MAINE PUBLIC DRINKING WATER COMMISSION

 

MINUTES OF MEETING #102

September 10, 2008

 

The Maine Public Drinking Water Commission (DWC) held its 101^st meeting on September 10, 2008, at Key Bank Plaza on the 1^st Floor, Room 16, in Augusta, Maine.

 

Present were:

• Members: Judith Kelley – Chair, Bob MacKinnon, Tom Brennan, Harvey Chesley, George Dugovic, Dick Berry, Rebecca Laliberte, and Roger Crouse

 

• Guests: Jeff McNelly (Maine Water Utilities Association), Tera Pare (DWP), Cheryl Pratt (DWP)

 

Time: Judy Kelley called the meeting to order at 9:08 a.m.

 

A.   Approval of Minutes:

o     Bob made a motion to accept the minutes of the prior meeting (Meeting #101).  Roger seconded the motion, which carried unanimously. 

o     Thank you to DWP Annual Staff Award Subcommittee.  Congratulations, Denise Douin.

 

B.   Recurring Business:

1.    AFM Fees/Collection Status:

o     Roger provided an update of the public water systems that still owe AFM fees from the 2007 billing period.  According to Roger’s report, $409,345.95 has been collected.  As a percentage, the DWP is showing a better rate of collecting fees than ever before.  A second notice was sent to approximately 400 public water systems.  DWP Field Inspectors continue to remind them of payment due at sanitary surveys and DWP Enforcement Staff continue to include the requirement to pay overdue fees in their administrative enforcement actions.  Note: Since the 9/10/2008 meeting, an error in the revenue was discovered.  Actual revenue at this time was approximately $378,000 which is about 89% of total expected revenues. 

 

2.    Security:

• The DWP updated their Emergency Response Plan and performed an emergency tabletop response with other program directors and emergency preparedness staff at Maine CDC.

 

3. Legislation and Bond Issues:

• All State of Maine Departments are submitting their budgets to the Governor’s Office.  Two documents were submitted that related to the Maine Drinking Water Program: (a) Removal of the AFM Per Capita Fee Cap of $30,000 and raising the maximum base fee from $50 to $75 in 22 M.R.S.A. § 2660-E (1); and (b) Bond Match Request.

 

4. Staffing:

• Bill Johnson, the Security and Capacity Development Coordinator, left his position for a job at the Maine DEP. 

 

 

• Andy Begin was hired to replace Roger’s former position as the Chief Engineer, Manager of the Information Management Team, Supervisor of the Field Inspection Team Manager.

 

5. Reappointment Correspondence:

o        Harvey received paperwork to renew his 3-year term, and he asserted at this meeting that he is interested in continuing his service on the DWC.

o        Many reappointments are coming up in August 2009.

 

6. Final Annual Report:

o        The report was mailed to all Drinking Water Commission members.  The DWP will send reports to the Health and Human Services Committee, once the new legislative members of the Committee are assigned from this coming session.

 

C.    New Business:

1.    Proposed Statute Change to Remove Cap to DWP Annual Fee

o        The Commission discussed their decision to work on introducing legislation to remove the $30,000 cap for annual drinking water fees. In addition, they confirmed their vote at the last meeting to pursue such efforts to introduce such legislation.

o        Portland Water District has expressed concerns and asked questions about the Commission’s intent to pursue removal of the cap, because they are the only public water system that the removal would affect.  The District would experience an increase from $30,000 to approximately $55,000 if the legislation passes.

o        Ron Miller, Superintendent of Portland Water District, proposed a compromise of $45,000.  If the Commission agreed to the compromise, then he agreed to support the legislation.

o        Jeff McNelly from MWUA stated that he is not sure how the Association will testify.  Most likely, MWUA will be neither for nor against the legislation.

 

2.        AFM Formula Change

o       George presented his position on possible fee formula changes and passed out handouts.  Initially, George proposed that a subcommittee be formed to conduct a further study on the fee formula possibilities.  The motion was withdrawn by George after further discussion, and Bob moved to discuss this issue further at the next meeting in December.

 

3.        Overview of DWP Funding

o       Roger presented a written and oral overview of all accounts within the DWP, explaining where funding originates and how the Program allocates its expenses, as a result.  This handout will prove helpful in explaining funding to new employees, stakeholders and existing DWP staff, so Roger thanks the Commission for asking him to compile the information.

 

4. Editorial from Walter Anderson, Former Maine Geologist for 30 Years

o       Dick Berry distributed an editorial from Walter Anderson, who dispelled the myth circulated by special interest groups regarding the scarcity of water and the danger of bottled water companies taking too much from Maine’s soil. Mr. Berry encouraged the DWP to participate in educating the public about the facts, to address Mr. Anderson’s hope for a “dialogue grounded in scientific facts not fear tactics”.

 

 

5. Set Location, Date and Agenda Items for Next Meeting(s):

o     The next meeting will be in Augusta at Key Bank Plaza on December 3, 2008. 

 

D. Motion to Adjourn:  The meeting adjourned at 10:43 am.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Tera R. Pare, J.D.

Maine Drinking Water Program