Board of Selectmen Public Hearing & Meeting 11/5/2025

001school construction project special access is available through Zoom as I see at least one person up now. Therefore, it be it resolved that the board of selectment hereby approves a supplemental appropriation in line item 01-93-0-90000006 transfer out other in the amount of $85,000 from general fund balance and be further resolved that the board of selectment hereby approves the total supplement appropri appropriation in line item 01- 093-0000-9006 transfer out other in the amount of $85,000. to be transferred to fund 24, school construction fund, to first be used to continue to move a school construction project for forward toward referendum with any remaining unexpended funds to be used on any needed school construction project. A copy of the completed resolution to be voted on is available for the public inspection in the town clerk's office and on

002town website at www.portmanctct.org dated this 22nd day of October 2025 signed by me and I think all of you know why you're here today and does anyone have any comments is open if you do go ahead might be a quick first meeting any comments line. No. Going once, twice. >> We're all set. All right. Time is 6:39. I'd like to close the meeting and we'll resume a special meeting in a minute. 64. That was Select a moderator. Are there any nominations? >> Sure. I'd like to nominate Tim Lavoy to serve as moderator. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> A motion has been made and seconded. Are there any other nominations? >> I make a motion to close nominations. >> Second that. All in favor of clo closing nominations signify by saying I.

003I. >> Opposed. So moved. All in favor of electing Tim Lavoy as moderator signify by saying I. >> I. >> All opposed. And Mr. moderator just before we get started just is if there anybody has not signed in or gotten received a ballot you can do that over there. And I have the ballots. So >> this is I got that. Hello. Thank you, Michael. I would next next like to read the call of the meeting into the record as published in the River East News Bulletin on Friday, October 24th, 2025. I would also ask that the town clerk record the return of notice along with the minutes to this meeting. Legal notice of special town meeting November 5th, 2025, 6:40 p.m. Portland, Connecticut. The elector and those persons eligible to vote in the town meetings

004of the town of Portland, Connecticut, are hereby warned and notified that pursuant to chapter 5, section 503G of the town charter, a special town meeting will be held by the board of selectmen on Wednesday, November 5th, 2025 at 6:40 p.m. in the public library, Mary Flood Room, 20 Freestone Avenue, Portland, Connecticut for the following. Now therefore be it resolved the board of selectment hereby approves a supplemental appropriation in line item number 01-093-000000-9006 transfer out other in the amount of $85,000 from the general fund balance and be it further resolved that the board of selectment hereby approves a total supplemental appropriation in the line item number 01- 093-0000-900 06 transfer out other in the amount of $85,000 to be transferred to fund 24 school construction fund be used to continue to move a school construction project

005forward towards referendum with any remaining unexpended funds to be used on any school construction needed school construction project. Copy of the complete resolution to be voted on is available for inspection in the town clerk's office and on the town website at www.portland.org dated this 22nd day of October 2025 attested to by Michael A. Pelton first selectman. Uh, I would now like to entertain a motion to introduce the resolution entitled school construction fund supplemental appropriation from general fund balance and to wave the reading of the resolution. >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. Says here there's no vote needed. Is that correct, Mike? >> And so that's the end of resolution now. Now I will call for public discussion on the resolution. Is there any public discussion? Any public discussion? Going once. Open discussion going twice. Public

006discussion three times. Hearing none. Being no further discussion, I will entertain a motion to move the question. Move. >> Seconded. >> We have a second. >> Is everybody that just walked in planning to vote? >> Yes. Yep. >> Okay. >> All right. Before we do that, we got to get them signed in. Then we'll do move. Wait a minute. I'm sorry. >> You take >> I'm trying to >> just made the motion. J. >> Thank you. Okay. So, before we comes, we got pens up here, but let's just get these folks checked in before we Oh yeah, >> I heard that. >> I just I just messed up. It was it was saying [clears throat] everybody had the ballot that the resident or voter they're good to go. Okay. Again, there's pens up here. >>

007You ready to people go up and vote? >> Yeah. Nothing else on my screen. >> So, yeah. >> So, people are free to come up and mark your ballot and put your ballot in the ballot box there. The green box. >> Um you can fold it. You can not fold it. to your friends. It was not your paint for the green box. >> I think no that make it makes it more magical this way. I say your zero is one of us. You did it. >> Yeah. Say the triple zero. Save some time. >> This could be the most people we've had on this room in a long time. Thanks for coming out. No, it hasn't. >> Was it Was it the uh Was it the dog? Remember um we had issue with Rocky? I

008know we had a big crowd for that one. It was still in this book. Damasc is old as me. >> Thank you, Zach. All right. You're very welcome. Sorry. Yeah, >> just keep moving. >> Any other votes? I don't know about that. Seeing none. Flashing four times. No faults. That's good. Yeah. So, basically I got five notes. Let's just Then more 21 22 23 That's five. No. And then that should be 51. 46. Yes. Five. No, that's a five. Let's just give a little Yeah, we'll bring it back over here. here. Let's make that. >> Yeah, you did. Yeah. And that matches that matches the >> Yeah. >> the sign in people. Okay, thank you everybody. Thank you for coming out and thank you for your votes. The um the outcome of the ballot here

009is 46 yeses and five nos for a total of 51, which matches the signature count on the sheet, which means it's a valid vote. >> And the motion passes. Is there a motion to close this meeting? >> I'll make that move. >> And I will second that motion. >> And we have a second and a first. And all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? If you are, say nay. >> Remain quiet. Okay. Meeting is now adjourned at 51 >> 651 p.m. >> Very time. >> Thank you again. Thanks for all coming out. Thanks. >> All right, everyone. It's 7 o'clock. We will start immediatisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Right. So, I have one adjustment to uh to the agenda today. I'd like to put under 6A um Dan

010Beret for a followup on PCD FHI or downtown bar project and also another request uh for funding which I'll let Dan talk about but if you can add that for 6A right after public comments the only change I have uh anyone make a motion to accept this agenda >> we accept the agenda as a >> accepts the second and John seconds it any discussion all those in favor opposed abstension motion passes Thank you. Um, has everyone reviewed the minutes of October 22nd? >> Um, I saw no no changes necessary. Someone someone make a motion, please. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Right. >> Moved by Jim, seconded by Tim. >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. >> Communications. I just have a few communications. Um, I'm not going to go

011into it too much. Um but uh we received from the little from the uh city of Middletown, their central communication center every month they give us an update on what they're doing for us. As many of you know, some of you may not. Uh they help all with all our responses. When there's a 911 call or someone calls the police, it goes there. They dispatch it out. They've been very helpful for the month of October. Uh they handle 523 calls for us. Uh total for the year 53. The average is about 500 calls that they do every month. So uh we thank them for the time. they have our backs. Um we we we helped them out as well, but they've been very helpful with us over the years. Um we also over the entire

012wireless system with 911 had 210 212 911 calls last month as well. So again, we pre we appreciate all the help that they do and it's nice to have towns around us to help each other out. So secondly, I received a letter from Jeff Mayjack who does the cans for a cause and he is doing a big cans for a cause event coming up. I will post it on our uh Portland Facebook or Portland Facebook page as well as Portland town uh page. Um it's going to be April 10th through 11th. Um it is going to be big event. They're going to be doing some building with the cans. I'll share more details on that. But it's just nice running into someone like that that's trying to make it a better world. He's given a

013tremendous amount of money back over the years for what he does to collect the cans. I don't know what the total amount is, but it's tens of thousands of dollars. Um, so there are people like that out there kind of making it in a better world. So, uh, that's one of it's worth shouting out for. >> We also had something yesterday, did we not, gentlemen? We had an election. So, yeah. >> Um, and if we all look tired up here, it's from a lot of the door knocking and the discussions and all. So, um, I thought the election um, it was it was exciting. It was a lot of discussion with people out there. I'm glad all of us engaged fully with that. I'm glad the citizens out there engaged fully with us. We knocked

014on a lot of doors over the time. Um, and decisions were made. Tonight will be the last board of select meeting for this existing board of selectment group. Uh, for those of you that are not returning or this will be your last meeting. You're welcome to take the name tag. As Michelle said, don't take this. And I'm afraid of Michelle sometimes. So, no, it's true because it's true. So anyway, uh but yes, you're welcome to take that. Um just from a personal point of view, these meetings are relatively short compared to some of the other board of education meetings and others. Um but we spend a lot of time preparing for it. Uh this job does not pay a lot. Um I think it's $238 a quarter over the year, the thousand stretches. But uh

015you do this because you love it. You do this because you care. Um to do it right, it takes it's a part-time job to read everything you need to read. go to all the meetings you have to be part of the organizations that you need to report back to. And it's been an honor serving with all of you. Um, some of you will be back. There'll be some new people. I see the one gentleman out there, Vinnie, who earned his way on there. It's good to see you. I'm glad you came tonight. But it's um it's exciting. There's a lot of things going on. And again, I just I just thank everyone uh that participated and helps out. And anyone out there watching or anyone in the audience, um, give back as much as you

016can. Towns like us run on volunteers as Andy and others know. you've got to give back. So, I encourage that. It's what makes the town so good. So, >> did did anybody see Facebook? If you follow Facebook, we both arrived the both both the parties arrived yesterday morning to the polls and that heavy wind that we had that previous evening. The red tent was across the parking lot. The blue tent, which was staked down really good, was physically crushed by the wind. So, there was this real bipartisan effort to bust up our tent frames. and put him in the back of the my pickup truck and a bipartisan effort to bring him to the dump. So, you if you if you saw that, you saw this group work together like they should. So, >> Yes.

