Dighton Water District

192 Williams St.

No. Dighton, Ma 02764

 

 

 

Paul Pacheco

Sue Medeiros

Edward Swartz

 

COMMISSIONERS

 

Carol A. Stevens

TREASURER

 

 

December 17, 2009

 

A meeting of the Dighton Water District Commissioners was held at the District office at 6:10 P.M.  Chairman of the Board, Paul Pacheco called the meeting to order. 

 

First order of business was payroll; A discussion was held.  Commissioner, Edward Swartz wanted Treasurer/Clerk, Carol Stevens to inquire at Payroll Express if they have the ability to provide an automated time clock system whether it be finger print or whatever can be tied into the network.  Edward Swartz said, “I make a motion we meet with customized data next month, meet with them request if they have the ability to put some type of automated system in.”  Clerk of the Board of Commissioners, Sue Medeiros said, “Second.”  Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor.  Ayes have it.”

 

The next order of business was to review a sign for the entranceway.  Paul Pacheco reviewed some specs with the Board.  Edward Swartz said, “Send out specs to four or five different sign companies in the area and find out what the cost is going to be.  Then go to the School and see if they can do something for us.  I make a motion we move forward spec out the sign.”  Sue Medeiros said, “Second.”  Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor.  Ayes have it.”

 

 

The next order of business was the Christmas party.  The date was set for December 22nd.  Edward Swartz said, “I make a motion we do what we did last year, leave that in Carol’s hands.”  Sue Medeiros said, “Second.”  Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor. Ayes have it.  The party will be from 12-1.”

 

The next order of business was reviewing the fees.  Edward Swartz said, “I make a motion to refer it to the Superintendent to come up with the wording, present it to us on January 12th of how the minimum should be written.”  Paul Pacheco stepped down and seconded the motion.  Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor.  Ayes have it.”

 

The next order of business was work schedules.  Prime Operator Dorian Jefferson said, “I have to work one day every week here no matter what.  We’ve been making water in eight hours.  Why have someone here when you don’t need them.”  Paul Pacheco said, “Winter time we don’t need them here why have the plant run when you don’t need you can do it during the day.  Don’t need to operate more than twelve hours a day.”  Dorian Jefferson said, “Eight hour shifts.”  Edward Swartz said, “Try it for a couple of months see what happens schedule eight and a half hours, 8:30-5:00.  I make a motion notify two weeks start on January 4th.”  Paul Pacheco said, “I step down and second the motion.”

 

Paul Pacheco said, “I step down make a motion any employee that wants to go get a license let them go to class and get their license, also leave it open to the Commissioners too.”  Edward Swartz said, “Every one of the operators should be licensed in distribution and distribution should be licensed in operations, I’m having a tough time justifying office personnel being trained to run the water treatment plant.  If someone wants to go come in show us the cost submit it to us.”  Paul Pacheco said, “Motion was not seconded.”

 

Paul Pacheco mentioned Call Policy when an employee calls in sick.  Edward Swartz said, “Call in once leave message, call in sick you need to call in by minimum half an hour prior to your scheduled starting time.  I make a motion get policy calling in sick you must call in a minimum of thirty minutes prior to your starting time.”  Paul Pacheco said, “I’ll step down and second.”

 

Paul Pacheco mentioned Call in Policy when an employee is called in.  Water System Technician, Barry Ferreira said, “Call cell phone if you can’t get it, call home phone I can’t get no service at my house on the cell phone call me all day long I have to go up the street.”  Edward Swartz said, “I’ll make this easy first phone call is to the employee’s home phone if the employee does not return the call within thirty minutes the next person will be called in, eliminate the whole cell phone issue, you can’t have it both ways you can’t have it that I don’t have cell service so I can’t get the call or call my house it’s got to be one or the other.”  Paul Pacheco said, “Call house no answer, call cell.”  Sue Medeiros said, “No waiting thirty minutes.”  Paul Pacheco said, “Fifteen minutes.”  Barry Ferreira said, “Leave a message.”  Edward Swartz said, “So moved.”  Sue Medeiros said, “Second.”  Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor.  Ayes have it.”

