Where it stands as of Tue, Oct 6
A proposal to extend municipal water service to two homes near the Parkerville Road landfill is heading to Special Town Meeting as Article 7. The $240,000 appropriation from water retained earnings would connect the residences to town water to eliminate contamination risks and avoid perpetual state-mandated well monitoring. Both the Select Board and the Advisory Committee recommend approval, with the town agreeing to cover service line installation from the street into the homes.
- For Advisory Committee Voted 6-0 on Oct 6 to recommend approval of Article 7 after confirming the town will cover the service lines from the street into the houses.
- For Select Board Voted 4-0-1 on Sep 15 to recommend approval of Article 7 to extend municipal water service to the two homes near the landfill.
Votes
| Date | Board | Motion | Result | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advisory Committee | Recommend approval of Article 7, Water Connection for Two Homes Near Parkerville Landfill ($240,000), as printed in the warrant Southborough landfill environmental assessment | Passed6-0 | 5:20 | |
| Select Board | Recommend approval of Special Town Meeting Article 7 (Water main extension) Southborough landfill environmental assessment | Passed4-0-1 | 3:16:57 | |
| Select Board | Request the Advisory Committee approve a $24,900 reserve fund transfer to fund the PAR contract amendment for landfill environmental monitoring. Southborough landfill environmental assessment | Passedunanimous | 44:57 |
Every time it came up newest first
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Article 7: Parkerville Road water connection
The committee revisited Article 7, which requests $240,000 from water retained earnings to extend a water main and connect two homes near the Parkerville Road landfill due to contamination testing. The chair confirmed with the Select Board chair that the town will cover the service lines from the street into the houses. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the article as printed in the warrant.
- Requests $240,000 from water retained earnings for water main extension and home connections
- Connects two homes within the testing impact area of the closed Parkerville Road landfill
- Chair confirmed the town will pay for the connection line from the street to the houses
- Committee voted 6-0 to recommend approval at Special Town Meeting
Outcome: Committee voted 6-0 to recommend approval of Article 7.
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Article 7: Water Retained Earnings for landfill radius home connections
The committee reviewed an article appropriating $240,000 from Water Retained Earnings to connect two private homes within the testing radius of the Parkerville Road landfill to town water. Members discussed whether the town is responsible for the entire connection cost up to the houses versus extending the water main in the street, choosing to hold the article to obtain legal and procedural clarification.
- Proposes appropriating $240,000 from Water Retained Earnings to connect two homes near the Parkerville Road landfill.
- High cost is driven by the need to extend the town water main closer to the properties.
- Members questioned whether town policy requires homeowners to pay for service connections on private property.
- Committee deferred voting until questions on town policy and liability are answered.
Outcome: Held without a vote pending clarification on town connection policies.
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Parkerville Road water service extension warrant article
The DPW director outlined a proposed warrant article for the October Special Town Meeting to extend municipal water service lines to two homes on Parkerville Road located near the town landfill. While recent well testing showed no contamination, upcoming state regulations will require ongoing testing for PFAS chemicals. Extending municipal service is designed to permanently eliminate contamination risks and avoid perpetual testing mandates.
- Applies to two residential properties located within 500 feet of the town landfill.
- Project costs would be funded from the town water enterprise fund, with connection fees absorbed by the project.
- Homeowners are receptive to connecting to town water.
Outcome: Supported inclusion of the article on the October Special Town Meeting warrant.
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DPW budget overages and landfill monitoring funding
Department of Public Works Superintendent Bill Cundiff detailed department budget deficits driven by staffing vacancies, overtime, severe winter snow and ice expenses exceeding $170,000, and mandated landfill testing. The board approved bottom-line spending and voted to seek a $24,900 Reserve Fund transfer to fund private well testing and environmental risk assessment required by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
- DPW experienced a $15,800 salary deficit due to unfilled vacancies and overtime, as well as an approximately $170,000 snow and ice overage.
- A 1,4-dioxane hit in a landfill monitoring well prompted the state DEP to mandate risk assessments and sampling of two adjacent private drinking wells.
- Initial drinking well tests showed no exceedances of drinking water standards, but DEP is seeking ongoing PFAS monitoring.
- Consultant PAR submitted a $24,900 contract amendment for the landfill and private well assessment work.
- The town may consider a Fall Town Meeting article to extend municipal water service lines to the two neighboring homes to eliminate perpetual private well testing.
Outcome: Voted unanimously to approve DPW bottom-line spending and to request a $24,900 Reserve Fund transfer from the Advisory Committee for the PAR contract amendment.