017Absolutely. We work together. So, it's nice to see. Listen, everyone fought hard. We're passionate about it. Uh there was some loud discussions, but at the end of the day, we're all trying to make it better for Portland. Absolutely. So, it's just great to see that. So, >> turnout that's done. >> Yeah. 40 almost 42%. Yes, that local election. >> Yeah, it was pretty much standing all day. It was very >> And and just personal note from my end, I mean, I I tried to ask everyone about what's the big issue that they had and I heard school and I heard water were the two comments that kind of kind of wound it way through that. So, I was just I'm just glad that people are paying attention. We have a full house here tonight. Um

018people are watching online, so it's just good to see. So, anyways, look, thank you, gentlemen. Um All right. We can go right to Scott. So, uh, I'd like to introduce Scott Jellison. He is the CEO of MDC. He's here to do a presentation about water. We have a 30-year relationship with MDC that, uh, the contract officially ends at the end of January. So, we've been in discussions about how do we go forward combined with the well that we've been working on. So, I thought it was important that on the last meeting with the old board and with some of the new board members out there, uh, that we discuss that and the residents that did stay after the special meeting. Thank you. Uh, there will be a public comment and a question time as well.

019So, um, I'd like you to if you have some questions about it, now's a perfect time. You have an expert there and we have a couple other experts in the audience that have been following this as well. So, uh, without any further ado, Mr. Jalison. >> Great. Thank you. My name is Scott Jolson. I'm the CEO of the MDC in Harford and as the first Lman said, we were been serving water to the town of Portland for 30 years. I came to the MDC in 2006, so I missed that 2005 agreement uh with the last agreement that's expiring uh January 26, 2026. As you may know, um, I was here, I have Susan Neglli, who's our director of engineering, was here, used to live in Portland, and we presented in 2016 about the possibility of

020the town of Portland becoming a member town. Uh, as Joe Shereo would say, uh, that that ship has sailed. We're we're not here to talk about that. But what we are here to talk about is um there's been a lot of conversations uh I would worked uh with Susan Bransfield for a long time u and then with Ryan Curley for a a couple of years and we I saw a lot of misinformation about the MDC and our rates and I I I truly believe in my heart that the the town of Portland was making a bad decision. But that's my position. I completely respect the need to be independent. I understand that completely. Um, but there's some issues that we're going to address tonight in the presentation which Susan is going to give. It's the

021same presentation we gave to our board and our board of view that uh that Mike you attended and and Mike you as well uh and Joe Shiko. And so um we're trying to just clear the the issues and make sure that the town has all the information that we have that we believe is correct. Uh we're going to focus on the issue about PAS and your existing well. PAS is a major problem across the country. Um the the EPA is in the middle of doing uh UCMRs which is basically you've got an unc unregulated uh contaminant called PAS and there's no regulations. So they're gathering data. Everybody's testing their wells and testing their water systems across the country and then they're going to gather that information and they're going to make a decision. It's most

022likely going to come out to be some kind of regulation. Right now there's just recommendations from DPH and from EPA on what the levels of safe levels of drinking water uh PAS should be in your water. Um so Susan's going to get into that. The other issue is our rate structure and again Susan will show you uh the rates in which MDC uh charges. We haven't had any increases. Our water rates are actually almost lower than 2021 rates. So we have not had increases in water rates. And [clears throat] then um you know lastly the really the important part of understanding in all of the conversations I've had with the town since 2016 the idea of being independent is important. I get that. But the one thing that I have heard and seen and believe

023is that I would bet most of the people listening tonight that are here tonight think that with the town of Portland building a $10 million well system, you will be independent. And you won't because from what I have heard is there's an expectation that you're going to have some that existing connection is there for safety for the whatif scenario for the emergency. But that doesn't come cheap. That you know the meter charge is $30,000 a year. So you'd be paying $30,000 a year just to have a meter uh prop to serve this this town. the the pump station that served this this community is MVC's. So if you want to have a temporary connection, call it uh um some kind of a take or pay agreement like you have now, but much less um uh

024you you can't have the pump station for free. We need to invest $3 million in that $4 million in that pump station. It's it's 30 years old. Um, and if you wanted an emergency connection, well, then there's cost there because you're going to need your own pump station. So, the misunderstanding that there's I'm we're building this $10 million well and we're going to have our own water and we won't need the MDC anymore. If you don't need the MDC, that's fine. But if you want that connection to remain, there's going to be a cost to the town forever. and um and the MDC the MDC cannot afford uh to pay for that maintain that pump station for that whatif scenario that the town ever needs that water because the other towns our member towns are

025paying for that right if you're not paying for it. So Susan's going to get into the details and we're happy to ask or answer any questions that you might have but we're really just trying to clarify the record. Okay. So, but we really appreciate uh Mike, you've been a gentleman and very respectful for this whole process and we appreciate the 30-year agreement. Susan Bransville was wonderful. Um, and we really want to support you uh as a community. So, but we just want to clarify the information. Okay. Thank you, Scott. >> Thank you. >> As always, Susan Degelli, director of engineering for MDC. Scott always hits all the points and then I got to come up and >> the whole thing over. Uh but uh right here our our Far Camstead reservoir 30.3 billion gallons of

026water. We have a Nepo reservoir 9 and a half billion gallons of water. All of our water supply that we provide to the town of Portland comes from our reservoir surface water reservoirs up in the northwest corner of Connecticut. He's uh switching slides here for me. Am I doing Scott? I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Just want to give you a little uh history of the interconnection. Um so you know I wasn't at MDC in 1995 but and I'm sure there were discussions some of you might even remember pre195. There were discussions about coming to the MDC getting water from the MDC. Really it happened in 1995. The formal request came in. Um we signed an agreement in 1996. We started going through the process and the process is we had to go to de at

027the time it was just D uh to get an interconnection permit for us to provide you with water. And what happened during that uh phase is that we had um we had to have a public hearing. We had interveners. some of the uh environmentalists up in the Farmington River watershed area um weren't happy that we were going to take water from the watershed in the western portion of the state and move it to the to the drainage basin in the middle of the state and it it was a problem and I'm going to get into a little bit more on the next slide about that but it basically set us back a year two years in the process of providing you with this interconnection um because of the permitting process uh but because of the

028time it it took. Uh in 1998, we finally did reach an an agreement with FRWA. Town of Portland signed, MDC signed, and we all went on our way. We started designing the interconnections. As Scott mentioned, we had to upgrade our pump station in Glastonbury, the South Mill pump station. Um we had to build the pipe from our terminus point in Glastonbury all the way to the line. you had to build your pipe from uh you know the other way to the Glassberry line. So that all happened in 99 2000 and water started flowing in November of 2000 and along the way it's been a very good relationship. I think the MDC has kind of been like a big brother to Portland. We've helped you out a lot. You know you guys had a colform event

029in 2008. We had to help you through that. Um you know sampling techniques with your operators. you you know the tank was overflowing one day that the where our water comes into your system it goes up to the tank you know the tank was overflowing where we helped you guys with your telemetry your ska your ska equipment we've done that numerous times over the years and we've over you know as I said been supplying water since 2000 so uh you know a handful of times we've been here helping you guys with that um and as Scott mentioned you know in 14 we were here um doing a presentation on on, you know, Portland had reached out about possibly becoming a member town that started discussions about um uh we we we did a study for

030you uh on your assets, on your water assets, your sewer assets, and uh those were presented in 2017 to you. Um and here we are, you know, 2018, East Hampton's looking for water. We started talking again about how can we get water to East Hampton? Is there a way to come through Portland? You know, just along the way, the the the history of our interconnection has brought us here. And here here we are in 2025, almost 26, and it's, you know, a 30-year agreement, and it it is expiring in January. Um, we do uh go to the next slide. This is this is what we were talking about. about the FRWA. It it was a very contentious and drawn out process for us to get the permit in order to provide Portland with water. And

031um you know, Scott has said at a couple of our meetings that we've had with you guys, if that permit goes away, it ain't coming back. It was hard to get. Um so these were just some of the articles we pulled talking about how [clears throat] how hard and and and um arduous the task was. Um, but we did finally, as I said, make an agreement with FRWA and we move forward with the interconnection. Next slide. And again, just to reiterate, you know, in 2016, the MDC u paid $50,000 to do a uh capital improvement plan evaluation of your all your assets. Basically, they did an evaluation of rates, um, looking at comparison rates, MDC, um, Portland, your assets that you had, uh, what made sense and the town is in possession of that report.

032It basically provided a plan to the town of, you know, what what needs to be improved in five years, in 10 years, and 15 years, what you had to look at. Um, and that th that pres report was presented in January of 17. And then I talked about, you know, we looked at conceptually a pipeline from Portland to East Hampton. Um I know you know your neighbors I I've never lived in Portland. Scott mentioned I have relatives here. I have relatives here but um but that you know your the your neighbors in East Hampton are in dire need of good clean water. I think that everybody knows that um around here. >> Yeah. Yeah. Keep going. Next slide. So our existing agreement we provide you know again we provide you with the some of the

033terms of the agreement are you it's called a taker pay and we provide you with a you have to a minimum of 400,000 gallons per day that you have to the Portland buys from the MDC over the course of a year. So [cough] it's [clears throat] uh that's how much water you take from us. you take the minimum that you're uh that you have to we reserve on paper you have 1.1 MGD it's called you you basically you're taking 1.1 MGD of MDC available water and it's being reserved for the town of Portland but you're only using 400,000 gallons of it. Okay. So um that's that's the way the agreement is set up. there is a uh two MGD on a peak day you could take like if there was a fire something critical happened

034you could take up to two million gallons in a day um that's what ne necessitated some of the expensive improvements we made to South Mill pump station because here we had this MPC had this agreement that god forbid Portland needs 2 MGD we did some huge improvements to that pump station to be able to serve the regular day but then go up to 2 MGD if needed. Um, and you know, we've been talking to the town as Scott mentioned, you know, started a couple years ago talking to with Ryan Curley and Ryan O'Halpen and then we've been meeting with Mike and and the new new team here just starting to talk about where do we go from here knowing that the town is working on, you know, installing a well for their future supply and

