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Chairman Stephen Chiacchia called a meeting of the Prudential Committee to order at 6:30p.m.

IN ATTENDANCE:

Three Rivers Fire District

Meeting of the Prudential Committee

May 10, 2017

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Stephen Chiacchia; Prudential Committee Chairman

Richard Pobieglo; Prudential Committee Clerk

Scott Turner; Fire Chief

Scott Majka; Water Superintendent

Lorinda Baker; District Treasurer

David Basler; District Clerk

Sherrie Bellefleur; District Recording Secretary

Three Rivers Fire District

Meeting of the Prudential Committee

May 10, 2017

1

Three Rivers Fire District

Meeting of the Prudential Committee

May 10, 2017

1

Absent from tonight’s meeting is Raymond Domey; Prudential Committee.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Approval of Minutes

The Committee reviewed and approved the minutes from the April 28, 2017 meeting.

MOTION (POBIEGLO, CHIACCHIA): To approve the April 28, 2017 minutes. 2-0-0

Public Comment #1

None

Committee Reports

None

Report of the Treasurer

Review of March & April 2017 Financial Statements:

Treasurer Lorinda Baker presentedthe Prudential Committee with the District Financial Statements of March and April 2017.

Water Department:

  • Highlighting April is a worker’s compensation audit refund of $1,361.00. $13,718.10 has been spent on the water treatment DEP issue in the month of April alone. YTD spending on the water treatment DEP issue is $36,851.02. YTD deficit in the water department is $32,325.57.

Fire Department:

  • Nothing unusual to report

District:

  • Hydrant account currently is over by $7,000
  • Full Time benefits are over by $10,000. This overspending is primarily health insurance.
  • Under spending in District expense and legal is compensating for the shortfall.

MOTION (POBIEGLO; CHIACCHIA): To accept the report of the Treasurer. 2-0-0

Report of the Fire Chief

Calls and Activity for the month of April 2017:

Fire Chief Scott Turnerdistributed his “Report of the Fire Chief” for the month of April 2017.

Calls:

  • 6

Inspections:

  • 1 pre-sale smoke and carbon monoxide detector inspections.

Training Hours:

  • Fire Department Training: Ladders; Wild land Firefighting; Live Fire Training in North Brookfield; Driver Operator Training.

Mass Fire Academy

  • Hosted a Flashover training and 5 members of the department attended this 7-hour class.
  • 1 member attended a 32-hour Rope Rescue Operational Training.

Chiefs Meetings & Seminars:

  • Chief Turner attended the CSFI in Washington with 8 other area fire chiefs.

Public Events (benefits, parades, ceremonies, etc.):

  • Visit from Sunshine Village. A gift was presented to the fire department as is now hanging on their wall at the station. The gift is to honor Autism Awareness Month.
  • Carpenters from the Carpenters Union volunteered their time through a program that they have and built shelves in the back room for extra storage.

MOTION (POBIEGLO; CHIACCHIA): To accept the report of the Fire Chief. 2-0-0

Report of the Water Superintendent

Water Superintendent Scott Majka was present at this evenings meeting and verbally presented his report. The committee reminded him to present his report in writing.

Report on current condition of water distribution system compliance with ACOP

Backflows have been worked on at the sewer department and have been retested with the new device that was installed.

The pump station is almost completed. Agreement for the new tank is pending. The contract lease has been turned over to AttorneyBregianes for review.

Attorney James Bregianes has agreed to be the District Legal Counsel.

MOTION (POBIEGLO; CHIACCHIA): To appoint attorney James Bregianesas our District Legal Counsel. 2-0-0

Daily readings, monthly readings and quarterly water samples — status update including submission to Lab and Mass. DEP

The quarterly tap water sample process has taken place and the allotted amount has already gone to the lab for testing. The deadline to get all samples to the lab for testing is June 30th. W.S. Majka is confident he will get this done on time.

MOTION (POBIEGLO; CHIACCHIA): To enforce that the quarterly tap water samples, meter readings and monthly report are done on time. 2-0-0

Status of well #1, mini bulk storage tank agreement

Pump station tank needs to be put in before well #1 can be turned on. Once the agreement is signed the tank can be installed. The well pump needs to be replaced and the phone call has been put in to move forward with this. The new motor pump has already been purchased and a backup second pump will be ordered to have in stock. The company doing the work needs to run a flow test but timing and coordination to get them out to us is not working out yet.

Pobieglo instructs Majka to contact the company and stress to them the time constraints we have with the DEP and getting the project done by a deadline.

The generator needs to be tested. The company LeGrant has looked at the generator and knows that it is not working properly.

MOTION (POBIEGLO; CHIACCHIA): To accept the report of the Water Superintendent. 2-0-0

Thorndike Water Agreement — Rate Change

Three Rivers District sells water to Thorndike and would like to go up on this rate. The rate 1.87 per 1,000 gallons will increase to 2.10 per 1,000 gallons. Any changes that are made tonight will take 120 days to take effect.

MOTION (POBIEGLO; CHIACCHIA): To increase the water rate from $1.87 to $2.10/1,000 gallons. 2-0-0

Health Insurance with MIAA

The premiums currently are paid 80/20, the district paying 80% and the employee/retiree paying 20%. The premiums will go up to employee paying 25% with the ratio being 75/25.

Copays are currently $10 and would increase to $20 with this option.

The rate will not be increased for Mrs. Sasur. She will be grandfathered in at 20%.

MOTION (POBIEGLO; CHIACCHIA): To increase the employee portion of the health insurance premium from 20% to 25% leaving Mrs. Sasur @ 20%. 2-0-0

New/Old Business

Richard Pobieglo has sent a certified letter to Raymond Domey requesting him to turn over the safe deposit box key. It has been brought to the Committees attention that Mr. Domey does not accept certified mail. The next step is to go to the District Attorney and from there to the Attorney General’s office or the Mass State Ethics Commissioner.

Public Comment #2

A short discussion took place on the new lawyer that the district will now be using. The amount budgeted for legal fees, the retainer and how this lawyer charges was briefly touched on.

The work with the DEP will be utilizing an engineer as opposed to a lawyer.

The water tanks have been cleaned and inspected.

The new bylaws from what we are aware of are still awaiting the official call of approval from the state of Massachusetts.

A short summarization by Chairman Chiacchia of what caused our deficit was recited. This deficit was a result that came to after a period of approximately 3 1/2 years.

The monthly meetings for the summer will now be held at 6:30 pm instead of 7:00pm.

The annual District Meeting and Election will be held May 16, 2017 @ 7:00pm. Up for election is Richard Pobieglo for Prudential Committee and David Basler for District Clerk. The warrant is posted at the Fire Department, Town Website, and published in the Journal in the prior week.

The checks for the Finance Committee will be issued probably by late May, 2017.

MOTION (POBIEGLO; CHIACCHIA): To adjourn from the Open Meeting at 7:13 p.m. Approved 2-0-0

Three Rivers Fire District

Meeting of the Prudential Committee

May 10, 2017

1

Submitted by:

Sherrie Bellefleur, District Recording Secretary

Date:

Approved as to Form and Content:

Stephen Chiacchia, Chairman

Date:

Three Rivers Fire District

Meeting of the Prudential Committee

May 10, 2017