 

Warrants were reviewed.  Edward Swartz questioned, Hach, EJP, Power Products and Larry Wallace.  Edward Swartz said, “I make a motion to approve the warrants.  Sue Medeiros said, “Second.”  Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor.  Ayes have it.” 

 

Paul Pacheco said, “I make a motion to send a letter to Arnold Construction saying that he should bring paperwork with him.”  Edward Swartz said, “Create a form that needs to be signed when call is made from our guys saying the time he was called, they should be brought to the site and they sign off on it when they leave, forms should be in all the trucks, Chuck makes the call from here tell time called, Chuck to create that form I make that in the form of a motion.”  Sue Medeiros said, “Second.”  Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor.  Ayes have it.”

 

Paul Pacheco said, “Donellon, Orcutt, Patch and Stallard, PC invoice for $750.00 every month.  When we made a motion to put that money aside for the accounting services that was to have money in the account so that at the end when we need accounting services to be done when did we retain him?”  Edward Swartz said, “Go back to the letter.”  Sue Medeiros said, “There has to be a letter done to him, no letter?”  Paul Pacheco said, “No, the last I knew we put the money aside for accounting services then we’re getting the bill for $750.00 a month.  Carol correct me if I’m wrong we put the money aside $10,000 for Accounting Services and all of a sudden this accountant who we used before keeps billing us.”  Edward Swartz said, “This one is billing us on a monthly basis on an amount agreed upon, get some clarification.”  Paul Pacheco said, “Look into getting some other prices, $245.00 an hour for an Accountant, David Gay our Attorney is only $160.00 an hour.”  Sue Medeiros said, “Easy enough just to ask.”  All were in favor.

 

Carol Stevens mentioned the Assessor’s sent in their bill and they had voted themselves a raise after the Special Meeting.  Carol Stevens mentioned the amount approved was $647.91 each.  Edward Swartz said, “Send a note back saying the amount was voted on Annual Meeting.”

 

Carol Stevens asked for approval to send the check out for $380,000 loan.  Approval given.

 

Edward Swartz said, “So moved approve both Special and regular minutes.”  Sue Medeiros said, “Second.”

 

Paul Pacheco said, “Any Announcements?  Christmas party 12-1 on December 22nd.

 

Paul Pacheco asked, “Is there any Public input?”  District resident, Paul Joly said, “I have a couple questions.  I received a couple of calls the past few weeks, the minutes here show Ed was having a Special Conference with David Gay and questions came up why you’re going to have this Special Conference with David Gay when all three members should be involved.  The best way is a letter sent to David Gay by the Board and have him reply back in writing.”  Edward Swartz said, “I didn’t talk to him about it.”  Paul Joly said, “That’s all right in the future it would probably eliminate a lot of different people going to the Town Attorney.”  Edward Swartz said, “Not a problem.”  Paul Pacheco said, “Do you agree with that Sue?”  Sue Medeiros said, “Sure.”  Edward Swartz said, “Not a problem.”  Paul Pacheco said, “Alright.”  Paul Joly said, “Meeting nights, Ed’s out of Town can’t make it you need just two people to hold a meeting.   Is it a coincidence that you can’t be here the same night he’s out of Town?”  Sue Medeiros said, “Just one meeting I couldn’t make it because I had the Swine Flu for two weeks I was out of work sick for two weeks.”  Paul Joly said, “Five O’clock is a bad time.  Finance position how is that being handled now?”  Edward Swartz said, “Anyone interested just submit their name.”  Paul Joly asked, “Has she been clarified officially by David that she can’t serve on it at all?”  Paul Pacheco said, “Oh yeah.”  Sue Medeiros said, “She didn’t actually have a problem with it at all.”  Paul Joly said, “I was contacted by the Ethics Commission a couple of weeks ago they want to talk to me in regards to somebody must have put my name in as far as open meetings in the Water District they want to know if there’s anything going on as far as outside meeting dates, discussion of Water District Meetings or personalities or anything like that.”  Edward Swartz said, “Someone’s searching to come after one of us that’s what it’s all about.”