035separ, you know, eventually separating from NDC possibly. Next. So, this is just a uh to show you in 2025, taking the the minimum, the $400,000 gallons per day, you're basically the town's going to pay us $793,000 for that water. That includes the $30,000 in customer service meter charges that Scott mentioned earlier. Um, and just to show you over the past five years, uh, how much our MDC water has cost, again, at that minimum amount that you're taking, uh, our rate, as Scott mentioned, has gone down. It was up to, it was about 409 a ccf and then in, um, uh, it went down to 380 a ccf in 23 and now in 25 it's 391 a ccf. uh and and in 26 our our budget that we uh operate on a calendar year budget and

036we're doing our budget right now and we are proposing a no increase in our water rate and it will stay at $3.91 a ccf and just to show you in comparison to other Connecticut utilities large utilities like MDC uh Connecticut waters um their largest division um they're all over the state but their largest division up in the Vernon Manchester out past Manchester area, they charge $8.18 a ccf >> a ccf uh 100 cubic feet which is approximately equal to 748 gallons sorry and um regional water which is an entity much like MDC it's the it's the water agency for the metropolitan New Haven area so New Haven and the surrounding towns there they charge their customers $523 a ccf half. Um, you guys, I think are at 533 right now, unless it's gone up. 533

037>> uh somewhere. Yeah, hasn't gone up. We haven't rating. >> Uh, Aquarian, another statewide large water company, 434 and MDC at 391 per cc. So, our rates, you know, I would say, you know, are some of the lowest in the state, especially for a large water company. And I would say it's some of the best quality water in Connecticut. Um we we owned, [clears throat] you know, it's from very well protected surface water reservoirs. We own 31,000 acres of land. Um and uh we're the second largest land owner in the state. You know, that land protects our reservoirs and keeps that uh water quality very high. >> So if can you change? >> Yeah, just that important point. So uh The last slide shows how much revenue we get from the town of Portland. And

038that revenue helps us lower the water rate for everybody, including yourself, right? So, if we don't if we lose Portland as a customer, as a as a as a regular customer, uh your your value would increase the the uh the rate by about 4 cents, which doesn't sound like a lot, but when you go to buy water under some scenario, whatever that scenario, you would pay more for it, right? because we're a nonprofit. We only we only charge what it costs us to operate our infrastructure and our staffing and and so we're we're a nonprofit like like right now the uh so MDC supplements the town of Portland's uh well supply. It's basically a mixture of the two. Okay. We're we're sending water through the over the town line in Glastonbury. It's mixing with your

039well water produced from your uh Glassenberry turnpike well. Um, and as Scott said, in 2023, EPA issued UCMR5 testing, unregulated contaminant monitoring rule. It's basically how EPA makes regulations. They go all across the country, have all these water companies do testing for uh contaminants that aren't regulated, that currently aren't regulated, and they use that data plus health and science data um to figure out what should be the maximum contaminant level for for this particular contaminant. And that's how they they do this. Uh right now, as Scott said, PAS isn't regulated and uh under the current political scenario, it maybe probably won't be regulated. It's been it's kind of back and forth whether or not what the standards will be for POS, when when we we will have new um contaminant levels for POS, when and

040if it it's it's kind of all over the place. Okay. But right now MDC does not have any POS in their water. Um the the town uh in their report in 2023 from the well did have a couple of hits for a couple of compos compounds. It was a mixed sample. So that means it was MDC water and the wellwater that was sampled that had the hit. So and we know that MDC water doesn't have PAS. Um, and so something the town just needs to think about is that by mixing MDC water and your well water, MDC water is kind of diluting any contaminants that might be in coming from your well because it's a mixture. It's not just your well water that's going to your customers. So just something to think about >> and

041it's and this is really important. So we talked about, you know, when I first mentioned my clarifying fact, right? This is a very important fact because if the town thinks that your PAS levels are what reported here, >> it needs to be up there. Oh, >> I'm sorry. >> If if the if the town believes >> people that are watching will hear. >> Thank you. If the town believes that these PAS levels that are not regulated yet, u the DPH and EPA have provided guidance to the towns on what they think is acceptable. But this this regulatory process will determine what it is. But but the town has reported this to EPA as a mixed sample. Okay. Now that you're not supposed to report as a mixed sample because you're supposed to report in your

042well. And so my point to the town and to our board is the town should know what those levels are without MDC water because you're making a $10 million decision to build a new well. And as I have said at the town meetings and at the board meetings, u wells are subject to migration of chem of of of contaminants. The town of Glbury has massive problems with uranium. Um, I don't believe you guys have got uranium here, but they have a major problem with your uranium in their in their in their well systems, private well systems. Um, so you need to know the fact, you need to be making decisions based on the facts. And the this is not a fact. This is mixed sample. It was reported. Now whether it was uh uh the

043sample was actually taken from the well and not I don't know, but this is what was reported to to EPA. It's a mixed sample. So therefore, you've diluted the solution to pollution is dilution. So you've diluted the your well with our water and therefore your results are are are are not correct. And and so my concern to the town is you're making this decision. Um and we don't know what that what those levels really are. And to what is to say that uh and I've asked your geotech engineers, what's to say uh the new well may see migration of PAS? The Connecticut River is filled with PAST. We've done our testing. We know because the landfills the number one deep has said the number one uh uh uh resource of uh of of PAST into

044the the groundwater into the waterways is landfills. So there is lots of PAS in Connecticut River. Your well system is in the aquifer of the river. Um and as Susan mentioned and I've said a thousand times, you lose this diversion permit. You'll never get it back. Not because the MDC doesn't want to give it to you. It's because of all of the uh the environmental groups in in the norwest part of the state. Um, but this is a very important thing for the town to really think about what is the actual PAS levels in that existing well and where and could it migrate to the new well. Um, and and um I really think that um before you make any decisions, you got to ask those hard questions. We we've raised this uh uh with

045the previous uh uh um uh administration. Thank you. George finishes my words and um and you really need to ask those hard questions of your engineers that are designing this um because this is a major this this is a major uh component of your decision- making that I don't think the town really understands. Um, so, um, I I just encourage you to re take a sample of your well without MDC water and then see what those results are and then compare those to the existing recommendations from DPH and from EPA. Okay. >> All right. Next slide. So, we know that the town is um pursuing the installation of the new well um and we've been talking, you know, that it's the new well isn't going to be ready for a couple of years and that

046in in the interim the town would like to maintain the status quo with our agreement. But that doesn't necessarily work for MDC because you know we as I mentioned to you, you are you are reserving 1.1 million gallons of our available water and not using it and not paying us for it. Okay? It's just there for when you need it, but you're not using it. You're only using the 400,000 gallons. So, we came up with two proposals to the town. One of them is if you want to keep the 1.1 million gallon reserve, use more water. Take more water for a couple of years from us, use 600,000 gallons per day. Or if you want if you don't want to take more water, you want to stay with the 400,000 gallons per day, keep taking

047the 400,000 gallons per day for the two years, but lower the reserve so that MDC, our hands aren't tied and we we free up some of that water and we can sell it to somebody else because we got other communities knocking on our door looking for water because they have POS in their water. So just a just another >> he loves going back for the rates. He loves the talking about the Scott going for the micro >> the more you know and and this 600,000 um is not we're not asking you to pay any more per CCF. We're just saying use more just use more. And um and then so by you using more we make more money. By us making more money we lower the rate for everybody. So, by you using more water,

048you're not actually being penalized. You're actually helping lower the rate for all of the customers, including yourselves. And and this point here, as Susan mentioned, uh you know, the safe yield piece, if we have an agreement with you and you're not using um the maximum, the 1.1, we can't sell it to anybody else. And I would tell you that Regional Water Authority, which is, as Susan mentioned, is identical to us in New Haven, they sold Connecticut Water, which is a private company, um a a million a million uh gallons per day safe yield for 10 years for a million bucks. So, the point is we want to be paid for water that isn't being used uh because otherwise we can't sell it to anyone else. And if you think about this contract, the way it's

049written, you know, this is the first contract that's expiring. We have other contracts like this, but those got two, 20, 30 years left. And our goal for our com commission is we want to right side this concept. We don't want to be providing safe yields that isn't being utilized because it comes off our safe yields. If we had five agreements like this one, we would be losing about three to four million gallons a day in our safe yield and not getting paid for it. So our logic is this Portland agreement since it's the next one up for, you know, if it ends in January, our logic is let's start with Portland and create a new structure for our wholesale agreements. Um we're not asking you to pay more. We're simply asking you to use more

050and we're simply asking you to if you don't want to use more then we will give you what you have were using for two years but we can't reserve 1.1 when you're not paying for it. And so that's a a very fair request um of a of of a town that is not a member town. Uh and the other towns are paying for you know that excess water that you're not using. So, uh, we're just trying to be fair and honest. Uh, but we don't we we have to we have the town of Manchester wants 2.4 million gallons of water from us because of peak fast wells. Um, and we've got others uh that are knocking on our door. So, we've got to start to strategize and and this next two years will help us

051do that. >> All right. And one more there's one more slide here. So with any agreement you know there's a process we have to go through approvals um discussion points obviously uh any agreement that's reached with you know from the Portland board of selectmen you know has to go to our water bureau has to go through our full uh board of commissioners you know anything we agree upon the two town the town and the MDC will go to DPH um we will have to modify andor relinquish if you don't want water anymore our uh uh Connecticut um sale of excess water permit. Uh with DEP, we will modify the diversion permit andor relinquish it again if if you so choose not to take any water for us at some point in time. And uh Scott

052took touched upon this earlier, but there there's different ways with with an interconnection with with the diversion permit. So right now we have an active interconnection and um you know you you take water all the time from it. You pay for us uh water you pay for the water and we maintain the permit. We MDC does all the testing the leak protection the all the monitoring all the reporting to deep that goes along with that permit. MDC takes care of all that and we it it's an active interconnection. If you so choose that when you have your well online and you want to keep the interconnection there just for just in case someday you need it, that's not an active interconnection anymore and that becomes an emergency interconnection. There's no guarantee. MDC makes no guarantee

