Good evening, everybody, and welcome to the select board meeting of February 25th, 2025 at 7 p.m.

As usual, we will start with the Pledge of Allegiance.

If you want to start along with, go along with us.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Thanks, Michelle.

Sorry, I didn't wait for you.

All right.

We are going to go into, oh, before I go into public comment, I like to set it up.

So I'm going to go into public comment period.

Clearly for the two public hearings, the number two public hearing on the 15-minute parking and the public hearing for the water rate, you can obviously, it's a public hearing, so you can speak.

Other than that, speak on anything on the agenda, speak now.

Other than I will give you, if you have questions for number five for the EV charger, you can ask questions during that, quick questions.

And if you have any quick comments or questions for the insertion of articles, I doubt there will be, you can for that.

Other than that, public, you can comment now about any and everything now.

Just raise your virtual hands would be nice.

Are we at 7.05?

Can I start it?

Tag on it.

I don't want to move around anything because we're right at 7.03.

I'm going to give it a

All right.

One minute, you guys.

I'll start the public hearing.

I just don't want to start it before necessary.

If you're okay with that.

There are people still filling in anyway.

I hope everybody enjoyed the nice

Hot day.

Funny to say hot, right?

No.

How much was it, Fred?

15 degrees when I was driving home.

Wow.

It's a hot day.

Let's take it.

All right.

I think about 20 more seconds.

Oh, hi, Mr. Mahoney.

Hi.

We'll unmute you in one second.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Good afternoon or evening.

Thank you for allowing me to speak.

Madam Chair, select board members, town officials, just super brief.

The 15-minute parking, kind of against that.

Don't feel that our town needs to get it.

People don't need to get ticketed or need to get any type of reprimand for parking in our tiny, small downtown area.

The lack of spots and the spots that were taken away definitely have hindered the time that I've spent down there over the last.

Can I just stop you for one second?

There's actually a public hearing on that.

So you can actually speak during that.

I have to go to another.

Sorry, go ahead.

So I have to jump off.

I apologize.

No worries.

I'm sorry to interrupt you.

That's right.

Killed my mojo.

So long story short, it's, you know, myself and others have unable to spend a lot more time down just for the lack of parking.

But the other thing I'd like to speak about is the handicap spots.

I do have a handicap placard.

I'm allowed to use it.

I give it up for most people that I feel are a little bit worse off than I am, so I'd be happy to give up my use of the handicap spots.

But the times that I've needed to use it, running into angels or picking up a dry cleaning or going out to dinner down in that area, I have had problems where...

There have been vehicles parked in those spots or parked next to the spots where I can't fit my vehicle into that spot or even open my door to get in and out.

giving us the limiting the 15 minutes.

And I understand people with handicap placards or plates are allowed to park meters, spots for length of times beyond any type of quote unquote time limits.

But I just wanted to at least voice my little bit discerning, but not

giving those town members that 15 minutes.

So thank you for my time.

Unfortunately, I do have to jump off, but thank you for allowing me to speak.

Thank you.

I just want to address, since you have to jump off really quickly for the accessibility spots, we've heard loud and clear, we've heard about it.

So we have been in the process, it's just a lengthy process about looking into moving the spots away from the loading zone and adding maybe a couple, I don't know what we're going to do yet, but we're looking into that.

We just, there is a lease issue regarding that space.

So we have attorneys looking into that.

Yeah, and I understand that as well.

And if I'm OK to just add another point, the spot that's on is that North Main Street in front of the eye doctor's optical.

It's just a super dangerous spot as it is.

You know, again, I give up my spot for most people in more need.

But just, you know, witnessing elderly that do use that spot and then having them get out in traffic is is tough.

So.

Definitely want to be able to use downtown and use all of the facilities, restaurants, et cetera.

You know, hopefully there's a change or something different.

So I appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Anything else during public comment?

All right, seeing nothing else, we can move to our public hearing on setting a 15-minute time limit on the one parking space on Billing located closest to North Main Street.

I'll take a motion on that.

So moved.

Second.

Hearing a motion made and second.

All those in favor, Hannah?

Aye.

Vander?

Aye.

And I'm an I. All right.

Motion is open.

I will set it up briefly and then Fred go to you to see if you have any.

