MINUTES
UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
JUNE 19, 2000

Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. In attendance were Councilmembers Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr., Whaland Clark, Mabel Mumford-Pautz and J. Brian Kirby, Medford C. Capel, Utilities Commission Manager, W. S. Ingersoll, Town Manager, Joan Merryman, Stenographer, and guests.

Mayor Bailey asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes of the previous meeting. Mr. Bristoll moved that the minutes of the meeting of May 15, 2000 be accepted as submitted, was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey announced that the Utilities Commission has cash on hand and in banks of $432,913.05.

Mayor Bailey called on Mr. Capel for his report. Mr. Capel said that the Consumer Confidence Report has been approved by the State Department of the Environment. He said it will be on the internet, it will be published in the Kent County News and it will be mailed out to each property owner. He pointed out that the report states that all water, town, bottled or well water, has a slight amount of contaminants which are not harmful.

Mr. Capel said a comminutor which went bad will be repaired at a cost of about $10,000 and will take about six weeks. He said a blower in the blower building has to be replaced and he was getting prices from several companies. He estimated the cost to be about $9,000. He reported that they have repaired several leaks. He said in the main line of the Radcliffe pumping station, a dysuric valve wore out and it has been replaced. He said have a spare on hand. He said a bolt that holds the impeller on the shaft on one of the pumps at Radcliffe broke and we have to pull it out and replace the bolt.

Mr. Capel said he been researching putting the water and sewer lines on a computer. He said he had gotten a price from one company but would not mention it because John Highby was present and he may also want to give a price. Mr. Capel asked if Mr. Highby could give them a price. Mr. Hyder said not then but could give a price in a week or two. He said his technical men would want to talk to Mr. Capel about it.

Mr. Clark asked what the software entailed. Mr. Capel said it would show where all the water and sewer lines are, the manhole locations, the service line locations and fire hydrants.

Mr. Highby of Hyder Consulting said he had prepared a proposal for other aspects of such a mapping system. He said it was the beginnings of a mapping system which could also include voting districts, zonings along with the base map of streets and parcels. He said the water and sewer system would be an overlay on top of the base system. Mr. Capel asked if Mr. Highby's proposal included technical help and updating. Mr. Highby said it did not include updating in the future. He said it includes preparation of the basic maps and getting the software started.

Mr. Capel asked if the Mayor and Council was interested in getting another price. Mr. Kirby asked if this was something that should be bid. Mr. Bristoll said they need to get at least two prices and that they are offering the same service. He said he felt they could wait to get other prices. Mr. Clark said he agreed that it should be bid as there were many companies that do mapping.

Mr. Ingersoll said what Mr. Capel wanted was different from what Mr. Highby was presenting, but they are connected. He said the software Mr. Capel was considering was to enter all the sewer lines into a library on the computer. He said the mapping will be needed. Mr. Highby recommended the Town needed to use Arc Info software which was widely used by the State and throughout the industry. He said his proposal was to install the software and put data into it for the Town's use. He said then layers of information other than water and sewer lines would be installed. He said he did not include the price for the water and sewer data because you have to get started. He said it was a small bite of a big pie. Mr. Capel said the small bite could go up to $15,000. Mr. Highby agreed. He said an information system like this was a utility and needed to be kept up and maintained on a regular basis. Mr. Capel asked how much more it would cost to put the water and sewer system in Mr. Highby's system.

Mr. Ingersoll said they were talking about the overlay of utilities software, not entering every pipe and the information on our lines. Mr. Highby said they were a supplier for the Arc View software and he could get a price on that. He said you have to buy the software because you are buying a license to use the software. He said after that you can get information from the State because they are using the same software. Mayor Bailey said it makes sense to go with what the State has because information can be merged easily from the State.

Mr. Ingersoll said he had asked Mr. Highby to give the Town a price on what it takes to get started compiling the information as Mr. Capel was eager to do his utility inventory. Mr. Bristoll said when the Council gets a proposal it should include how all the information will be entered into the overlay. Mr. Ingersoll said that information was in Mr. Capel's head. Mayor Bailey asked Mr. Highby to get the Town a price for including the software for putting in the water and sewer information.

Mayor Bailey asked if there were any questions or comments. Mr. Capel asked if there were any questions about the CCR report. There were no questions.

Mayor Bailey asked the Council to review the bills. Mr. Bristoll moved that the bills be paid as presented, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that the meeting be adjourned at 7:50 p.m., was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried unanimously.

Submitted by:
Joan Merryman
Stenographer

Approved by:
Margo G. Bailey
Mayor