053of how much water we could provide to you. There's no safe yield that goes with that and there's no more diversion permit. and I'm getting to that one. And then as we mentioned the uh South Mill pump station, you know, with an emergency interconnection, we aren't going to maintain the South Mill pump station to the status that it is now able to provide you with 2MGD just for if and when Portland needs water. If we have to, you know, we're going to downsize our pump station to serve our area only. And if you need water in an emergency, we're going to have to come to some agreement and Portland is going to have to pay for either building their own pump station or you know the improvements to MDC's to be able to provide that

054water in an emergency >> and the $30,000 >> and maintaining the meter as Yeah. there. And that's [clears throat] all I have. >> One more. >> Yeah. >> All right. That's good. So, I'm not trying to scare the town of Portland, right? But I would say, and I've said this publicly to our board and to to the the town of Port Portland staff, um this is our reservoir, which has no PA. >> I have no idea what the PAS regulations are going to be, but we've got towns right now, Manchester, 2.5 2.4 4 million gallons of water they need behind the the uh J C Penney warehouse area. Flint, Michigan in 2016 went bankrupt and they wanted to save money and what did they do? They went from the Great Lakes, their water reservoirs were

055coming from the Great Lakes and they went to the Flint River and the rest was history. I'm not trying to scare anyone, but I'm telling you that you have um and you have a an awesome resource that nobody else has and you also have and I've mentioned this before. We Susan has talked about it. You have the key to Eastern Connecticut. Portland could be a major player and I've talked about this in 2016, 17, 18, 19. you could be a major player in in providing water from the MDC through the Portland system to East Hampton to Hebrin to Colchester uh because they need water as you can imagine uh they have lots of contamination in those towns uh over the years bell factory and those kinds of things. So, um there's a I think there's

056just an opportunity that I think is is uh is being missed. Um but we respect your decisions. Uh but we just want you to know the facts before you make those decisions. So, um thank you. If there's any questions, we're happy to answer. >> Um no, thank you very much. I appreciate that. Um I thought it was important to hear it and to have everyone in town understand it better because it's such an important issue. But yes, questions up here or questions in the audience. >> Um, our rate is 391. What do the member towns, what's their rate? >> 391. All right. >> We have uh our charter says we have to have a uniform rate. So, everyone pays the same. >> Okay. um not a specific number, but if we were to connect to

057other towns past us, what would the benefit to us be? >> It's all up for negotiation, right? So, in 2016 and talking with Susan, uh when we did the time bond report, I think the number was you guys had about $15 million in debt service if I remember right. And you know there's so many options we we don't know but we there's a there's an opportunity there right um looking at what does when we look at a member town becoming a member town uh we the last one we did was in the 80s with West Harford we look at what does that town bring what what's the resources and that's why tying bonds report looked at your infrastructure looks at looked at your your life cycle cost analysis of all your systems so we never

058got that far but the opportunity to provide I bet who East Hampton would pay anything. Uh town of um uh uh New Hartford is paying over $9 per cc for water. Very, again, very small town just like this, probably 1500 smaller, probably 1500 customers on the water. They're paying 20 something dollars on the sewer side for CCF. But it is what it is. They need the water, right? It it's priceless. So there's an opportunity there, but we never got there because um unfortunately and I I'm very critical of DPH. I was uh and so wasn't Susan. We were Susan Bransville. We were trying to get the state of Connecticut to give East Hampton uh and in Portland and the MDC a grant to bring water to East Hampton through Portland. Um and and DPH had

059quote no money. So what did they do? They gave you guys $250,000 grant for a well. Well, okay. So, but there's opportunity there. It's just it's just not being taken advantage of >> between the the limits. What is our average daily use of what we buy from you? >> 400,000. We basically uh at the end of the year, it averages out to the 400,000 gallons per day. And if you don't reach that, we bill you uh the excess that you haven't used, which a couple times, I would say a couple of years we have build you for what you haven't used wasn't a lot, but that's that's what you use the 400,000 gallons per day over the course of the year. Some days you're 600, some days 200, you know, but it it >> So

060we're right at the minimum for the year. >> The minimum taker pay. >> Okay. We we do Bob hit the um 1.1 million at times, you know, we do hit that that number >> about five days in a year. >> Yeah, it's very limited >> and we have lower days that more often. >> Yeah, mostly it's lower, but sometimes we'll spike it like one or 1.1 million. >> What's that? >> Sometimes we'll spike at one or one or.1 million. >> We do have development coming in. >> Yes, we do. >> Good problem to have, right? >> So, I I know that you said that you you're looking at um you know, some development coming in from say Manchester, right? So adding them on, how much say yield do you guys have free right now in

061terms of pre-capacity? >> Yeah. So so here's the point, right? So we have about um 20 >> the it's not how much water we have. Yeah. It's that >> it's tied up. >> No, no, I understand that's we have about 20. We have about 20 roughly 18 uh uh million gallons per day uh of of safe yield that we can sell. But here's the problem. this contract is ending. Um, we have uh more contracts coming. We do not want to have this contract with with Manchester. Manchester is going to take 2.4 million. It's not going to be take or pay with this safe yield. We're get getting out of the business of providing free safe yield to communities that are not member towns. So, our member towns are saying, "Why should we give a non-member

062town uh the benefit of free safe yield for free?" >> And I think I think Scott, I'm sorry, but just to jump in because get there. So, >> you got about what you said about 20 million >> all usable market. Um, how long have you signed a contract with say Manchester today until they were up and running? go through the same process. >> Yeah, the same process. The the point is is >> But my question is that are we talking about six months? We talking about a year and a half? Talking about but the point but the point is and I know your point and I I you've made it before um this is only this is only right. So the our position the MDC's board's position is um that we are going to this

063contract that we're that you're asking us to extend which is a two-year contract is going to be a new contract. It's not going to be the same contract. It's going to be a new contract. We are not going to be giving away free free safe yield anymore for free. Regional sold a million gallons I mentioned for a million gallons a day for a million dollars over 10 years. We are not giving away free safe yield no matter how much water we have. It's not about how much water we have and how many contracts are coming in. It's about the fact that the MDC member towns, there's a reason to be a member town. You get free cheap water and cheap sewer service. And the and the and the eight member towns do not want to

064subsidize towns that do not want to be members. So the answer is if you want uh we have offered these two options. We are open to you know something similar. Uh we're not saying it has to be those two but we need some um resolution quickly because we are going to we don't want to be in a position of having our board to impose one of these options and then start billing you. And then if you read the articles about what happened in Waterberry and and and Watertown, you know that that's we don't want to go there, right? But we do want to fairly assist you in the two years. My here's my one of my concerns. I really believe this is that this two-year deal is going to become forever because I really am

065concerned that your well is not going to do what you think it's going to do. And I'm really concerned about the PAST that isn't being considered. And then when you realize that three or four years from now, we're still struggling to get some kind of an agreement. We want an agreement now uh moving forward for the next two years. And we're not going to be giving away a free safe fuel. If you want to pay for the safe yield, we're happy to happy to agree on something, but we're not going to give it away for free. And I think that's the for everyone here to know what what we've talked about is knowing that basically the safe yield is there so that if you extended Portland's contract for two years as a status quo, we

066have a 30-year agreement. We've had good relationship and extended it uh the way it is now that you that would not impact you from being able to go out and sign in Manchester because they're not going to come online, right? It's not going to hinder you. It's going to give you budget predictability. Okay. And what it does from our perspective. Okay. From my perspective, the option you've given us right now either says our residents have to take another $381,000, which is roughly a 21 22% increase to the costs, or we'd have to reduce our safe yield, which if to your concern, and you say, we've I've told you this before, we'll take that at face value. if we wouldn't be able to get that yield back, we can't afford to let that yield go until

067we know the well and everything proves out. So, it's kind of what you're offering us is a little bit of a hobson's choice. Paying on this side, on the price side, or paying on the yield side and putting our residents at risk. What we're offering you is budget predictability, status quo, basically being able to um in a position where you've got two years of predictability where you are not going to need that safe yield in those two years anyway. >> We we we have a we have a charter. >> And by the way, I think I do think that it was one of your I know that one of your commissioners I thought said it very well. You get a 30-year relationship. You don't start a new style of agreement with a municipality you've had

068a 30-year agreement with. You start it with the new one. you're about to write a new agreement with Manchester, >> then if you want to write it that way, >> but it doesn't mean you have to to adjust what we're doing because that puts us in an awful position. >> I understand that and and we and we understand that as well. But what I would tell you is the board is going to act >> um and without an agreement, without a resolution to this um and we have met uh we met uh on the uh October 20 something, 21st, whatever it was. Um and we have proposed these two options. We have we have heard at the board meeting that you guys were willing to come to some uh some resolution that that might you

069know be in between those options. Um but we have a you know we have a what we as I mentioned a uniform rate right? So our contracts are uniform. So, if we have a contract with Portland that is giving you safe yield for free, we're going to have um we're going to have a difficult time negotiating with with others and they're going to want the same thing. So, so the answer the answer is this is in the board's hands. We have proposed uh these two options. We have met uh once. We need another meeting. We're looking for another meeting. Um our board is meeting Monday night. I'm going to give them an update on this, but we need a resolution. We're we're the board has been very clear where, you know, these two options or

070something somewhere in between is is acceptable. Um, we'll leave it up to the board to decide. But if the board decides uh that we're going to follow one of these two options or something similar, we're going to start billing effective January 26 on that option. And um uh you know just remember just because there's a diversion permit approved the excess sale water agreement is what dictates the sale of water between the the town and MDC. The diversion permit is just another environmental regulation that allows you to divert the water. But the excess sale agreement without it it expires on January 26, 2026. So without it there is no agreement and um we are going to need to have something uh that the board will decide uh to to bill you for and we're hopeful that

071we can agree with the town on what that is. Uh but I encourage you before uh our next meeting to ask the tough questions that I've asked of your engineers is what is the real PAS level in your existing wells? What is it? Because because I I don't I based on the fact that it's been reported to EPA is mixed. It's not the real number. So what is that number? I don't know. Um but um the the town should understand that fact before you have our next meeting. It's that's my recommendation. Uh but we will uh uh like I said, I'll update our board on on Monday. We're hopeful to have another meeting, Mike, as quickly as possible and we can resolve this. But the board will act and decide what what we're going to

072do. But we have to start billing you on January 26, 2026. And it's going to be something. Um, I don't believe it's going to be the existing contract. >> I look at it, you're changing the style of your contract, right? Your your operating mode. >> Mhm. >> It's really just a matter whether you start the new mode now or one contract later. >> Correct. >> So, to me, the investment has already been recovered from Portland. Um, I think staying with the status quo is was really what's when you talk about what's the fairest for both entities. I think status quo is obviously the fairest for both entities. >> Yeah. >> Um, any anyone in the audience have a question from a resident's point of view? You know, we've asked a lot of questions up here.

