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The Point O’Woods Association, Incorporated

The Point O’Woods Association, Incorporated. Water and Sewer Systems: WPCA Benefit Assessment and Pre-Construction Public Hearing. WPCA BENEFIT ASSESSMENT, PRE CONSTRUCTION HEARING AGENDA. 2008 Sewer and Water Update Bill Lacourciere Overview of Construction Project Rob Prybylo

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The Point O’Woods Association, Incorporated

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  1. The Point O’Woods Association, Incorporated Water and Sewer Systems: WPCA Benefit Assessment and Pre-Construction Public Hearing

  2. WPCA BENEFIT ASSESSMENT, PRE CONSTRUCTION HEARINGAGENDA • 2008 Sewer and Water Update Bill Lacourciere • Overview of Construction Project Rob Prybylo • Review of Proposed Benefit Bill Lacourciere Assessment Method • Estimated Costs • Q&A with Panel Rob Prybylo – RFP Engineering, LLC Norbert Church, Esq. – Counsel Chris Kerin – Appraiser, Kerin and Kerin WPCA Members: Kathy Aldridge Kathy Mckeough Marty Guyer Mark Stankiewicz Jack Harney

  3. Sewer & Water Update

  4. FY 2008 in Review • Engineering Design Completed • DEP, DPH, CWC, VE reviews completed • Construction bids received • Benefit assessment method proposed • Project approved and funded by the CT Bond Commission

  5. FY 2008 in Review • Intermunicipal Agreement Completed • One agreement – East Lyme • Established interconnection fee of $1,026,000 • User fee same as East Lyme customer: $5 per 1,000 GPD • Fee for using State loaned capacity if and when necessary - $5 per 1,000 GPD • Pay for actual flow used instead of flat rate

  6. FY 2008 in Review • Improved Communications • 4 Benefit Assessment workshops • 11 WPCA meetings • Annual Meeting • Public Hearing • Joint BOG/WPCA meetings • Monthly newsletters • Monthly FAQs • WPCA website

  7. FY 2008 in Review • Construction Permits Approved: • Old Lyme Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission • East Lyme Conservation (wetlands) Commission • DOT approval for Route 156 • Amtrak for construction beneath railroad trestle • Old Lyme Zoning Commission (pending)

  8. Overview of Construction

  9. Construction Schedule • Paganelli Construction Co. has 2 years to complete the project • No work will begin within Point O’Woods until after Labor Day, 2008 • We anticipate that Paganelli will try to complete as much work as possible during “off seasons”

  10. Sewer System • Work will start with mains in streets and pump stations • Installation of individual grinder pumps and lateral sewers to individual properties will be installed only after mains have been installed in the streets • Curb-to-Curb overlay pavement will be installed towards the end of the project after pipelines have been installed

  11. Sewer System • Working hours will be from 7:30 AM until 4:00 PM • Detours will be necessary to divert traffic around construction crews • We will post and update construction schedules on the WPCA’s website (www.point-o-woodswpca.com)

  12. Water System • Paganelli Construction Co. will install the water mains in the street in the same trench as the sanitary sewers. • All new water mains will be installed at frost-proof depths • Paganelli will install new services from the mains to each current customer’s property and install a new meter pit at a frost-proof depth for each existing customer

  13. Water System • Paganelli will then connect from the meter pit to the existing water service at a point near the street • Paganelli WILL NOT replace the existing pipe from the meter pit to the house • Temporary water services will be maintained during construction to enable existing system to be taken out of service

  14. Water System • Only brief outages are anticipated as houses are connected from existing mains to temporary system and from temporary system to new mains • Most/all of this work should be completed during off-season periods when most properties are not occupied

  15. Grinder Pumps

  16. Grinder Pumps • The Association will own, install, and maintain grinder pumps and pressure sewer from the pump to the main in the street • Property owners will be responsible for connecting from the house to the grinder pump and to bring electricity to the electrical panel • Some properties may need to upgrade their electric panel to accommodate grinder pumps • Notification letters have been sent to property owners that will receive grinder pumps asking them to contact Doug Hill at RFP Engineering

  17. Grinder Pumps • We will meet with property owners at their house to discuss best location for pump and pipes • Property owners will need to execute an agreement with the Association giving the Association the right to go onto property to install and maintain the pumps and pipes • The WPCA will be contacting property owners with grinder pumps soon to begin this process

  18. Blasting

  19. Blasting • Unfortunately, much of the project will require blasting to remove ledge rock • Paganelli Construction Co. is required to hire a qualified, licensed blaster to oversee and perform all blasting • Paganelli’s blaster will be required to perform a Pre-Blast survey of each building that is within 250 feet of where blasting will be conducted.

