November 29, 2021

“Ms. Anderson moved to authorize the chair to sign the Robert B. Our Change Order #7 - Phase 2, Contract 1 which includes Continental Drive and Whidah Drive as well as a few clean up items - $1,509,245, 2nd by Mr. Ballantine for discussion purposes. Mr. Ballantine asked if just 2 weeks ago they accepted a contract decrease of over 1 million dollars. He doesn't understand why they gave us back a million and now they're taking 1.5 million. Dan Pelletier Water/Wastewater Superintendent stated that the 1.5 million is made available through a balancing change order on both contracts 1 and 2. Because both projects are now essentially complete, pump stations and everything are built, they zeroed out unspent line items which resulted in a surplus of about 1.8 million of which the 1.5 million is being reapplied to this contract to complete Continental and Whidah. Mr. Ballantine clarified that this isn't a new charge, it's using existing funds. Mr. Pelletier replied that this is all from the existing appropriation from the original 22 something from Town Meeting. This is not costing any additional funds, its different portions of the same contract. Ms. Kavanagh commented that this is going only to that portion (Continental and Whidah) and asked if we have a map of the next phase Contract 2 that would go all the way through the other areas that were originally dropped off. Mr. Pelletier replied that a portion of Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, Huckleberry Path, Sugar Hill Drive neighborhoods as well as Continental and Whidah that were removed due to the overrun with Contract 1, the other streets except for Continental and Whidah have not been incorporated back in yet and he explained why. Mr. Howell noted that he is not going to vote for it. He is worried about the entire complexity of the 40 years and the promise to clean up the environment. He is not as interested in doing anything more for a particular area that gets it to a buffer above what was supposed to be achieved. Ms. Anderson commented that we have a certain capacity that can be sent to Chatham. Mr. Howell noted that he'd rather spend the money on another phase. Mr. MacAskill would rather finish what was started and fulfill the agreement with Chatham and get their monies worth because the tax payers have spent significant amount of money buying flow from Chatham. He argues that it wasn't just a promise made to these residents it was a letter sent by our Town Administrator and our Wastewater consultant that says start the work and get it engineered. They spent a significant amount of money doing it. Cleaning up the environment is the key. What we are mandated to remove for nitrogen now is not what we'll be mandated to remove tomorrow. Coming back to these areas after the town has already spent the money makes no sense to him. This appropriation included a lot of streets. It was only a meeting with Christopher Clark, CDM Smith and others that they started pulling streets off that plan. These streets were in that plan. He feels they are supposed to be doing this and will support it. Ms. Kavanagh noted that they (her street) had meetings with engineers and people engaged them and she thinks it's only fair that what was on the plan at the time and what the town communicated to all these different people on all these streets should be respected. Mr. Pelletier noted that the town allowed properties to transfer, with the understanding sewers were coming, properties that had failing septic systems or systems that needed repair that they allowed those to be waived with the sewer coming, Mr. Howell clarified that he did not intend to say he would send these people adrift, he just proposed to do something alternative and reimburse them for whatever out of pocket expenses they had. Vote 4:1 with Mr. Howell voting nay. Motion carried.” (Motion: Anderson, second: Ballantine)

Read it in the official minutes, page 11 (PDF)