073>> We have anybody on >> this is actually more to you that if >> she has to get up if you could go up there. Yeah. Go up there. Yeah. loud and proud. >> Um, so there was the.7 million gallons safe uh safe yield. If we exceeded that, are there town resources in place to meet the four of the the4 mill million gallons um that would be shorted if let's say it was one of those crisis days and we were up to 1.1 million. >> So, so we have a well right now that functions in that way. So we complement what we get from MDC and part of what we do at the end of every year is we try to make sure that we're trying to get just the amount that we've committed to

074and if we to if we don't have to go over we don't so we try to time out but we combine our well with NBC right now the new well that we have we just finished a 7-day pump test two weeks ago three weeks ago. Yeah, the days just fly by. Um, and we do have the results coming out soon. So, that's a good point. Uh, PAS is in the news a lot. We should have the results not only of the modeling for how that well looks, but also the water itself. So, that is a that is a great point. We will have that and and make sure we share that with others. So, >> I think the other the other just to add to in terms of that. >> So, on average, right, our

075average usage is about 680,000 gallons a day. That's our that's the average. So >> when you're saying average and I know this is like mathy >> over 365 days our average is >> okay. So that's the mean >> right that's that's >> okay I'm see 280 is from your well >> that's that's the average >> and that's why we offered the 600,000 gallon option because we knew that your mean was was 600 and change so that's why we offered that option. >> Okay. know um the bottom line is on a steady state day if we had some higher usage if the well is operating and with the 700 you know yes you could operate that way the problem is we we have those 1.1 days you don't know if everything is going to be functioning

076you don't know if the well is going to be down right that's why to move that yield number to me is something that I would be concerned about moving that yield number until the new well is in place then you've got redundant wells that are operated so that even if one is down for maintenance, you have another well that is able to draw. >> And what's the best guess for getting that well online? >> We are we really um at this point we're looking at two years. >> Yeah, the two years is the target date just because Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Right. Good question. >> I have a question. If we signed into the second option and our max was 700, what would happen if we took more than 700 from you in one

077day? >> Well, excluding our well that we took over 700 from MDC, >> right? So, um, so you wouldn't because we'd have to, you know, we'd have to, uh, design a system so that you couldn't take more than 700. And and if you wanted, you know, that then that that would be uh that might fall into um violation with with uh that, you know, with DE with a diversion permit and and so there's fines and all that good stuff. So the goal is right now you've got someone I'm kidding. Right now you got someone who's sitting at a valve and every day they're making sure you're only taking the 400,000 gallons average, right? Um same thing would happen with a seven. You'd have to make sure that you don't exceed that because you get a

078violation. >> And that's and I mentioned this, that's why we use the 600,000 gallon option. Your average is six and change 680. So that's why we said no harm no foul if you're already using uh you know I am very fearful that this is going to prolong this two-year is going to wind up becoming uh four five six years because and I from what I've heard I do believe that the town really doesn't know when this well is actually going to be up and operational and and so it's not fair to the MDC to stretch this into a a two-year that might turn into four that might and that's why we want our contract our new contract to be a new contract, >> right? >> So, I know that when we talked about um because

079I was I was with Susan, I think, right? >> We years ago when we were talking about this >> um one of the things that came up was say the adorum. >> Yeah. >> How would that impact us if we were a member town? So, so the I mean there's so when you get when you become a member town, there's a lot that you I can't even explain what you'd have to negotiate everything. Like I said to Susan, Susan had about you guys had about 10 uh $15 million in debt service. I said, "Well, maybe there's a way that we can absorb the debt service as part of the deal." Um but there's just you know you there could be an opportunity where um you know because you have your own uh like Manchester because

080you have your own uh uh wastewater treatment facility. Um this is a deep issue. This is an EPA issue. Maybe there's an opportunity where because you're independent on the sewer side, you would not you'd be excluded from the clean water search charge because you're independent. you're serving yourself. But there's a lot to go into. We just don't know. You know, it's but there's an there's an opportunity there to say, uh, okay, a town has its own treatment plant. Uh, it's in good shape. There's nothing wrong with it. It's serving the community. It's not interconnected with the MDC's sewer system. So, could it be treated separately and not part of the clean water project? I don't know the answer to that, but that's those are the questions we'd have to go through to really determine um

081you know how how it impacts Avalor and how it impacts the clean water project. >> I wanted to ask that because in that 2017 presentation there were two options that was sort of presented on that. >> Correct. >> One was that it would be applicable to the folks who were on the system. >> Correct. >> But the other is that it would be applicable to the whole town by the people. Right. >> Which for us 50% of our residents have well in settlement. Right. So >> Right. Um that was a I know a non-stop. >> We do have a few customers in our member towns that still have septic systems. They are paying for sewer service through Adalorum on their taxes to their town. Um they do get a septage rebate when their septage uh

082gets delivered to us. So they do get that rebate, >> but they're not paying the >> they're not paying the clean. board uh approved in 2008. If you're a member town, uh you have to pay the clean water search charge if you have water and sewer service. So, and there's some, as Susan mentioned, we have about 600 customers across the district that do not have sewer service. They have a septic system. So, those 600 customers do not play the clean web search charge or vice versa. You're on the sewer, but you have a well. So there could be an opportunity uh where a town like Portland or a town like Glastenbury or a town like Manchester um who has their own sewer system, maybe there's something that could be worked out. But that's just a

083big discussion that we're just not prepared to have, you know. >> So I'm going to let's go a couple more minutes. I know we got to get to some other things and I and I appreciate all the stuff, but um any more questions out there? I know you guys have been real patient listening. Um, I think this is important. >> I could tell you had a question. >> Um, if you're saying that we could be a prime connection between East Hampton and Colchester Hein, what incentive would there be for us to remain with MDC to then become a connection? >> Yeah. Um, and I I would say I I can't give you an answer. Alls I can tell you is is this that the connection to port to East Hampton was $26 million. You guys

084approved $10 million for a new well system. So there's half of the 26 right there. And if the town of East Hampton and and Hebrron and Colchester and the MDC and possibly grant uh monies from either D or even DPH, there's an opportunity there. I don't know the answer, but what I can tell you is by spending $10 million on your own well, you're never going to get there. So, there's an opportunity. I don't know what it is. We we had this big conversation in 2019. We had a major meeting. Susan wrote a letter requesting a meeting um with DPH. We had the meeting on January 2019. Uh great conversation. I really thought it was going somewhere and then DPA said, "Sorry, we don't have any money." But but think about if the town of

085Portland wanted to invest $10 million in a connection to East Hampton and East Hampton and Hebrin and other communities were willing to do the same and the MDC was willing. There's a huge opportunity there. I don't I I can't tell you what it means, but I I can tell you it's revenue. It's revenue that you don't have. And it's assurityity that you're never going to have to deal with PAS and it's assurityity that you're never ever going to have to worry about water for development in in your town. So, um that's a that that's an engineering uh um study that needs to be done. Um, and it would take, you know, I think the uh Titan bond report took about 9 months to a year before it was finalized, but it's it's it's it's a

086bit of an effort, but it's it there's revenue there. There's revenue. Uh, I know some of you probably know a lot of people live in East Hampton, and they can't keep a Dunkin Donuts in town because everybody's got a well, and the wells are contaminated. you know, the the gentleman who uh ran the facility, the witch hazel facility. >> Sure. Yeah. >> Uh he he he offered the town of East Hampton, I want to say it was $250,000, donated $250,000 to get water to the town. The town is screaming for water and so is it keeper. >> Yeah, I work with those guys 20 years ago with another business. So, yes. >> Um listen, I really appreciate both of you coming here tonight. I think this was very valuable. Um the good news for me

087is that we have a lot of flexibility. There's a lot of things going on right now from well to opportunities in East Hampton and whatnot. So um let's set something up uh quickly. You have a meeting on Monday night. >> I'll send you something else. >> Please do. But um I I appreciate I appreciate both. >> And we appreciate Portland. We we we've had a a very respectful relationship with the town of Portland from Susan right uh and and Mike and right through to to Mike uh even Ryan Curley and uh you know I'm Phil Jim >> Jim sorry [laughter] and and uh Trip J and we really we really don't want to lose the town. We really really we really do not want to lose you. We really think it's in your best interest

088to stay with the NBC. Um, and uh, uh, so, you know, hey, Mike, Dave, Dave Kasminsky here, Mike. Hey. Uh, I've I've worked with with Scott and NBC for many years, uh, and so forth, and we've had a great relationship. Uh, you know, uh, Scott, I beg to differ with you on on the POS on the well. We've we've done independent testing on on our well. Uh, there is no there is no POS in our well. uh and and all of the geological uh results from uh GZA on the new well and so forth indicate that that we are we are POS clean. So I you know I think you know to to to try to run that up the flag pole that you know uh I I I think we can you know they