So this came from the removal question from one of the businesses on whether this can happen based on the removal of the four spots based on safety and traffic flow on Billings.

So one of, particularly with the dry cleaner and particularly with, why am I blanking?

Thank you, Coriander.

Coriander, especially most of their business, is either DoorDash, pick up and go, like just taking it and go.

And not just DoorDash, any of those, Grubhub.

And then obviously for dry cleaner, definitely them was feeling the hurt because people would just drop off and go.

They have regular customers.

So we met with them, Fred and I.

A couple months back and they asked, they got the traffic flow, was upset about some of the communication, but they got the traffic flow and they asked, could there be a 15 minute parking spot within those four?

That would obviously impede the flow if we put it in the four.

So after looking into it, we thought that the...

One in front of the hair salon is the closest, particularly to the dry cleaner, but it can also be used really quickly.

If a DoorDash would be 15 minute, if possible for people to just get out really quickly and go in, particularly while we're still dealing with the lot and the lease and what's going on back there.

So that was the impetus of this, not to take away a spot, but for more convenient for some of the businesses, it was an ask.

So because it was an ask, we said we could do a public hearing in here if folks wanted or not.

Fred, did I cover everything?

You covered everything very well.

Thank you.

Hannah or Xander, did you want to add anything before I open it up for public comments?

I'll just say, I think, you know, this is definitely as a result of we hear a lot of the residents and obviously we as a board both personally patronize our local businesses and also understand the complexities of what they have been dealing with with this.

At the same time, I think

We as a board and as a town have really had public safety in mind as well in terms of that intersection and the flow of traffic.

I'll just say from what I've heard overall is that it's been a little bit easier in terms of trying to make the right turn.

And I know we did box out like that Pond Street area as well when you're making that turn to try to not block.

I'm still seeing sometimes when I'm over there a lot of congestion because I don't know that people can necessarily recognize that it's don't block the area.

But I certainly am open to this 15 minute spot, especially now.

where we were thinking about putting it um and i think that it would certainly help in particular the dry cleaner or if you're running in um to do a quick errand or pick up coffee right anybody want to comment on that i just want to add that i agree with everything that's been said um i think this is a no-brainer it's a good location um and i i am sensitive to jeff and other people's feedback um my personal experience living on billings is that

You know, a lot of the time, most of the time, some of those spots from the salon back towards Manspond or my house tend to be open.

I know if someone is disabled, that makes it a little more challenging.

But if you have a placard, you still have the right to use that spot.

So I'm supportive.

I patronize all those businesses and I do run in.

I see people double park now.

It's a dangerous situation.

So I think this is an improvement that addresses the needs of the community, the businesses and public safety.

So I'm supportive.

Anybody?

This is a public hearing, so I'm leaving it to the public.

Sorry, Hannah and Xander.

I didn't mean if you guys wanted to weigh in.

I just wanted to know if you had thoughts.

You weigh in when I close the public hearing, but thank you.

As soon as she spoke, I said something.

All right.

I am seeing nothing, so I will take a motion.

I'm trying to be slow.

Yep, it's 7.13, so I'm good.

A motion to close the public hearing on setting the 15-minute parking spot.

So, Hannah got you.

Can I get a second, Xander?

Second.

All right, hearing the motion made and seconded.

All those in favor, Xander?

Aye.

Hannah?

Aye.

And I'm an aye.

All right, board members, I'll go to you now, even though I don't think you need to add, but I will.

I would just say my thoughts, given your thoughts, I agree too.

I think it, you know, again, it's, you can never make everyone happy and we're trying to balance, obviously our businesses who we're trying to support, but also make it easy for our residents, which is why we're also looking at the parking lot.

My only concern was about the hair salon.

I don't want to impede them since it's directly in front.

So Fred did reach out to all the businesses out there, including the owner of the hair salon.

And did we hear anything back?

No response.

Okay.

So we didn't hear anything.

I will also just go in person and have a conversation that this hearing happened.

We tried to send it out and just do my due diligence, but board members, I think we, unless you want anything to add, we can, is it a vote?

Sorry.

It's a.

Oh, oh yes.

I will take a motion if you're ready.

I move that we set a 15-minute time limit on one parking space on Billing Street, located on the north side of Billing Street, closest to North Main Street.

Second.

Okay.

