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Commissioners unanimously approved minutes from July 6 and July 20, 2026, by a 3-0-0 voice vote. They also voted 3-0-0 to reimburse the Village at Kearsarge Condominium Association $319,550 from the Sewer Infrastructure Capital Reserve Fund. Checks for payroll and accounts payable dated July 30, 2026, were ratified 3-0-0. The Fire Department scheduled a public hearing for September 23rd at 7PM regarding its Master Plan. Project updates include the delivery of the WWTF pickup truck, expected delivery of a compact wheel loader at the end of August, and initiation of the Skimobile-Artist Falls Water Main construction this week. An alternatives analysis recommended upgrades at the Remoat Trail Pump Station and a new force main to Grove Street, with a design kick-off meeting set for early August. Source: https://www.ncwp.nh.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08032026-50
Commission Meeting 08/03/2026 Adopted: 08/17/2026 Page | 1 Board of Commissioners Public Minutes August 3, 2026 The Commission meeting convened at 10:00 AM in the conference room at the North Conway Water Precinct, 104 Sawmill Lane North Conway, NH. The following were present: Commissioner James Umberger Fire Chief Chad McCarthy Commissioner Rodney Morrison Business Administrator Molly Donley Commissioner Deborah Fauver Treasurer Kristine Cluff Superintendent Jason Gagnon CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 10:00AM by Commissioner Umberger. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion of Commissioner Fauver to adopt the following minutes, A. Public meeting minutes from July 6, 2026 B. Non-public session minutes from July 6, 2026 C. Public meeting minutes from July 20, 2026 D. Non-public session minutes from July 20, 2026 Second by Commissioner Morrison. Motion carried by a 3-0-0 voice vote. FIRE CHIEF Membership 42 Personnel Two members on leave of absence. Training Department Training: Relay pumping tonight if the rain holds off. Engine 1 Training: Undetermined. Rescue Training: Ground school with Med flight, landing zones and procedures. With Conway Fire. Department Activities Place of assembly inspections and life safety inspections on going. Fire Department’s Master plan – Waiting to hear back from ESCI (Jeff) for dates that he can make it up for a presentation. Emailed completed draft. Talked to Jeff about doing the presentation in September. Scheduling public hearing for September 23rd at 7PM. Fire Department’s Anti-Nepotism Policy approval. Emailed last week. Putting on hold until next meeting. Conway police department is looking to replace dispatch equipment. It is over 10 years old. Waiting on quote. Asked NCFD, Center Conway and Town of Conway to chip in as the PD dispatches all of those calls. This would come out of next years budget. Emergency Calls Five-year call average is 1,500 calls a year. Five-year monthly call average is 125 calls a month. Commission Meeting 08/03/2026 Adopted: 08/17/2026 Page | 2 Five-year daily call average is 4.11 calls a day. Year to Date Call Average The department has responded to 921 calls year to date for 2026 Monthly call average is 130 calls a month for 2026. Daily call average is 4.31 calls a day for 2026. The department has responded to 172 calls for the month of July 2026. The department responded to 140 calls in June 2026. Apparatus / Trucks Having the Cafs system worked on Engine 3. Waiting for parts delivery. Equipment Issues No change. Purchase of New Equipment No change. COMMISSIONERS/SUPERINTENDENT REPORT Project Status Vehicle Purchases Compact Wheel Loader The latest delivery update from CAT is at the end of August. 10-Wheel Dump Truck Truck is at the body shop. Should be here in a couple of weeks. WWTF Pickup Truck The truck was delivered. 6-Wheel Dump Truck Grant paperwork has been submitted to the State of NH, and the buyers order has been placed with Ballard Trucks for the new Mack 6-wheeler. Estimated delivery is October – November. Equipment Trailer No new updates. NCWP Master Plan Updates The Precinct’s original water and wastewater master plans were completed in 1999, with subsequent updates in 2005 and 2011. We have reached the end of the planning period for the original master plan, and it is time to develop an updated plan that focuses on the next 20 years. Precinct leadership staff met with Black & Veatch to review Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Staff are reviewing proposed KPIs and will provide feedback to Black & Veatch. Landfill Leachate The initial phase of this project is 100% funded through the NHDES Emerging Contaminants program. Its purpose is to identify the best available technology for PFAS removal from landfill leachate with the expectation that a new treatment process will be Commission Meeting 08/03/2026 Adopted: 08/17/2026 Page | 3 constructed based on the findings of this project phase. Annual Meeting 2026 approved up to $8M in borrowing to move forward with design and construction. NCWP will work with the Town of Conway to advance this project thoughtfully and share costs equitably. Precinct wastewater staff met with the Black & Veatch Industrial Hygienist (think: environmental health and safety engineer) last week to discuss potential risks from working with