089get that. >> Yes. Thank you Dave. I I just disre uh respectfully disagree because your report to EPA, your report to EPA, it's a mixed sample and uh so >> it was not a mixed sample. >> I understand that. But your report to EPA was that was a mixed sample. So you need to correct that. You need to correct that. >> It's right on EPA's website. >> And one more question, Rick, would like that. Sorry, we thought you thought you get away. >> Just just back on the history thing. What's this Farmington River Water Association have to do with >> this whole diversion thing? Yeah, I'm just curious. >> I explained it a I touched upon it a little bit that basically our our water supply reservoir Bark Hamstead Neepog are up in the northwest

090corner of the state up in the right. So, we were basically by providing water to Portland, we were going to be taking water out of that basin and selling it to uh an entity in this other basin and and and you weren't one of our member towns and it it caused a big the environmentalists didn't like it. >> And if anybody remembers 2013 when the MDC was trying to provide water to stores Yukon, same thing happened. It was a nightmare. It was a disaster and the same environmental logic applied. The you're stealing water from one basin and sending it to another basin. Um and then they wound up approving the Connecticut Water Agreement, which is taking water from one basin to another basin. So, um, but yeah, so it's, uh, >> yeah, back back in

091back in the day, Scott, I was the one that negotiated with the, uh, uh, uh, Farmington River folks, uh, and so forth to to just show them we would have no uh environmental impact on on their uh, system. >> Is that your question? >> Well, sort of. >> I don't see what the hell they >> You have all this water sitting up there in Barston. There's a We have like a I I have >> Oh, yeah. I I have >> 30 page agreement that FRWA, Portland, and MDC signed. Well, >> yeah. >> Okay. All right. Now, we're set. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, guys. >> Dave, thank you, Dave. >> Thank you. Thank you, Scott. Thanks, Susan. >> Always a pleasure to see you. >> I thought you turn the name plate around.

092Absolutely. >> All right. >> Yes. >> Um I just feel like uh my question is whose test is correct? So, I would encourage the board to the the board and the MDC need to both agree on the test. And that's >> I think I think I think the the issue is that there's I think they had some trace elements if I if I recall and Jason correct me that were that are in the existing well. They are below what is the current regulated limit. Okay. or proposed regulated or at least what they're talking about as a potential regulated limit. What the argument that that MDC is making because it was listed as a mixed sample is that if it was not a mixed sample, they would be above the limit, right? That they're diluting it

093to below. We've been told by our um our folks it in fact was taken at the wellhead, which is their standard practice. It was more of a mislabeling in terms of how it got >> which is fine. My my level of confidence in this is I mean I've got Dave Kosinsky who I've known for years and trust. >> Yeah. >> And then I've got the MDC folks who are there two two different things are being said. So again, I would encourage >> this board and MDC. >> Does that >> to make it blunt, just make sure you're we're all on the same page and everybody's saying yes, these are the numbers and we all agree these are the numbers. >> I I think we've had multiple Yeah, Andy, we we've actually had multiple discussions that

094it was taken directly from the wellhead. >> Jim, what what is the the to do a PAS test? What is the timeline for a deliverable and what is the cost? >> I'll I'll defer. I know that I don't know the >> I mean is that something that because we have a new well and what a lot of that discussion was focused around the well at town garage. >> None of that discussion from NBC. Yes, he's talking about the old well. None of the discussion was focused on the new well which my understanding is impeccably clean. So, and that's where the vast majority of our water is going to come from. But if this is going to be a bone of contention, I guess my question is how exactly what you're saying. How can we can

095we get it can we get the wellhead at town garage retested and how long would it take? What does it cost to set this set this issue straight? Right. That makes the most nominal time is a few weeks. Yeah. Um it's it's an easy one and we have um uh we should from GZA we should have the results the second result of the existing pump test that we have. I was going to say the preliminary the preliminary results on the new well >> for this were ND non detectable >> n detectable right >> but they're doing more a deeper second just >> they're doing a deeper second but the preliminary >> so so that will come and I believe it'll be uh clean across the board >> Mike we can get uh environmental monitoring which

096is our uh sample uh uh [laughter] in Wallingford to to come over and test that have Andy come over he does our water testing anyway and uh and and get that re re retested if you want. >> Dave, you're a problem solver. >> Well, yeah, certainly. We should need to figure that out. >> I I have just a real quick practical question. If we go to the well, um where we live on Old Mororrow Turnpike is way up by the water tanks. >> How is water getting to our house? >> I mean, you know, right now we're on a gravity feed. It's coming down from the water tanks. >> Yeah, correct. you know, ba basically the well is >> is is >> water water is pumped through the MDC connection uh okay or or our

097well okay and basically the two 500,000galon tanks back of the reservoir are acting as the reservoir so it fills those or the system whichever whichever demands >> [clears throat] >> out. >> All right. >> White boards. >> People don't listen to what we say. >> Oh, they heard that. [laughter] >> I'll be back. >> Hello. Okay. >> Mine. >> Hello. >> Mine's not working, right? >> There's a reason for that, Mike. >> Is it already passed on? >> So, next, Dan. >> All right. Dan has waited patiently for an hour and 14 minutes to do a >> very intriguing. >> Yes. Good to meet you >> and it will be worth every minute of your time right now. >> Okay. Uh Dan Beret, town planner, town of Portland. Uh primarily I'm here tonight uh with

098my hat in hand to request uh $1,500. Uh we are going through the online permitting process currently. Uh and I'm trying to set up credit card payments through our current credit card vendor, Point and Pay. Uh emailed them on setting that up and they told me there's a $1,500 charge that I did not anticipate. Um, I emailed them again to uh double check that they're charging us since we are already using them through the town clerk's office and the tax collector's office. And they responded that we're saving $1,000 because we're an existing customer. So, it would be normally $2,500. Uh, but uh it's $1,500 to set up the the credit card payment processing. >> A little bit more about the system. >> Sure. >> Can you tell a little more about the system? >> Yeah,

099sure. Uh so basically uh back I think it was 2023 now um we received uh $120,000 in the land use office from uh COVID relief funds. I think that's what it was uh for online permitting GIS and uh to digitize our land use documents. So we've done the digitization, we've done the GIS, those are up and available for the public. Uh we are uh almost done with the uh permitting system. We're just finishing up I think on some public works permits. And then the last uh component of that uh system is to uh have credit card payments to make things more convenient. Um we could forgo credit card payments theoretically um until the new uh tax season. Uh Middletown does that. Uh so you do your permit online and then you have to go pay

100there. So, it kind of defeats the purpose of an online permitting system because you still have to go to the office and pay. Um, so we'd like to do credit card payments uh if possible. Um, there's also a deeper discussion um that needs to be had with you guys in terms of fees for the system and if you want to in [clears throat] incur a fee for using the online permitting system. So, uh, our our position in the land use office is that the credit card fees would be paid by the user or the applicant. Whether you guys want to charge an additional fee for permits, um, that's up to you. The the system's about $30,000 a year in terms of overhead costs. Um, my suggestion would be to to charge a $10 flat permit

101fee. I have been requested by public works that that fee not be included on their their permits for driveways because a driveway permit can be $10. So, an additional $10 fee uh may uh dissuade people from actually pulling permits, which we don't want. I don't think that's going to be the case for uh land use. Um the town's permit fee of $10 has been that way, I believe, my entire life. Uh the only increase we've had is from the state of Connecticut. uh which has gone from $10 to $60 uh you know over I don't know the last 10 or 20 years. So if you do not want to uh charge a fee an additional permit fee the town would have to eat that cost. But that's that's a decision um for you guys to

102make. >> So a permit for a new driveway is $10. >> So it's depending on square footage. I believe if it's less than 500 square feet, it's it's $10. >> Yeah. So, depending. Yeah. 500 to a,000's 20. >> Our driveway permits are incredibly cheap. I will I will >> I was going to say I just pulled a permit for a shed and it was $260. >> Yes. >> So, yeah. >> So, uh driveway driveway fees are are relatively inexpensive. We do um we've actually had trouble collecting those fees in the past and over the last year. Cheryl has made an effort to really get the paving companies along with Mike Lrina um aware that they need to pull permits. So, we are getting more driveway permits in, but they honestly I don't think the fee

103schedule has been updated on driveway permits since it wasn't put in place. >> Yeah. um you know, all the fee schedules are are within your purview um and not the individual boards or or departments. >> Effectively sounds like it might be a two-step process. You're looking for $1,500, get the system in place. I think that makes sense based on the conversations we've had. And then the next step is deciding what we do with the permanent fees and looking at it and and seeing what needs to be adjusted up or down. >> Yeah, I would ask that we not get excessive on on the fee. Um, I think $10, while it will not recoup the cost that the town's spending, it it it'll probably be about a third um of the overall cost. We do about

104a thousand permits a year. >> What we're talking about $1,500 to set up the >> credit card payments >> and then there's uh do we already have the setup where it will charge the fee for the credit card? Right. >> Correct. >> In other words, right? So, so the town doesn't lose money on the >> credit card. Correct. Yep. Just the initial setup. town is already using this service in other departments. We're just adding it to your department. >> Correct. The clerks and the tax collectors already use point and pay for their service provider for credit cards. >> What is the what fee percent does the town charge for using a credit card? >> It'll be whatever the credit card fee will be. >> 2% 3%. [clears throat] >> Yeah. So, that's going to be

105handled through um our vendor. Our vendor >> back Okay. And you said it was 30,000 a year to maintain the system. Yeah, >> just in the building department. >> Yeah, the online permitting system. So, the permitting system we actually preferred was uh over 60,000 a year. >> Oh, so you're what what you're talking about isn't just the the point and pay process. You're talking about the whole permitting system. >> The whole permitting system. Yeah.$30,000 >> is $30,000. That's exclusive of our GIS and our uh our digit our digital repository. Those are separate. So, this online system, is it already in place? >> Uh, the last item is to finalize the public works permits and then the last item is the credit card payments. I I'd prefer not to spin up the system without the credit

106card payments in place. >> All right. So, we've already I guess accepted the fact that the system's like 30,000 a year to maintain. >> Yes. >> Yeah. So, basically, they gave us five years. They very aggressively priced this out to undercut um the major player here in the state. And since since we used uh federal funds, we had to go through the RFP process and um you know, we down selected them as one of the biders and and and and they crushed it on the price. That's the the only way I can put it. Um if I could have figured out a way to have OpenGV instead of SmartGov, I I certainly would have preferred it that way, but they've been good to work with. they've they've really worked hard on the system with us.