Hearing the motion made and seconded, all those in favor?

Hannah?

Aye.

Xander?

Aye.

And I'm an aye.

Thanks, guys.

All right.

Moving on to DPW reviewing the budget, 2026 budget.

Eric, whenever you're ready.

Fred, did you want to start?

Yep.

I'm going to exercise a point of personal privilege.

For those of you wondering, Eric's background is his brand-new week-old granddaughter, Maeve Martha Duffy.

Congratulations, Eric.

Congratulations.

Are you able to unmute Eric?

Are you good?

Yeah.

Yep, he's able to unmute himself.

Okay, thank you.

He's about to talk, so.

He's next on the agenda.

That picture was three days old.

Congratulations.

It's really, she's amazing.

And my daughter and her husband have been remarkable as well.

When I had my children, I don't remember it all.

I was so tired.

And I don't know how I did it.

And good luck to them.

Before you start, Eric, I just want to do a reminder for folks.

Can you all please put your last name only because we've had some Zoom bombings.

So if you do not have your last name on your screen, please do so as soon as you can.

Thank you.

All right, go ahead, Eric.

Okay.

Before I go into my budget, I do want to say I watched the priorities meeting from a week ago or so and was really a little bit dismayed.

I mean, I really believe the measure of a community isn't just in the poor pupil spending.

It also includes the investment made in the capital of the community itself.

In the 27 years that I've been here, I've seen probably at least a half a dozen superintendents of schools and

What's been constant really is the town investment in the town itself.

You have a new high school, a new middle school, relatively new.

Elementary schools have been renovated.

There's a new community center renovated, a new town hall, new police and fire.

There's really been a consistent investment in the town itself.

You know, an annual investment in roads, a new administration, water administration building.

Again, it's just this community to the town as a whole.

And I have to say, I was a little bit dismayed watching.

I don't know.

How you kept it together, Kiana, I would not have been able to.

But with that said, the only not new thing is the DPW building.

So maybe I can throw that on the table.

And everybody should check out the water building.

Yes.

We will be having an open house.

I think that building came out fantastic.

You know, again, it's an 1896 building.

The commitment was made to keep the historical nature of the building, but also make it an operating town facility for the water department.

So I think it's definitely something we will be putting front and center soon to the community itself.

All right, now on to the DPW budget agenda.

It's a relatively small, well, it's a 3.5%

increase.

The budget itself is now a little bit above 4.6,

almost $4.7

million, which is large for a community of this size.

On the other hand, relative to our neighboring communities, it's not.

We're squarely in the middle of what I would consider to be like communities.

Westwood, Needham being two that I kind of compare our DPW to.

The budget itself, we have contractual obligations for the staff, both on the administration side and on the operating side.

So we're looking again at the 2% roughly cost of living increases plus negotiated.

I think this year it is either 1.5% or 2% as well.

Not something that is out of the ordinary.

We've been looking at those for the last 10 to 15 years.

Not huge increases, but a relatively steady increase in salaries.

There was some personnel turnover that we will be able to take advantage of.

A long-term, 27-year veteran is retired.

From the operations side, he'll be replaced at a much lower salary by an entry-level person.

So those kind of staff turnovers help in terms of keeping

the salary number slightly lower.

There have been some price increases that we are looking at.

Salt and sand has increased.

Gasoline is relatively high still as well, much more volatile than it has been in the past.

Some of those costs have been offset by the solar panels that we've put in throughout town, or we're trying to put in throughout town.

There's a canopy that's at the DPW over some of the parking areas.

And on the police and fire storage building, there's also a roof-mounted solar panel.

There's going to be some more solars going in at one of the water department well sites.

So we're trying to offset as much as we can in terms of costs.

That said, however, the cost is increased by a considerable percentage-wise, roughly 7%.

As you know, there's a new library coming on, so some of the cost increase is that, that we'll have to deal with the new building as we get a little bit of experience operating that particular building.

Some of the other increases that we've looked at, we do have a continued shared energy person with Norwood.

We do also have a recycling coordinator, again, to try to kind of limit those things that come in from left field for costs.

So we're trying to do our best there.

The streetlights, we've been able to reduce a little bit.

We're no longer paying debt service on the replacement of the bulbs.

And we have seen a savings there.

