standpoint and kind of a town standpoint, what's what's best? And I think probably Baralt would be okay.

The be I mean, if you got four on Arlington, then we technically probably have four on Bar and you're right there.

I don't know. Well, what we what we did was we kind of separated Keing one money from Keing two money and um we we turned it into two projects because we we thought if we put them both together um it would be one big 2027 project.

I got you.

And but you know not trusting federal monies uh these Yeah. I mean we we split them up into Keing one and Cleing two. Now the um that that's because they come with separate authorization dates.

Yes. Well, the caning 2 money is not available yet.

It's available, but the huh? Is it?

It's available. Yeah.

Yeah. I talked to the EPA myself. It's there. It's just Oh, it is there.

Yeah, it's there.

So, we have really sounds like we got two options, right? We have one is to see at the very least we we should research you know because there is some additional design associated with it and some additional permitting research what that lift would look like before we finalize the existing bid as as the chair just mentioned we can do let's do that right away check the mass I think that mass DOT

I think that's going to be your first answer right if mass do basically puts your foot down and says we can't you know amend that or we can't go forward then obviously that changes the dynamic but if mass as DOT comes back says you can amend that permit then maybe that becomes bit you know alternate one for for 20 fall of 2026 and then option two would be just to um

get started right away on the Keading 2 money it's there um I'll get you know I have to how about the design funds that's that's that would that would have have allocated for the Keading one money is already they're going to obviously they get paid to do the with They're not running a soup kitchen. So, we know that. So, we I would talk to Kleinfeld and see what would it take to pivot or add

salt bar right now on the Keing one. We search the mass de mass do permit and see what that would that would take and then prioritize the alternates based on what the committees just said you Jake and everybody else. So that would be one one sort of path and then the other path would would be if that becomes from a timing standpoint a difficult lift with which puts us right back where

we would be anyway if we were just to bid it out.

Second path would be to to get started right away on the Keing 2 money and start working on that and see how quickly we can we can get that bid out and and if we can do work in December we'll dig in December. Okay.

I've got a question. When we were looking at putting water and sewer on the entire Route 6 to the Dartmouth line.

Yeah.

We did all the engineering, right?

But did we get state permits also to go to the Dartmouth line? No. But we have the engineering.

Yeah.

So that does not need to be done.

No. But there's still there's nothing shown on South Bar for engineering. It's not it's not it's not rocket science to be honest.

Straight shot. Yeah. stretch out uphill a little bit and on the first house.

Yeah, I know. And we did Briggs Road. I I did it myself. You know, we do we didn't pay anything for the engineering in there. We stuck our heads in the catch basins to measure inverts. So, it's not rocket science. Um so, I think if that's the case, then we're probably going to need a meeting before uh you know uh you know, September. But, but we can get started on that if the committee

wants me to. I'll get started looking at that right away.

I would think it makes sense to look at the chair. I'm sorry, not speaking of you, but I think I think it probably makes sense to look at that right away to see if we can fix this situation and if it does and mass DOT and it falls into place like Mory said and and the chair said, we could do a quick, you know, August meet I mean or you know at

least let us know or let the chair know what DOT says and then we can maybe get a meeting earlier or we could get a meeting in July.

Yeah, if need be.

Okay.

Yeah, I'll do that. We'll do Um, so we should all work together. Um, now maybe maybe you will go knock doors.

Knock on doors. It looks like after all, there's I don't think there's any way to get you water today, but we could get you water this fall.

That I'm I'm happy with that.

Definitely.

Well, we're we're going to work on that.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Much appreciated. Thank you all. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Yeah. I I think I think that's the order of business.

Okay.

Um you know, talk to mass DOT.

Can we get the permit? Can we expand the existing permit to cover that 350 ft?

And then if we do that then make Ralt make that extension and the dog leg down into uh that street the first alternative. Okay one and if we if if we're authorized to spend KD2 money let's figure out what what so I've got a question for both Bob and Roger because you know what you're doing. Um, if we go down, I'm I'm thinking about water engineers liking loops so that the flow

can continue. If we go down south Bar, those last properties have a long tail to them.

Barryman also has properties at the end of the road that have a long tail that go into water wetlands.

Can we link up the back of South Peralt with the back of Berryman to keep water flow going? And we would need a right away on private property.