 

Sue Medeiros said, “Next meeting January 12th, 7:00P.M. but if there’s no participation then Commissioners have the right to go back to 6.”  Paul Pacheco said, “I’ll step down and second that.”

 

Paul Pacheco said, “Superintendent report, Chuck’s not here.”

 

The District’s Engineer Stephen DeFrancesco was in attendance with Marc Owen.  Stephen DeFrancesco reviewed THM’S.  Stephen DeFrancesco mentioned the District received a NON sent by the State for high THM’S.  Stephen DeFrancesco mentioned an Engineering Plan was submitted to the State and the District needed to start working on things, one being lowering the residuals in the winter.  Edward Swartz said, “I make a motion to refer to Chuck to work with Donnie and Steve to provide us with a detail plan of what the low hanging fruit items that they’re going to be taking care of are and what the time frame of that is.”  Paul Pacheco said, “I’ll step down and second, all in favor, ayes have it.”  Stephen DeFrancesco said, “With the State the more pro-active you can be and give them information before they ask it the less they’re on your back.”

 

Wells were reviewed.  Stephen DeFrancesco said, “Phase one and two at Cedar St. test well will end up being production well when done.  Cost being $87,000-$87,500.  Phase one and two Cedar St. #3 when done you’ll have a well that you can tie into the system, includes drilling cost for the new test well.”  Marc Owen said, “Start first phase anytime.”  Edward Swartz said, “Place on next month’s agenda give us a month to review it and look through it, place on next month’s agenda give us a month to review it and look through it, place on next month’s agenda.”  Paul Pacheco said, “I’ll step down and second.”  Stephen DeFrancesco said, “Letter proposal agreement if you agree sign it or mark it up.” 

 

Edward Swartz said, “I make a motion to allow AECOM to finalize the draft report that they provided to us in regards to waterlines and close that project out.”  Paul Pacheco said, “I’ll step down and second.  All in favor.  Ayes have it.”

 

Edward Swartz made a motion to go into executive session.   Paul Pacheco seconded the motion.  All were in favor.

 

In attendance executive session; Paul Pacheco, Edward Swartz, and Sue Medeiros.    Executive session ended at 7:25 P.M.  Edward Swartz said, “No votes taken in Executive session.”  Sue Medeiros said, “No.”

 

Paul Pacheco said, “Motion needed on two things.  Wording change to alleged abuse.”  Edward Swartz said, “Motion schedule meeting on the 12th at 6:00 P.M. an hour before meeting.”   Sue Medeiros said, “Second.”  Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor. Ayes have it.”

 

Sue Medeiros said, “I make a motion to appoint Edward Swartz Board Representative with Contract Negotiations Paul as alternate.”  Edward Swartz said, “Second.”   Paul Pacheco said, “All in favor.  Ayes have it.”

 

Edward Swartz said, “I make a motion schedule the next meeting January 12th.”  Paul Pacheco said, “I’ll step down and second.  All in favor.  Ayes have it.  Two separate meetings hearing 6:00 P.M. Employee hearing, regular 7:00P.M.

 

Edward Swartz said, “I make a motion to adjourn.”  Paul Pacheco said, “Second.”   Meeting adjourned at 7:35 P.M.

 

     

Respectfully Submitted,

Carol A. Stevens

District Clerk 

 

 

Those in Attendance:

 

Paul Pacheco

Sue Medeiros

Edward Swartz

Stephen DeFrancesco

Marc Owen

Paul Joly

Charles Roderigues

 

 

Carol A. Stevens         Dorian Jefferson

 

                                         

                                                    

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