So we're able to take advantage of that decrease in costs.

Is there anything else?

Again, what we do see is a roughly 2%, 2.25% increase in salaries and wages, 7% increase in materials and services, offset a little bit by streetlights, again, because of the solar power that we have coming in.

um, for a total of roughly 3.6% increase.

Uh, the budget itself is about 4.6, $7 million.

So it's, it's a significant budget.

Um,

On to the other thing I should say is the railroad parking revenues are still down considerably.

So the salaries that used to and some of the expenses that used to be assigned to railroad parking are in the DPW operating budget.

The use of the parking lot has increased, but it's nowhere near what it was before COVID.

It's creeping up, but it's not close.

So we have not been able to shift those salaries and expenses from DPW back onto railroad parking.

That said, we haven't had to plow the parking lot, you know, a significant portion of it.

So there have been a little, some labor savings in there.

But, you know, it's not bringing in the revenue that it used to.

Moving on to the water department budget,

The water department is looking at a budget, again, as you're aware, again, talking about town commitments, we do have a $35 million roughly water treatment facility that is currently under construction.

So some of the costs associated with that, and we'll go into it a little bit later when we talk about water rates, some of the budget is the construction costs associated with that facility.

But the salaries, again, are largely driven by contractual obligations.

The water department is relatively small.

It's only seven people.

So it's not a large department in terms of people and salaries.

The largest portion of the budget is really the materials, services, and system improvement lines.

We will be starting the Cottage Street school area, our water main replacement area.

That particular project is a water main, roads, sidewalks, drainage.

Everything is really going to go on in that particular neighborhood.

What's new is a requirement to replace all lead and galvanized water services.

There are, I think, six or seven that we know we have to replace both on our side and on the private side.

So that is kind of our first foray into private side replacement of lead and galvanized services.

We will, we have a program in place, or we're going to be trying to put the program in place to assist those residents that want to replace any services led or galvanized that need to be replaced.

Again, there's about six in the cottage, Ames, Woodland, the streets that we're proposing to do this coming spring and summer.

Uh, much again of the water department, uh, budget is the water main and, uh, water treatment facility costs.

Um, a lot of it is borrowed.

Uh, so we are starting to kind of see the principal plus interest, uh, jump up a little bit.

Um, Christian is our 20 year, um,

where things stand in terms of how much revenue we need to bring in.

Again, the nice thing about the water treatment facility cost is that the loans for the building are interest-free, so we have a very good handle on kind of where the revenue needs to be for the next 20 years.

And again, I'll go on to that a little bit more when we talk about rates.

So the really changes that have really hit us a little bit

are the kind of lead service replacement requirement that we have to meet.

The Fed's EPA requirement is a 10-year replacement.

DEP is looking at shorter term, potentially five.

The program we have in place should get us there or will get us there, but it's not something, it was something that's unexpected.

We knew we would need to replace our side, but we

I didn't know that the requirement would include the private side and kind of the implications if the private side are not replaced become a problem for operations for the water department in terms of testing and the ramifications if we have positive results.

But we're moving forward with that to the extent that we can as quickly as we can.

We recently completed the South Pleasant Street neighborhood, the railroad parking neighborhood, where we did replace quite a few.

Most of our lead and galvanized areas or services are in the older areas of town.

So that's where we're focusing.

The Cottage Street area is just the next step.

In terms of where the Water Department stands, we do have a relatively healthy retained earnings balance and relatively healthy revenue coming in.

But to kind of meet the expected debt service, we're going to have to look for more.

So that'll be the next public hearing.

That's really about, the Water Department budget is about a $7.5

million budget, which includes $2.6

million for salaries and wages and $2.8

million for operating costs.

There are some things, a lot of it, there's $500,000 for a reserve fund.

There's a million dollar contingency coming out of retained earnings.

So to some extent that operating budget is a little bit inflated because of the necessity to carry along a reserve fund and contingency.

So that's really about it for the presentation.

If any questions, I'd be happy to answer.

Thank you, Eric.

Xander, I'll go to you first.

Thank you, Eric.

That's very comprehensive.

Thank you.

And I read through all the materials.

I think everything you say makes sense.

I have a calculation question, which you could probably resolve offline, but in one place you're a half an FTE and underwater you're 0.55.

So I think it's a calculation error.