So we'd need we would need those are those are all paper streets that run up against the the west on Brit.

I don't think they're even paper.

They're not on this town GB GIS.

We would have to go through if they're not town owned property. It would require town meeting authorization because we'd have to go through a land uh land taking and all that business.

Oh, okay.

Yeah. Utility easement. So, there would be a little bit of which again would put us into next May anyway. So, we really don't we don't really gain a whole lot doing that.

Have to go through town meeting for that. Okay. So, we um we had to do that for the uh the two sewer stations.

Yeah.

At Whites and at the meat works. Oh, we did. Okay. We had Okay. Yeah.

Okay. Scratch that.

No, good question. Um, so we'll do we'll do our research and due diligence and if that's the case, then we for the Keing too at some point we need to figure figure out where we want to spend that money so we can might be too much to bite off today, but we also need to figure out what as we did with Keing one, what neighborhoods you want to go in with Keading 2 potentially. We know

South Palta is on the table potentially.

Um, I I I think given given the potential to put these together, maybe we should have a we we can we can deal. Sounds like having you do a little research and then us getting back together in July is probably a good thing to do, I think. So, um, the Oakland Avenue neighborhood bid alternatives, we've we've talked about that. Um, just it just repeats that. Um Mhm.

And I did list in item 11 just some of the action items um I'd like the committee to sort of act on today hopefully. One was just approving the subcommittee uh minutes which I prepared and everyone has a copy in front of them. Um we talked about item two uh which is the uh Keing win uh Keing one bid alternatives.

So I've got some guidance there. Um and then we'll put something together for the the Keading 2 that includes South Baralt potentially but other locations. Is there any you know we have to figure out we don't we still have that money to spend and it's not going to you know South Baralt is not going to be even if that was on the Keing too there's still going to be some money

left over. Um we had a map that Jim put together that showed some other neighborhoods.

Uh that's one way to approach that. And then do we want to do we want to look at those? And if we do, do we want to send surveys out as we did with the Keing one to see where there might be interest in connecting?

Yeah, I I think we I think we should. I think people are still hesitant to to sign up because you know they they they think now the water is free and um if if they don't they don't find themselves in the situation with this family and or they don't know that they're in the situation that family is in.

That's that's they you know they they continue to use the water but Well, I think we should seriously consider a Bryman along with Balt.

Yeah, I just was and um Mory just I was I was counting on the map if you if you include both Bryman and Barth there could be 20 potential customers. There's 10 house 10 houses on each street. So, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I've alreadyve I've already looked and uh while it dead ends, it's still it's actually greater number than Arlington.

Yeah.

Yep. But Arlington has known interest.

Uh the other thing to keep in mind is this million dollars that uh Willlette and um Marky inserted into this is not Senator Marky. This is our state state rep Marky from uh from Dartmouth. Uh that million-doll grant and that would be specifically for Route 6 and extending the water line down Route 6 uh closer to Dartmouth. And so we would have the opportunity to um hook up some commercial properties

when when that gets if it's still in the final bill then we'll see what it is. And it's also that's Well, I guess that's this year's budget right?

I mean, well, it's budget.

It's in fiscal 27. Yeah.

Yeah. Okay. So it's it would be money spent before y July 1 next year.

Yep.

So that's that's something that we could expand um Keing too.

So uh for South Baralt as you recall we did do the service connection private property work right and we left the plumbing to the homeowners. Um, so we haven't programmed any of that for this Keing one or Keing two. Is that something that we want to do as part of the for example, let's just take South Balt there's an expense associated as you know to bringing the water from the curb stop to the into the foundation.

Any thoughts on that?

So we we did that as uh uh Jim Hatton had suggested that you know if people sign up when the contractor is there and they give us permission to extend the the water service from the curb stop at the street to the house not in the house. if they sign up while the contractor is working in the street. We put that we put that in into the contract and a few people did sign up for

we had 49.

It included a water meter. Yeah.

And we provided a water meter.

I would do that.

But we're not offering that now. That was because we had some extra ARP money.

Okay.