a system that is intentionally concentrating PFAS. The conversation was a good first step and Black & Veatch understands the Precinct’s commitment to keeping our staff safe and healthy. BV will be doing some additional research with vendors who have these systems in place now to get a better understanding of the risks, as well as engineering controls to reduce that risk. Saco River Erosion This project is currently in design phase with the goal of addressing erosion of the Saco River banks that threatens WWTF infrastructure. NCWP has received $15.2M in CWSRF funding through NHDES for the future construction phase. No new updates. North End Sewer Collections Capacity Analysis of the NCWP collections system in preparation to receive Lower Bartlett sewer flow revealed that the Remoat Trail Pump Station and 12” sewer main from Memorial Hospital to Grove Street have limited remaining capacity. An alternatives analysis was performed by Wright-Pierce with a recommendation for upgrades at Remoat Trail Pump Station and construction of a new force main from the pump station to Grove Street within the Route 16 corridor as the least cost option. The design contract has been signed and a kick-off meeting will be scheduled in early August. WWTF Aeration Upgrades This project renews aging infrastructure and adds additional aeration capacity in the east carousel of the WWTF to meet increasing flows and loads at the WWTF. It is funded by NHDES CWSRF in the amount of $2.99M, including ARPA Grant of $997,000; Principal Forgiveness of up to $369,300; Energy Audit Implementation Grant of $200,000; and State Aid Grant of at least 20% of remaining principal/interest balance. NCWP also received $859,000 in CWSRF funding to add the backup generator replacement to this project. As part of the generator replacement portion of the project, the Precinct’s SPCC (Spill Prevention Control Countermeasures – required by NHDES Oil Spill & Remediation Bureau) plan is being updated. That is expected to be finalized soon, at which point the new generator can be filled with fuel and startup testing can begin. Final version came in last week. No updated lead time on the replacement part from Ovivo. Could be 30-45 weeks. Very slow leak, the part in there is fine for now. Would want to do the swap at a low period anyways. Skimobile-Artist Falls Water Main This project is currently in design. It will add a second piping connection between the north and south pressure zones of the water distribution system to improve resiliency. It is funded by a DWGTF loan/grant ($1,357,200 loan, $150,800 grant). Piping and equipment have begun to be delivered to the site, with work expected to begin soon. This week or next. Country Road Sewer This project extends sewer into the Country Road portion of the Village at Kearsarge. It is funded through a NHDES CWSRF loan of $1,390,000 with 10% principal forgiveness. An additional $600,000 CWSRF Loan was approved in 2025 along with $322,708 in capital reserve funds. No new updates – working through the process of project closeout. Meeting scheduled with Eric at HEB this week. Commission Meeting 08/03/2026 Adopted: 08/17/2026 Page | 4 Village at Kearsarge Condos – Sewer $443,000 was appropriated at Annual Meeting 2024 through a Petitioned Article to put toward the estimated cost of $922,000 for the Condos to connect to existing Precinct sewer (48% of total project cost). Work was to include gravity sewer, a sewer pump station, and sewer force main. This project has been awarded and is due to begin construction. We have received the invoice from the Village at Kearsarge Condo Association in the amount of $319,550. I have reviewed the project pay applications and test results and find everything to be in order. I am recommending that the Commission vote to approve reimbursement of the Village at Kearsarge Condominium Association in the amount of $319,550 to be paid from the Sewer Infrastructure Capital Reserve Fund. Motion of Commissioner Fauver to approve the reimbursement of the Village at Kearsarge Condominium Association in the amount of $319,550 to be paid from the Sewer Infrastructure Capital Reserve Fund. Second by Commissioner Morrison. Motion carried by a 3-0-0 voice vote. Town of Conway – CVFD Transition With Conway Village Fire District dissolving, the Town will assume responsibility for their water/sewer systems. NCWP is engaging with the Town to develop a new Inter-Municipal Agreement (IMA) based on fair and equitable sharing of wastewater treatment costs. I was able to connect with the Attorney General’s office. The IMA is currently in review, with a due date of August 7th. Lower Bartlett – IMA Discussion Lower Bartlett Water Precinct has received funding through USDA Rural Development to construct a sewer collection system. NCWP is working with LBWP to develop an IMA to establish what LBWP will pay for NCWP to receive and treat its sewage. NCWP received a letter from LBWP’s engineer, Verdantas, highlighting the shared benefit for both NCWP and LBWP with respect to groundwater protection. Using that premise, the letter further suggested that NCWP consider sharing in the capital cost of the sewer project. This is the first time LBWP has proposed something like this to NCWP. While the shared groundwater protection benefits are