So I may have found you a little money.

On slide 26, it says 0.55 FTE and on slide nine, it says 0.5 for DPW.

I'm not sure.

I don't have that.

That's me.

Those are notes in the margins.

The calculations are correct.

Oh, thank you.

Sorry.

I didn't mean to call you out, but I was like, we're having a meeting.

I've got to say something.

Thank you.

I understand what you're talking about.

Yes, it had to do with the allocation of my salary.

Yes.

It looks like it adds to 1.05 FTE.

Yes, but no, that's being transferred to either recycling or I can't remember where that goes.

Later on in the kind of allocation of salaries, you see there's a deduct for that.

Okay, thank you.

I'm sure it's fine knowing everyone who looked at it, but since I noticed the numbers that's on the paper, I want to ask you, thank you for clarifying.

Anything else other than the calculations?

Any other questions?

All right, Hannah?

I'm like, you're muted.

That's better.

I just wanted to thank Eric for all that he does and his team, everyone down at DPW, the water department, and

You know, I think that a lot of people don't necessarily realize all the work that DPW and public works is responsible for in our community.

So it's a huge undertaking.

Really appreciate what you put forward tonight.

It was very thorough.

And then my only question, I guess, is we're going to go into next, like the water rate hearing.

So I guess it's more of like a separate in terms of

the projected timeline is still the same for the water treatment facility?

Yes.

Okay.

I just wasn't sure in terms of inflation and construction and also the weather that we've been having.

I have seen it very active down there, but I just wasn't sure if the weather has kind of affected anything thus far.

It has a little bit.

The concrete pours were delayed some, but not a huge amount.

I mean, we were actually running a little bit ahead.

The water main work was completed last fall.

So we were able to do some things kind of in advance of the winter.

It was very cold.

So some of the concrete was delayed a week.

Concrete pours were delayed.

But

That said, we were a little bit a week or two ahead.

So I think all things considered, it's so early in the project, I don't want to say that things will be completed in time for it to be up and running the kind of essentially January of 2027, I believe.

I think I would say we're too early to say...

Things are great.

I'm not worried at all.

Give me in about six months and I may have a little different.

And I won't even bring up snow and ice.

You just did.

You know, I asked where the budget stands, and it's not terrible.

We are over, labor has been high this year because there's been, you know, storms that took a lot of time to deal with.

The materials are in reasonably good shape in terms of salt and sand costs.

On the other hand, I just saw a couple trucks, you know, new deliveries were dropped off today.

So, you know, things are coming in, you know, as soon as quickly as they're going out.

So we will see those costs.

And I may have a different answer in terms of where the materials stand in two weeks.

Thank you.

I actually don't have any questions.

I understand this.

So if you're ready, you want to move to the next one?

Sure.

All right.

This is why I have the baby behind me so that people won't be as upset at me.

All right, I will take a motion to open up the public hearing for the water rate adjustment effective April 1st, 2025.

So moved.

Second.

All right, hearing the motion made and seconded, all those in favor, Xander?

Aye.

Hannah?

Aye.

And I'm an aye.

All right, it is now open.

Eric, we'll start with you.

Okay, what we have been trying to do over the course of the last several years, when I say we, it's the Water Department and Water Management Advisory Committee, kind of looking at the debt projections that we have because of the water treatment facility while maintaining a reasonably aggressive water main replacement program.

Where will that put us over the course of the next 20 years in terms of revenue needs?

The thing about the construction project again is it is a 0% loan.

So we do know fairly well where things are going to stand in terms of our debt repayment schedule.

What is a little bit in flux obviously is the water main replacement and how much we invest on an annual basis in that program.

can go up and down a little bit.

We do want to maintain the program.

But knowing that we need to be essentially north of $9 million, that's kind of the peak of where our operating expenses will be.

We're trying to get to that point.

Right now, we're roughly $7.5 million.

in terms of revenue generated for the rates that we have.

So we will be looking at probably another two to three

rate increases to get up to that peak budget number that's projected.

We have had some, some, we continue to be beat down the door for cost offsets in terms of the treatment plant.

We did get a $2 million principal forgiveness, which will help.

You know, once I, once I have Christian renum, the re renum,

run the numbers with that coming off the top, that will reduce our peak budget somewhat.

