MINUTES
UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
AUGUST 16, 1999

Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. In attendance were Councilmembers Thomas A. Gross, Sr., Mabel Mumford-Pautz and J. Brian Kirby, Medford 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 meeting of July 19, 1999. Mr. Gross moved that the minutes be accepted as presented, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey announced that the Utilities Commission has cash on hand and in banks on August 16, 1999 of $382,096.28.

Mayor Bailey called on Mr. Capel for his report. Mr. Capel stated that he had Shanahan Artesian Well Co. check out two wells. He said at one of the wells, (a shallow one about 70') had been pumping for about 13 hours because it blew off a valve out at Chestertown Landing. He said this had occurred at about 1 a.m. and no one told the water department. He said they discovered it when they came to work. He said they lost about 200,000 gallons of water from that 6" line. He said that was the reason the pump was running so long that day. He said that well pump was set in the well at 54' and they have left the pump idle and then checked and the well does have water in it. He said the deep well was checked and the pump in that well is set at 350'. He said it had been running and it came up to 136' so there is plenty of water in that well.

Mr. Capel said he distributed a copy of the weekly report that is sent to the Water Support Program of the Department of Health. He said the average daily demand was 690,000 gallons; the maximum daily demand for the week of the 9th to 16th was 760,000 gallons. He said the Town was averaging, before the rationing, 850,000 gallons a day. He said that can be attributed to not using sprinklers for lawns.

Mr. Capel said we will have Shanahan pull a couple of pumps so we can put an air line down to check the level in the wells. He said one line in a shallow well had a copper line for over twenty years. The water has a slightly acid condition which ate up the copper line.

Mr. Capel said the chlorine and sulfa dioxide detectors have been installed and are working properly at the lagoon. He said the chlorine detector and the new chlorinator have been installed at the water plant.

Mr. Capel said he wrote a letter to Mr. Gruber in response to his requests. He asked the Mayor to read the letter to Mr. Gruber which stated that water samples would be taken at the water plant by the independent lab for testing. At the time the samples are taken, Mr. Gruber, Dr. Birkmire and a representative from the Maryland Department of Health will be present. This will be done on Thursday, August 26, 1999 at 1 p.m. Mr. Capel said the problem with things accumulating in the faucet aerators occurs everywhere, not only in the United States but worldwide. He said it is a common occurrence. Mayor Bailey said she felt what Med has done was enough to satisfy anyone.

Mayor Bailey asked if there were any questions for Mr. Capel. There being no questions, Mayor Bailey asked the Council to review the bills. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that the bills be paid as presented, was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that the meeting be adjourned at 7:40 p.m., was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.