107Uh with FA especially, I I can't not u give her credit for all the work she's done. Um FA is our our land use admin. Um she's really done a great job with this. Um helped out a lot. So yeah. >> Okay. But the request tonight is 1,500 for >> just to sp that's a onetime payment for the credit card. Um, and then it'll be a user fee uh for the credit card. And then the the next question for the board is is to how to compensate the town. Um, whether the town wants to eat the fee uh or you want to introduce another small fee to um defay the cost of the overall system. >> Mike, have you talked with Tom at all about this? >> What's that? >> We have Tom's feedback at

108all on this. He's he's agnostic on it. he is lifted to myself and to Dan whether it makes sense as well as the board here. So I thought it was important enough to get feedback. >> So Tom doesn't have a problem finding the money if we approve. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> To make it simple. >> Well is it wasn't in his budget for this year. Yeah. So we have and it's not every dollar is important but um based on the system and the value of it making it easier to deal with us as a town um it makes sense to you know we many other towns have credit card processing and they make it a lot easier to interact with and we're trying to get up to that level makes it easy progress somebody's

109going to go online and be able to look everything up online >> but then as you said they have to come in and pay >> you can do the whole it doesn't it doesn't make much sense I did that in Middletown this year. >> I went there I we did the permit online and then I had to physically go there and pay them. >> So it's like why am I doing like what's the point, >> right? >> Yeah. Why have the online system if you can't pay? >> They won't they don't want to get into credit cards over there. That was my >> Yeah. >> the explanation they gave me. >> So yeah. So I mean I I think it makes sense. Uh, but if someone wants to put in put a motion, >> I'll

110make a motion that we allocate the $1,500 to enable credit card uh setting up the credit card machines for the building. Second. >> All right. Uh, any further discussion? >> All right. Call for the vote. All those in favor? I. >> All those opposed? Abstension? Motion passes. >> Can I just plug two things real quick? >> We got plenty of uh We we started our plan of conservation development process. No, I don't want money. This was this is all well, you already gave me the money for some of this. Uh our our plan of conservation development, we've started our POCD process. I would encourage everyone in town to please go uh and and give your feedback. Uh each first planning zoning meeting of each month is going to be dealing with something on the PC

111starting tomorrow. So, uh the more feedback and input we get on these uh plans, the better. We will also be having uh public uh uh information sessions and outreach sessions for you guys to give your uh two cents and and and provide information for the plan. So I would just ask that you do that. And then also with the bar uh Brownfield area revitalization uh plan, we are having uh a meeting on the 17th at the Portland High School library uh uh for the same purpose to grab get public uh input and feedback uh for downtown Portland and the riverfront redevelopment. So I just would really encourage everybody to to participate and and go. >> That was it. >> That's it. That's it. >> Ask for money. That's great. >> All right. Thank you. >>

112Thanks, Dan. >> Yeah. Um Dan's involved in a number of projects for our downtown area in the riverfront to make it more accessible, get more things done. Um and with all the things we got going on, all the projects, that's an important part. So, thanks all the for all the work you guys do. Appreciate it. All right. Um appointments of boards and commissions. Do we have any? >> I don't know, man. Nothing. >> None. Okay. Wait to the next meeting. But thanks, Dan. >> All right. Refund of excessive payments. I make a motion for a refund of excess payment for Hyundai lease titling trust $361.15. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I'll say I >> opposed. Extension. Motion passes. Passes. >> Motion for a refund of excess payment. Nissan Infinity Lease Trust LLC

113$449.18 $8842 $36.16 and $1856. >> I'll second it. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I opposed. >> Extensions. Motion passes. >> All right. On to status reports. I'll start with the left. Um yeah, I don't have um a report specifically about uh you know water and sewer um this yeah this month obviously we'll get into that starting next week. Uh but I did want to do something from the food bank. I think it's important. I got a I got a report from Kevin that came back um that I wanted to to share because um he wishes he could be here tonight to say thank you to everybody. He's not able to. he's not feeling well. But uh bottom line is the um the food drive in honor of Rashan Manning um was extraordinarily

114successful. Uh the food bank is is very very appreciative of all the work that was done. Um it needs to be noted that in total uh 1,461 bags of food were brought in. >> Wow. >> Which is just >> And for the record, what were the number of bags last year? Uh just over 800. >> That's crazy. >> Just over 800. And I remember sitting with Sean talking with me. He was so excited that we broke 800. That's he wanted to get by that. >> Um and as well, by the way, is uh $700 worth of donations came in. >> Love that. >> Um and just Kevin and I wanted to say, you know, thank you that to the really the dozens of volunteers that were there. Um it was a people really worked really

115worked hard. Um it was just an enormous effort, but very very helpful and uh really did help. um help get us some food in the in the door before Christmas uh for the holidays. Um Bob um Kevin wanted me to note and say thank you. Great idea on getting the list together. >> Oh, >> because the items that came in really help target things that we can use that go out the door quickly. So, we're going to make sure we do that again next year early enough so we can put them right in the bags to make it easier for folks to get it. But it was a great idea. But just congratulations. It was very well done. Hey Jim, what question? Oh, so what kind of shape are we in with inventory at the

116food bank, especially given this whole food stamp thing? >> I'm going to I'm going to answer it this way, right? The food coming in and it's like breathing, okay? You take air in and they let air out. We bring food in and food goes out. Um, so has been >> we Yeah, we we have seen just since the some of the the cuts, the reductions that were made in June. Um, I'm going to hesitate to give an exact number, but it's been a significant increase. You know, probably, you know, 40% increase in the daily, right, the people coming in. Um, we are very concerned depending [clears throat] on how this rolls out with the snap cuts because I know that they're looking I think at a right now I think they they're looking at funding

117it at 50%. But we don't know when that's going to happen, >> right? >> So, we're looking at everything um in terms of are we going to have to look at other ways to help people get food. We're looking at making sure we expand um we'll make sure we expand our availability as as needed uh in terms you know to have the food bank so that we can um meet any you know meet additional demand but we have we have to see exactly what happens. We don't know yet how what's going to transpire. We just anticipate it's coming but we haven't well >> um is there any specific requirement or pay paperwork people need if they have to get food >> well I I think I think generally speaking there have yes there are there

118been income limits um being on like wick things like that um which means that but what Kevin and I have talked about [clears throat] is that um especially we've had extraordinary support with the food bank people are working very If somebody comes in and they have a SNAP card that they can't use, even if they don't meet the other requirements, we're going to help them with we're going to help folks with food. Um there's just that we just as a community, we just have to do that. We just ask, you know, do that. >> Okay. Um >> K, did you want to say anything now? >> The only thing I can say is thank you guys. everybody, anybody in the community, anybody here that's afforded this food drive. It's just heartwarming. Bittersweet and heartwarming. So,

119thank you all. >> Thanks again. Thanks. Thank you. >> You know what? >> Yeah, the the public support was just >> that was great. >> Phenomenal. the kids, the parents, the grand everybody. >> And and by the way, we had our um the Portland Leos were there as volunteers helping out. I mean, we had we had we had, you know, kids, we had the Leos, we had we just had cross-sections of people. So, so my wife and I went out and actually went up and picked up bags or whatever and we had a blast just, you know, stopping by and it was was wonderful. I don't have any updates per se, but I would like to put something out there to Kim and the other her other siblings and to the food bank generally. I'm

120one of those crazy people on East Main Street that decorates their house for Halloween. You guys grew up four houses away, so you know the area. Um, the cars come in. I live right next door to the town hall. The cars come in and park in that parking lot. The doors open up and the kids come out in droves. >> We stopped counting at about 600 kids. What I would really like to do in in in the same theme is I I was I was thinking I would like to gain some benefit to all those trick-or-treaters that are coming in and maybe for next year I would be willing to work with you guys and Sean's name with the food bank. I would like to make some kind of a food receptacle that's Halloween themed

121at the town hall >> and post it excessively for weeks ahead and ask because there's a lot of out of town trick-or-treaters that come too. >> I would like to have them all come and have the trick-or-treaters bring a food item or whatever and when they pull in that parking lot, we can have somebody there dressed up. We can have a spotlight on it so people see it. But I would I really think we could add to that food bank with the volume of people that are on that street and I think the kids will get a kick out of it too. They can come in with a can or two in their bag and that's the first thing they do before they say trickor treat is put their food in the receptacle. So I

122just mul it over with with your siblings. I would love to work on that and kind of in again in Sean's honor because this is his neighborhood. >> So uh >> yeah. So I I'll talk to you but I just wanted to put that out there. Thanks, John. Anything exciting? >> Um, not really because I've been away. High expectations. >> Been taking too many vacations. Um, but I have been uh the last couple days I've been on the phone with Lou Pair about the river access uh project and he tells me um they're supposed to be starting construction any day now um for on the road >> and um we've gotten in um a few hundred on the the um fundraising challenge that uh I put out there and um we're we're working on a

123little more publication advertising maybe coming up with some pledge cards uh which is something I want to talk with you Wow. Absolutely. Absolutely. >> Um so we're uh we're just trying to keep the momentum going and um uh we're pretty confident we'll be able to uh have some sort of rib ribbon cutting next spring. >> I see. >> For for those that don't know, um he's been Rick's been kind enough and generous enough to offer up to is it a million dollars? >> That's what I heard. 1 million pennies, $10,000. Um, he's willing to match dollar for dollar up to 10,000 of his own dollars for this. It's a passion project of his. Um, I think it's wonderful. Uh, we only got $300,000, which seems like a lot, but to get a third of a