But again, what we're trying to do here is to protect those people that can least afford these kind of raises to the extent that we possibly can.

We haven't touched to a large extent the very lowest

block rate for those people that are kind of single one and two person households.

Essentially the older people in town.

trying to protect them to the extent that we can.

I don't mean to say we're going to soak those higher users, but unfortunately, the higher users are what generate revenue.

Those people that use irrigation systems are really where we're targeting in terms of revenue generation.

Um, so really what we're looking at is roughly a 12% increase, uh, in terms of revenue generation.

It's really hard to, to say, um, that's the average family in Sharon, you know, two, uh, adults and two, 2.2,

um, children.

And, you know, I don't know anybody, any families that are exactly like that, um,

People have children.

Some of them go off to college.

So their uses are different.

So I'm really hesitant to say that the average bill, or I can say the average bill go up 12%, but nobody's average.

So it's a real difficult, how much will your bill go up?

Well, I can tell you

Based on your past history, you may change your use habits.

A kid may go off to college and you'll see less.

But again, the average will go up by roughly 12%.

But again, what we're trying to target is the high users in terms of revenue generation.

We are increasing the capital, what we call the capital project fee.

That money is really what's dedicated to the water treatment plant and any water main work that we do.

It's to pay off the debt service that we're looking at.

We have looked at increases on what's called other, the commercial rates.

We should see some revenue generated from the new Costco that's going in and their water use in there.

So,

we're trying to kind of level out the commercial rates with the residential rates, especially since we now have a couple of, or we will be looking at a couple more commercial revenue generators in that section of town.

One thing we did do, there was a complaint, or not really a complaint, but a comment from those users in the Gavins Pond area

that have irrigation meters and whether they should be charged for a second meter.

And the answer is no.

The fact that they have a second meter in their house does not mean that they really ought to be charged that second capital fee.

So that was something that the select board, when we went through this before,

understood and waived or reduced that charge for the second meter.

That may make it more or easier to kind of swap the or include a second meter for irrigation so that people can get a much better handle on their lawn watering and outdoor water use during the summer.

So in terms of a change, the fixed fee is going from $100 per quarter to $125.

We have increased some of the other blocks and block rates just so that we can target a little bit better where we need to target and generate sufficient revenue.

Again, what we're trying to do is based on past use history, the lowest 500 to 750 odd households will remain in that lowest block.

Again, those are for the most part, one and two person households, very low water users.

We're trying to hold things steady for them.

And there's an additional 500 to 700 odd households in the second block rate.

And those are where we are trying to maintain, to hold costs down.

If you can efficiently use water, you shouldn't move out of at least the third block.

You should stay there.

But people like to use water, so we do need the other two blocks.

I think that's pretty much it.

If there's any questions, again, I'd be happy to entertain them.

Thank you, Eric.

I'm going to go to the public first, Xander and Hannah, since it's a public hearing and they may ask some of the questions we have.

So any public comment, please raise your virtual hand.

And by the way, it's under the little, I guess it's a heart react thing, and then it says raise your hand.

Why don't you click it?

Okay.

Seeing nothing, Eric the baby.

I will go to Hannah first this time.

Appreciate again, like the thoroughness in terms of the presentation and the real reasoning behind this.

As you know, I serve on Council on Aging and Commission on Disability.

So I just really hope we can get the word out

in advance so that people aren't shocked by the increase.

And then maybe even just doing more education around water.

Maybe this falls a little bit to water management and even the water department.

I think in terms of conserving water and different opportunities or different programs that may be available and just educating our residents really on water usage and the importance of water.

Thanks, Ian.

So just two questions, and maybe this is more, it's a combination for my benefit and for the public.

Can you just sort of explain again the need to go from seven, let's say, and a half million to nine million over the coming years?

Is that driven by the new treatment plan?

Like, just if you could explain that a little more, because I wasn't tracking, and 12% is a large number, so I want to make sure we're giving, you know, due deliberation so I can understand it all.

Yeah, absolutely.

It is being driven by the water treatment plant, unfortunately.

It's a $35 million plant.

Some of that $35 million is offset by use of the ARPA funds.

We got EPA grants, and then there was this loan forgiveness, or principal forgiveness that we just received.

But it is $35 million over 20 years.

I think it's a 20-year loan.