  20. Blasting • Blasting will only be allowed between the hours of 9 AM and 3 PM • All blasting work will be under the purview of the local fire marshal's office

  21. Easements

  22. Easements • We need to obtain easements from the owners of 5 properties along Champion & Hillcrest Roads • Water and sewer services will be installed behind the existing sea wall • Sewer service will be by gravity • The WPCA will be contacting these property owners shortly to begin the process

  23. Communications

  24. Communications • Doug Hill, P.E. will serve as Resident Engineer during construction and should be the first point of contact for construction-related issues • He will have an office trailer in or near Point O’Woods • His contact information will be made available on the POW WPCA website as soon as it is established

  25. Communications • Please check www.point-o-woods.com often to receive important bulletins and work schedule updates.

  26. Benefit Assessments

  27. Benefit Assessment Method • Goal: Determine the most equitable benefit assessment method for our community which is most defensible in court

  28. Benefit Assessment Method • Process: • Four public workshops • Nine WPCA meetings • Surveyed various communities with similar conditions • Consultants • Real Estate Experts • Appraisers • Legal Experts • BOG survey of the community • Considered several benefit assessment methods

  29. Benefit Assessment Method • Methods Considered: • Flat rate (evenly divided amongst all of us) • Property value • Front footage, acreage • Usage • Number of bedrooms • Combinations of the above

  30. Benefit Assessment Method • All but flat rate and property value methods were ruled out because: • Uniquely, POW properties are all single-family homes • No commercial properties • No industrial properties • No farms • No municipal buildings • No method of measuring usage at this time

  31. Benefit Assessment Method • Two methods best met our objectives: Flat Rate Property Assessment • Property Assessment: • Preferred by majority of respondents to BOG survey • Least defensible legally – there would be cases where the benefit assessment would exceed the value of the benefit derived from the project

  32. Benefit Assessment Method • Property Assessment (continued): • Most disproportionate – some properties would pay over $50,000 and others less than $15,000 and at times the derived value would be reversed • Moving target – a presently unimproved property could be greatly improved following construction but pay a disproportionately small assessment.

  33. Benefit Assessment Method • Flat Rate: • Met expectations of most property owners of $24,000 per property • Method used alone or in some comination by most communities • Most defensible in court – highly unlikely that a property would be assessed higher than the value derived from the project • Whether communities we spoke with used it solely or not, most strongly recommended it because it is simple, fair, and defensible

  34. Benefit Assessment Method • Flat Rate (continued): • Recommended by counsels Norbert Church and James Mattern and our appraiser, Chris Kerin • Method most easily managed by a small, volunteer community

  35. Benefit Assessment Method • Appraisal Report: • Average value derived from the sewer and year-round water project is $70,000 • Benefit derived could be inverse from benefit assessed • Virtually guarantees that that a flat rate method could not be legally defeated in court

  36. Benefit Assessment Method • Legal Opinion: • It is reasonably probable that a seasonal property would be converted to year round occupancy with year round sewer and water available • Flat rate was most legally defensible method

  37. Benefit Assessment Method • Grinder Pumps: • Use of grinder pumps saves us all millions of dollars • Their proper function is critical to the overall efficacy of the system; therefore, they should be owned, installed and maintained by the POW Association • They are an inconvenience to the property owner • Have to pay for electricity to operate • Have to provide POW an easement for access • Compensation: • POW pays for grinder pump and its installation • POW maintains the grinder pump • POW pays for cost of any connection that exceeds $8,000

  38. Benefit Assessment Method PROPOSAL: The WPCA proposes that the benefit assessment method be flat rate for all That each single-family dwelling be classified as a unit That the benefit assessment be assessed on each unit That all property owners pay for their own connections That the maximum cost a property owner will pay for the connection of a grinder pump to the street is $8,000

  39. Annual User Fees (Entire System)

  40. Other Costs

  41. Cost To Homeowners for Water, Sewers and “New” Roads: $17,343

  42. Next Steps

  43. Next Steps • Gravity Sewer Connections: • The WPCA is working on a plan to enable homeowners to use a pre-selected/pre-qualified contractor at a pre-established price • Policies: • In the coming months, the WPCA will be establishing several new policies: • Connection Policy (who, how, and when) • Sewer Use Charge Policy

  44. Next Steps • Meetings with Property Owners: • Grinder Pump Properties • Decide on best location for grinder pump and pipe • Execute agreement • Gravity Sewer Properties • Decide on best location for lateral sewer • Blast Area Properties • Schedule time for pre-blast survey

  45. Summary • Design is Complete • Bids are in and they are low • State monies have been set aside • Grant and Loan applications are pending • East Lyme agreement is completed • Permits are complete except one: Old Lyme Zoning • Benefit Assessment method has been proposed

  46. THANK YOU!!

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