And uh we do not have that now. Well, and I bring that up because even these folks, they, you know, there's to hire a contractor, it's going to be a few thousand dollars to bring Yeah.

excavated and bring it could be some economy scale. One person, they worked together one, but there still So, what we did on the other project is we dug that oursel, you know, the town dug that out. I sort of supervised that and then we drilled a hole into their foundation and brought the line in and then they took it from there. We had I I think that could be a decision at a

later date. What I mean by that just because if we find out we can move forward with that then the groundwork would be speaking to those people on Baralt. If you basically got like you said say I mean even if you get I mean we're getting 29% connection rate. I mean if you got 40% if you got four houses out of the 10 you're at a greater rate than any other normal connection. So maybe it

makes sense to do it at that point.

Yeah.

You know I mean I think you probably already have two houses or three probably and it probably wouldn't take too long. I just think some of these other people aren't testing their wells. I just tested my well for the first time in 10 years. And of course, I've got road salt from 88 and everything else in my Warner, but I'm still here. So, Jake, I think that's exactly right.

People are not testing Yeah. their their wills.

They don't want to know.

Yeah. They don't want to know.

You know, I I I used to be in the business and and we we tested our house when we bought it, but again, and you're close to 88, too. It's not been Well, I tested when I bought my house and then I had to test it when I refinanced it.

Yeah. and um I didn't you know so I know my water water's good but but I think that connection could probably break you to it if if we if we don't if we are going down that road meaning we know it's a possibility I think you could look at it at yeah we would we were going to include in the bid anyway I'm going to draft that up but we're going to include in

there sort of and that's how we did the other job the the prior connections a TNM item in the contract because you can't y every property is different we're not going to identify so we included we'll include a TNM number in there.

Okay.

Um but it the just just a sort of order of magnitude if you're super productive um and not including the interior plumbing, you know, you're probably looking at somewhere in the I think on average it was probably like $4,000 per house, okay, to excavate and bring the water line into the into each house. So if there's 10, you know, you can you can do the math.

It's an additional 40. Call it $50,000 in in work at least.

Okay.

Okay.

Well, it it it looks it looks as if you have a little work to do.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's nice being able when you have people come in like this and like you said, they a lot of folks don't know.

That's what the whole purpose of this committee is to help people.

Yeah.

Roger, do we do we have to take a vote on those subcommittee minutes minutes?

I'm just looking at your action items.

Yes, please.

I don't know if we would we got to that yet or not, but we would need a vote on that. Yep.

Well, the subcommittee has a quorum.

So, I uh make a motion to approve the RFQ subcommittee minutes.

And I will second it. Some subcommittee mayor in favor. I I and uh it's uh that's was approved uh to the members and one absent.

So let's just sort of recap the the meeting. Roger. Um I I think the uh the idea is So the work item is first of all see if we can extend uh amend the present permit to to do the 350 ft up to south bro and then then the idea of you know and then is it possible to what what are the alternatives if we were to combine the Keading grants? What

what are the what work are we going to include in that?

If we combine Keening one and Keing two?

Yes. If we did that?

Well, um we would still have to figure that out because Yeah. I I I wasn't I was I wasn't seeking an answer, but that's that's a task right?

That's a task. Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah. And if we and if we and if we just put them out with backtoback bids, let's say we put we went out on the street in September, went out in the street in November. I mean, that seems like a real possibility. Gives you some design time.

Yeah, we've already done the QBS. So, we could we we need to talk to Keing about how we start that and how do we get the design money?

Yeah. for whatever that next phase is.

So, um, no matter what, if we start keying two this fall and then wrap up both of those in the spring and if the, you know, any of the other grant money from the state comes good and we add that to the contract.

if that falls into this work, what what what is that potential scope?

Okay.

And which and and do we do we do some more surveys in in the neighborhoods and say, you know, if if if the if if the million dollars for the Route Six water money came good, that's committed that's and we already have that design. that's committed to extending the water main.

We have the engineering the it's all design.

Yes.

So that would that that's probably a million dollars is enough to to really require probably getting another mass permit. That would that would well it gets us closer to Dartmouth but not that close I guess.

No it won't won't get you close to D but it gets us a little closer but that is the purpose of that million dollars.

That's why it was co-sponsored by Mark and Wlette.

Do we ask for an amendment to the permit to include extending it all the way up to Barryman as well?

Why not?

I would.

Yes.

Yeah.

Okay.

So, I would you know the you definitely want to if we can amend the existing permit, it's to it's to probably to to do those two streets.

Okay. And could we take part of the Keing 2 money and put it into Keing one?