You know, so you essentially divide 30 by 20 and that's how much revenue I need to generate to pay the loan on an annual basis.

That's really what we're looking at.

Now,

There are also, if we do roughly a million dollars worth of water main replacement a year, there is that cost.

There's also costs associated with the replacement of infrastructure.

We recently did a water tank replacement.

We know we'll be looking at, in the relatively near future, replacement of at least one more tank.

um you know our tanks right now the oldest one was built in the 30s the next one that really needs to be replaced was built in the 50s uh so they're not new uh and but they do cost several million dollars a piece uh so those kind of of um point

Debt, we need to kind of amortize over a 20-year period.

So it's all kind of being driven by the debt that we know we're looking at.

And again, our choice at the time was either a treatment plant or the MWRA.

The costs were not that dissimilar.

So that even though we're looking at the cheaper option,

It's not inexpensive.

Now, again, where we continue to hammer down the door, there are lawsuits that we're involved with for cost offset for PFAS treatment.

We don't know where we stand there.

They're class action suits, and even though the numbers are significant, that number gets divided by all the claimants that are looking for money.

So I don't know how much we'll get, but we're continuing to hammer the door.

Right.

I mean, I think, you know, clearly you and others have done a great job of seeking this relief in these different ways.

And one way of thinking about it for the public, and I'm doing rough math here, but maybe the $9 million would have been $9.5 million, but we've been able to push things down through some of these initiatives.

But the reality is we all had robust discussions at the town level, Slug Board, many, many discussions about how to proceed.

And this is the way we're proceeding so we can have safer water.

And this is something that the town agreed to do and we're doing it.

And this is

where we see the impact.

And it was clear you explained about the capital fee going from one to 125, and that's part of it.

I know you're loathe to say what the average bill means, but I don't think the public has a sense of the order of magnitude what 12% means.

I mean, is there any way of saying without just on a rate basis,

What that amounts to for someone?

Because I think a lot of people hear 12% and well, me too, it's double digit.

It sounds like a lot.

I don't know if that's available to explain what a typical bill would see on a rate increase.

Well, I think that everybody will see at least $100 over the course of the year increase because that's what the fixed component is going up, $25 a quarter.

Right.

So what you'll see is, I would say, between $100 and $150 increase in your water bill over the course of a year.

and that's the fee and the rates so combined exactly yes that that that would be my very rough estimate for you know very average family in the town so the capital fee is the big thing i mean just to be simplistic absolutely yes okay the 12 is the combined increase yes okay and and the intent obviously is to once the 20-year period is over

then you can start to ratchet back that capital fee.

It's much easier said than done because the competing,

When you have an increasing block rate structure, it gives an incentive to conserve water, to use less.

Yes, yes.

If you're charging all on the fixed component, then there's no incentive for conservation.

So, you know, it really is a, there's competing interest among the two, the fixed component and the, I use the at least $100.

And I would anticipate, you know, another $50 to $100 over the course of a year.

I mean, no one likes increases, but thinking at an individual homeowner level, this might be $10 or $15 a month.

Every dollar counts, but just to put it in context, you hear 12%, it sounds gigantic, but on an absolute basis, it's perhaps a little bit more manageable, let's say $10 to $20 a month.

The interesting thing is there is a push by DEP to require monthly billing.

That would add a cost, obviously, to our administration of the system.

If you're billing once a month, it just simply costs more to send the bills out.

But it does have a psychological impact of reducing that increase.

Really, it's the same dollar amount.

It's just a third of what you see on a quarterly basis.

Um, the other thing is that most people use considerably more water during the summertime.

So, um, you will see the, um, the hip on the summer, uh, much more so than the winter.

Uh, so your summer bill is going to go up by more, uh, than your winter bill.

Sandra, I would just jump in and echo, uh, what Eric was saying in terms of the

The discussion the town had, very well vetted, very well studied by both the Water Management Committee, the Select Board, the Finance Committee, and ultimately Town Meeting to build the PFAS plant.

The good news is our congressman secured an earmark for $3.5 million.

We applied most of the ARPA money the town received for this project, not for other things like a lot of other communities did.

All the ARPA money went to either this or to the library project.

And lastly, I don't think you can discount the impact of the interest-free loans and the low-interest loans that we've received.