clear, there are many questions about potential sharing of capital costs that need to be carefully considered before moving forward down the path of project cost sharing. NCWP has asked Black & Veatch to provide assistance and support with this process, given their depth of experience with intermunicipal agreements across the country and the strength of their work helping to develop the cost sharing approach of the new Town of Conway IMA. It is important that NCWP have a good understanding of how such a cost-sharing proposal could work – from legal, operational, and equity perspectives – before we engage with LBWP on further discussion. Potential Water & Sewer Easement – Eastman Road NCWP is seeking a water/sewer easement on the lot just east of Walmart to provide a path for the water main to continue from Hemlock Lane to Eastman Road for resiliency of connection to Pine Hill Tank. No new updates. DOT put pause on this because of the potential lawsuit. Not granting any easements until litigation is wrapped up. Lead Service Line Investigation / Replacement Revisions to USEPA’s Lead and Copper Rule require that all public water systems identify material type for every water service line in the system and then replace certain types that may increase the risk of lead exposure. NCWP approved $925,850 for this project, which will include purchase of a vacuum excavation trailer, 20-ton equipment trailer, and mini excavator. The project is funded by NHDES with 71% principal forgiveness. No new updates. Vac trailer delivered, doing training today. Commission Meeting 08/03/2026 Adopted: 08/17/2026 Page | 5 Manhole Raising No new updates – Silas is working with the equipment vendor to schedule a demo in August. Demo date is August 12th. Coordinated with DOT and Town of Conway. River Access and Camping This summer, we seem to have an extra influx of people parking near the railroad tracks to access the river in tubes. Additionally, we’ve had people parking and camping at our Well 4/5 building. To try and discourage that, we’re having signs made noticing the area as private property, prohibiting camping and river access, and publishing state and federal regulations that allow fines up to $25,000 per day and/or imprisonment for negligent trespass. Well 4/5 Apron Paving We will be paving the access apron at our Well 4/5 control building for two important reasons in the coming weeks: 1. Improve safety when bringing pallets of NaOH (sodium hydroxide – used to raise the pH and limit corrosion in the pipes) into the building; and 2. Reduce erosion during heavy rains that causes us to frequently have to clean out the drainage swales along the road. Abatement Requests None. OLD BUSINESS • Election Rules, and Precinct Moderator and Clerk Job Descriptions • Treasurer Job Description NEW BUSINESS None. OTHER BUSINESS None. PUBLIC COMMENTS/MEDIA QUESTIONS • Treasurer Kristine Cluff raised concerns about paying for employee training in the water and sewer departments and if there is a policy in place similar to the Fire Department where the employee has to agree to stay in position for X amount of time after training, and if not they have to reimburse NCFD for the training. • The Superintendent stated that the Precinct does not have a policy for that. It has always been that the Precinct will pay for the trainings for Operators to gain licensure. • Commissioner Fauver requested that the policy NCFD has in place be added to the employee handbook. SIGNATURE OF DOCUMENTS None. SIGNING OF CHECKS Motion of Commissioner Fauver to ratify checks to be signed out of session: 1. Payroll checks dated 7/30/2026 2. Accounts payable checks dated 7/30/2026 Second by Commissioner Morrison. Motion carried by a 3-0-0 voice vote. NON-PUBLIC SESSIONS Commission Meeting 08/03/2026 Adopted: 08/17/2026 Page | 6 Motion to enter non-public session made by Commissioner Fauver and seconded by Commissioner Morrison. Specific statutory reason cited as foundation for the non-public session: _X_ RSA 91-A:3, ll(c) Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person, other than a member of the public body itself, unless such person requests an open meeting. This exemption shall extend to any application for assistance or tax abatement or waiver of a fee, fine, or other levy, if based on inability to pay or poverty of the applicant. _X_ RSA 91-A:3, ll(e) Consideration or negotiation of pending claims or litigation which has been threatened in writing or filed by or against this board or any subdivision thereof, or by or against any member thereof because of his or her membership therein, until the claim or litigation has been fully adjudicated or otherwise settled. Roll call vote to enter non-public session: Rodney Morrison Y N James Umberger Y N Deborah Fauver Y N Entered non-public session at 10:41 AM Public meeting reconvened at 11:45 AM Motion of Commissioner Fauver to seal the non-public session minutes as it was determined that divulgence could render the proposed actions ineffective. Second by Commissioner Morrison. Motion carried by a 3-0-0 voice vote. ADJOURN Having nothing further to come before this public meeting, motioned by Commissioner Fauver to adjourn at 11:45 AM. Second by Commissioner Morrison. Motion carried by a 3-0-0 voice vote. Respectfully, Molly Donley