Um, it would require So there's a the the the um it could be done, but it's the the EPA process for it's a pain in a that's messy.

Yeah, it's like it's a lot of paperwork.

I have to send them a work plan and then it's uh instead of a NEPA, we went we filed a CAD state. It takes Can we take the state match without getting the No, I think the federal grant program that for the match is only to the match. Yeah. Okay.

But worst comes to worst. We do two contracts this this fall.

Yeah.

Yep.

So, because the money's going to be there either way from both one and two. That's right. It's almost like semantics now as to where you're going to use that.

Yeah.

Yeah. We'll put we'll put all that information together. I think I've got I got an idea. Yeah.

Okay.

Um it sounds like we should get back together in July to Would you have enough time?

Yes.

To get back to us if we met in July?

Yep.

Yep.

Okay. Okay. I will be gone for two weeks in July, but you all could meet. But I'm available in the the latter part of July or the earlier part.

What weeks are you gone?

I'm going south.

So I'm leaving on um You're going south in the summer?

You got it backwards?

No. Going to the mountains of North Carolina. It's not that busy.

Yeah. I'll be gone from like the um this the 7th to the the 20th or something like that.

So, I'll be here the first week and I'll be here really this the the third and fourth weeks.

Well, can did you say you'd be here what the 20 July 22nd? Are you back or no?

Yeah.

Is that a Wednesday?

How about the ETH? Does that give you enough time?

8th? No, I'm going I'm leaving.

I'm leaving on Monday the 6th.

Uh Bob, I don't know with the 4th of July and a lot of people take that first week off for vacation. So I I don't want Roger to be pressing on that. I don't know if it makes sense.

Be a little I've got to reach out to the EP.

I mean ETH might be a little tight. I mean Mass DOT doesn't get back to us pretty very quickly.

I'm sorry. I had a little brain cramp.

So the Wednesdays are um July 22nd.

It's almost June 30, right?

Yeah. Basically.

And so we're not far away.

So I'm available on June July 22nd and July 29th. Let's try the Let's try the end of the month. That gives you a month. Let's Let's try for the meeting on the 29th.

29th. Okay.

Yeah.

So, we are going to 7:29.

I won't be here, but you know.

Huh?

It's it is I won't be here, but it is what it is. You know, you guys need to meet.

I'm I'm I might be traveling for work. I just need to see something real quick.

Yeah, I I will not be there on the 29th either. So, yeah, I won't be here. What about 22nd?

22nd's fine, but you said you weren't going to make it. I don't know.

No, I can make it back. I just can't do all the preparation. You guys will have to do all the preparation work.

Can Is that okay with you, Roger? Yeah.

Do the July 22nd so you could post the meeting and get the agenda and everything.

Yep.

Um Okay.

July 22nd at 6:30.

Roger, you can uh we we'll work together and just figure out what what items do you need to be on the agenda.

Sounds good.

Is there any other business? Yes, there's one other thing other there's one thing under old business. It's the waterline rate review. Uh because on April 29th at our last meeting, we discussed uh rates, water rates for the upcoming fiscal year.

A year ago, we established rates at $8.30 a CCF and we um were looking at the rates for the next fiscal year, the fiscal uh 2027.

And we considered a number of things. Uh first and foremost is that uh Fall River did not raise their rates. Second of all, we have a new contract uh whereby we have um a price 55% over their rate. Plus, we have a break point at 20 million gallons and uh we are about at that break point where the the um the um the the the surplus the overage goes from 55% down to 5%. It's a

break point that's very favorable for us and with the expansion um we u you know we we I think we'll hit that. So, there are a number of reasons why we decided to um recommend holding the rate at $8.30 and um Bob and I took it to the select board on June 2nd and the select board unanimously agreed with our recommendation to keep the uh rates steady for one more year at $8.30 a CCF.

And we got positive news. This is Shorelines. This is page five of Shorelines a couple weeks ago with the headline, water rates staying put this year. Last year saw a 14% hike. Select board declines proposal to increase another 5%. Our town administrator had proposed a 5% increase, but we had proposed our committee had proposed a no increase and leaving the rate steady and um so we did get good good press guys

for that. So that's where we are and that's the the one piece of old business that we did have.

Okay. Is there a motion to motion to adjurnn?

Second. All in favor? I I