124mile access road cut through and all the things you need. Um, it it doesn't go as far as it used to, I guess. Um, but, uh, but there's a number of people that want access to the river. I think it's a great project. It's something that he feels deeply about and he's willing to contribute that. So, if anyone out there, looking at you, Vinnie, uh that's willing to donate money or match some dollars or anybody else out there, uh that all goes to additional things for the pro for this park, benches, other things that may be needed. But I think it's a worthy cause and it's it's making the community better. And I think that's fantastic. I thank you for your stuff. You're welcome. Something that's not that we're going to need is we're going

125to have to probably make some sort of ramp or put down some pavers so like you can actually walk down into the water with a kayak and not sinking into your ankles in mud. And then, you know, some picnic tables and um uh maybe uh Lou was talking about maybe some sort of uh seasonal dock so people can go out and you know stick stick a pole in the water and be you know partway out in the river, some some hiking trails. So, there's going to be a bunch of things, you know, right now it's it's going to be pretty rough when we first get it built, you know, but but at least we'll have access. It's a start and uh you know maybe not in my lifetime but you know someday it could be

126potentially a major public boat launching site you know so we just Yes. >> Um I believe so but one of the things when we put the article in the paper we forgot to put a mailing address. So, I I'm going to get together with Mike this week and we may do another press release and um I got to get with Mary Pear and and maybe I I haven't checked the Brownstone quorum site, but the the money should go to the Brownstone quorum with a memo um river access >> and Rick, just so you know, we had a quorum meeting on Monday >> and that's exactly that's exactly what we're going to do. That money is going to come in and be segmented so it's dedicated to the rest. >> Yeah. The Brownstone Quorum's been very

127supportive by the way. It's great organization. >> Listen, are you going to live another year? It'll be done. >> I I hope so. I hope. Yeah. Guaranteed. >> All right. That's great. Um I'm going to pass. I'm gonna not fill up any more time tonight. So you sir, >> I just had one um followup from the senior services um advisory committee. There was a when I attended their last meeting, there was a question about the dialery and the funding that there was a $32 $32,000 um item in the budget for dialery. And the committee had questions about, you know, how that was used for, how it was accounted for, the usage of that. they've gotten feedback that it wasn't um there wasn't a lot of very positive feedback from the people who used that. Uh,

128and this is actually Bobby had brought this up in the budget discussions last uh earlier in the year and um and so I sent it a email to Tom Tom Robinson just to open up that question and see and my understanding is Michelle sent an email to um Sarah and to you >> with some details about the usage numbers that hadn't been available previously. So, I I didn't see those, but that I think Sarah has those. And I think, you know, the board >> may need to absolutely, you know, look into that more and understand better how those dollars are being used or the taxpayer funds. We're getting the bang for the buck that that we need or are there ways that that money could be used more effectively to meet the senior's needs in

129town? >> Yeah, I I agree. We um I think it was one of the last meetings under Ryan's uh run here um that we approved to join the estuary transit uh group in Middletown and they operate the dialer rides. They're about to put more bus stops in town. Um but um our our Portland citizens have really gotten used to our bus doing it and they've kind of shied away from doing a dialer ride when it's perfectly fine. So, it's it's a it's a matter of getting maximum use of that $33,000. >> Looking at ways to make sure that that gets done. Um, so it's a good point, you know, um, and and the pricing that they have, they I think within seven miles, it's I think $6 for a ride to a doctor. I mean,

130they have great value. There's a lot of services that get underutilized. Um, and if we can avoid having just our buses and our people doing it, and we can better use the the uh, I guess the things available, we need to do that. So, we're working >> with that service, though. We've also heard some nightmare stories of people being dropped off for a doctor's appointment and being picked up eight hours later. >> Yeah. >> I not I mean, that's not something you want your parent or grandparent to have to do just to go to a doctor's appointment. >> Exactly. I I've heard that. Um it's it's it's kind of like Bigfoot like like sometimes you you hear it but you don't know when it happened or if it actually happened. that I'm sure has to

131some degree. But, uh, the gentleman that runs it, uh, Brendan, um, I'm h I'm asking him to come to the next board of selectment meeting on the 18th and do a review of this, a discussion, question and answer. So, um, so I think that's good. Um, and again, sometimes the stories you hear are incentivized to, you know, keep what they have and stop >> or you know who it happened to, so you know it's true. >> Well, yeah, if you have a usage list. >> Yeah, absolutely. The and the usage list is available. >> You can follow up with people. 100%. And then once you know, >> shouldn't be a secret. >> 100%. >> Right. >> So, but yeah. So, so we'll have that we'll have that here on the 18th. So, >> he's scheduled

132to be here. He knows about it. So, uh but good point. Um are you you have anything else? >> No, that's it. >> Okay. Um Capital isn't doing anything yet. Um tomorrow is the next regular meeting for planning and zoning. I believe next Thursday. Did they set that date for the >> Brainer place? >> Yeah, they have. I I don't have the date off here. >> They were talking either November 13th or December 11th. I think they decided on November 13th. >> Yes. Yeah, that that's >> So that'll be next Thursday at the high school >> for his changes to his special permit. Yes. >> Which doesn't seem like anything >> big, right? >> From what I've read in the paper about it. Mhm. >> Yeah. >> This is um what's his name? >> Dan.

133>> It's Dan Burch. >> Burch. >> Minor adjustments. It's He's not asking for another building or asking to take away another 10,000 square feet of retail like he has in the past. It's >> It's my 13th. >> It's smaller, more reasonable stuff. >> And is this going to be a zoning meeting? >> Yes. >> Yeah. I think if I have it in my calendar, it's the 13th. >> It's in the high school auditorium. >> Auditori. >> What time is it? >> It's I have it here. is 6:30. >> 6:30. Yep. >> 6:30 to 7. >> So, I encourage those that are watching or out there, uh, come down, ask your questions. The more you know, the better. >> Yeah. This was part of that was the plan where they talked about connecting the the new

134building that'll be on the corner and connecting it overhead over to the Is that the house? >> Stage house. >> Y, >> the larger house and and allow it for more space >> for I think we still have that early learning center that wants to >> Yeah. So, no. So definitely worth a lot. >> Uh that's it. >> Okay, good. >> So listen, that that's all I have. I'm going to see what else we have. Uh any public comment out there? Anything else that people want to be heard on? Right. I see two new BOS members out there. Is there anything that you wanted to say? No. Andrew. No V. Good stuff. Um informal discussion. I don't have anything in particular. Um, but I did want to and maybe with everybody else if if anyone

135has something to say because this will be the last meeting you've got. You're intimidly the last meeting on this board. >> It's been an honor to serve on the board and I appreciate the support. >> That's all I got as folk. >> Really? >> You got to say more now. >> No, no, that's good. No, I didn't I didn't have any prepared remarks. So, there you go. >> Anything you wanted to say? >> Um Oh, wow. Well, this wasn't a term I was looking to fulfill, but um I'll have to say I and I'm sorry under the circumstances that I had back on the board, but um I did enjoy working with uh everybody here and um sometimes the second time around is is better and and I just uh thankful for for the opportunity,

136but I am looking forward to retiring again. Um, but I'll be happy to serve on some committees and not leaving town. Um, >> I was going to say I just wrote that. >> Okay. I will say that uh and I mentioned this in the past that you know we have some big decisions ahead of like on the water and on the schools and um that uh hopefully everybody a lot of people come forward and put their input in there and um that uh we end up doing the right thing and and get it get it right and um continue to make Portland a better a better place. Uh it's already a pretty great town and uh hopefully we'll keep moving forward. Thank you. Yeah. Appreciate that. >> Um Benny and Andrew, can I come up

137with just for a second, please? >> Come up. Vinnie, can you take his name tag? His name laid out there. Can you take just [laughter] so pass. >> There you go. >> Thank you. >> Good term. >> Good luck. >> You You'll be sitting here in two weeks. >> I'll be sitting digital. Hey, I just have one thing for the general discussion. Um, the beginning of the meeting was so long ago. Did you mention that they started the next phase of the High Street water project today? >> They did not, but talk about that. >> I just saw the equipment was there and they started cutting the road today. >> Yeah, they're supposed to cut it today. Um, they they say it's going to be a couple weeks once they cut it and they start

138digging out and that's for the remainder of the last grant money that we had. So we'll continue on another 130 ft 140 ft whatever it's going to be. So what was it? >> Start Monday. >> Monday. Okay. Okay. Good. Actually, you want to give a quick update? >> No. >> Thank you. >> What was the right answer? You got to go up now for two minutes. >> Jason Barco, new public works director. Your week number six. >> Yep. >> About a month. >> Okay. >> Uh Jason Morocco, public works director. Yeah. So, High Street, uh, phase two of phase one is what I like to call it, so people don't get confused. Uh, yeah, they were going to saw cut today. They were going to start, uh, tomorrow and Friday, but, uh, had an issue

139getting officers from what I understand. So, uh, they were planning on starting, uh, this coming Monday. >> What section of High Street are they doing? >> Uh, is it Clear View to Williams? >> Yes. >> Does that mean Okay, I'm starting to learn >> now. It's scary because I know exactly what I'm what we're talking about. Um, when does bidding go out for the next phase? >> Probably January or February. >> Okay. >> Uh, they did some survey work. I talked to Jacobson about um some testing or sampling to do on the roadway just to see about reclaiming because we're going to reclaim from the high school up to William to get that all repaved. And then the the plan is to January so that we could start uh the next phase in >> where's

140the next phase? >> Next phase will be from wherever we stop. So let's say Williams going to >> Bar. Okay. >> Does that include any part of William Street going down towards Maine or does that water line come up a different way? >> You put me on the spot there. I'm gonna say yes, but I I could be wrong. >> Okay. I've been so I've been focused on just what's going on. >> Y >> um for phase two or phase one. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Think that's it. Any question? >> Yeah, I think we should cancel the kayak launch. [laughter] >> He's not looking to make week seven. >> All right. Do I hear a bit a motion to adjurnn? I make a motion we adjourn. >> I'll second.