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Date: 5/4/2022
LONGMEADOW – The town of Longmeadow will host its Annual Town Meeting on May 10, at 7 p.m. at Longmeadow High School. There are 39 articles to be considered by voters, including the budget, town pool needs and the adoption of a bylaw regulating outdoor water usage.
The town has several accounts with balances from which certain articles will be funded. There is $500,000 in free cash, $7.13 million in its stabilization account – essentially, a municipal savings account – and $12,120 in the capital stabilization account.
There are also three sources of funding – the water, sewer and stormwater retained earnings accounts – that are designed to be used for projects related to those infrastructure systems. The Water Retained Earnings account has a balance of $406,430, the Sewer Retained Earnings account has $710,094 and there is $209,116 in the Stormwater Retained Earnings account.
Budget
The operating budget for the fiscal year 2023 (FY23) is $70.03 million, an increase of $1.10 million, or 1.61 percent, over FY22. The school department represents the largest portion of that amount, at $37.39 million. Rather than using the entire 2.5 percent tax levy increase that is allowed by law, the FY23 budget only uses 1.75 percent. Keeping the levy lower than the maximum will buy some time before the town collides with the debt ceiling.
Generally speaking, the proposed budget is level-service funded, but there were a few sizeable line-item changes. The line for legal expenses dropped by nearly $200,000, to $246,600. Town Manager Lyn Simmons explained to Reminder Publishing that the decrease was the result of a change in the way the department is funded. The FY22 budget included a “supplemental appropriation that was done at the fall Town Meeting of $300,000,” she said.
This year, the legal budget is being fully funded at the start of the year, rather than waiting to see what the needs are in the fall. The year-over-year increase to the full legal budget is closer to $61,500, Simmons said.
There was also an increase of $160,000 in the budget for the Recreation Department and an increase in the expected reimbursement revenue of $318,000 from the daycare program. Simmons said these changes are connected.
“The program shut down in FY20 as a result of the [coronavirus] pandemic. It partially opened in mid FY22 (fall 2021) and was only half-funded to represent a half year of programming,” Simmons said. “The program is fully open now and the revenue it brings in offsets the cost to the general fund.” In other words, while the year-round operation of the daycare program will add expenses to the Recreation Department, the reimbursement from user fees will bring in almost twice as much revenue.
Capital Projects
A total of $2.01 million is requested in Article 12 to cover eight capital projects, ranging from $55,000 for a kitchen renovation at the police station to $695,000 for the first of two phases of roof replacement at Center School. Other big-ticket items include $635,000 for pavement and $400,000 for sidewalk reconstruction. The warrant breaks down the funding by project.
Water/Sewer/Stormwater Infrastructure Articles
Article 17 would use $101,000 from the Stormwater Enterprise Fund to improve the drainage of Shady Knoll Drive. A failing drainage ditch on the road was identified and $131,500 in repairs were approved as part of the capital improvements at last year’s Annual Town Meeting. Erosion has caused additional damage and the project has expanded in scope, requiring additional funding.
Article 25 is another stormwater-related project. This article asks to borrow $250,000, $150,000 of which will be reimbursed by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) over two years.
Several articles seek money for water and sewer main expenses. Articles 18, 19 and 20 seek to borrow $100,000 and take another $100,000 from the Water Retained Earnings account to fund drawing and planning for the Longmeadow Street water main replacement.
The Longmeadow Main Street sewer main replacement drawings would be funded by $200,000 from the Sewer Retained Earnings Account, as described in Article 20.
Article 21 asks to borrow $900,000 for the replacement of a water main on Emerson Road, while Article 22 would borrow $750,000 for the same purpose on Cooley Drive.
Enhancements to the water quality and flow systems would be made with $200,000 borrowed by the town. The testing of the water quality every quarter has “consistently yielded high disinfection byproducts,” the warrant states. The funding would pay for a hydraulic modeling and tracer study that has already been completed.
The first year of a two-year sewer monitoring project, known as the Capacity Management Operation and Maintenance (CMOM), would be funded with $195,000 in Article 24. MassDEP requires such sewer monitoring systems to be employed.
Wage Settlement
Article 11 seeks to establish a Wage Settlement Account. All non-school collective bargaining agreements, except for the Fire Department, are expiring at the end of June and wage adjustments for the police, Department of Public Works (DPW), and several other departments are not automatically part of the budget. The Wage Settlement Account would appropriate $578,218 for this purpose.
Greenwood Pool
Articles 5 and 6 concern the operation of Greenwood Pool. It was discovered earlier this year that the concrete pool has been leaking at a rate of 15,000 gallons of water each day during the summer months, costing the town $80 per day. It is unknown how long this leak has existed. Installation of a pool liner, for about $200,000, would solve the leak.
The town is also asking for $30,000 for a pool cover for Greenwood Pool. As it was explained in the warrant, “Adding a pool cover will reduce the amount of water evaporation that occurs, cut down on chemical consumption and cleaning time. A cover also adds a level of safety to help prevent accidental entry into the pool and will help protect the new liner from the sun’s UV rays.”
Community Preservation
Articles 30 through 38 are for community preservation projects totaling $883,819. The more costly projects include $300,000 to replace windows at Center School. Originally, Simmons had sought to fund this project with money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, but the Select Board disagreed with that plan.
There is also a request for $350,000 for the Bliss Park skateboard park, $108,700 to upgrade the Edgerly Building at Wolf Swamp Field and $75,000 for a hydrologic and hydraulic study of Bliss and Laurel Parks.
Outdoor Water Use Bylaw
Article 39 is a new bylaw that was proposed to curb excessive outdoor use of water. MassDEP has set a water consumption goal of 65 gallons per person per day (G/P/D). Late last year, Longmeadow was made aware that its usage far exceeded the goal.
The bylaw allows the declaration of one of three conditions, “State of Water Supply Conservation”, “State of Drought” or “State of Water Supply Emergency.” The first is decided by the town, while the second two conditions are declared by the state secretary of environmental affairs and the Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force. When one of the conditions is in effect, restrictions of outdoor water use will be employed, including restricted days, times and methods. There may also be an outdoor water use ban imposed. Violation of these restrictions can result in civil fines.
Additionally, Assistant Town Manager Corrin Meise-Munns explained, the bylaw allows the town to “regulate the installation of in-ground irrigation systems by requiring that these systems are registered with the DPW’s Water Department and are properly installed according to the Uniform State Plumbing Code (248 CMR 10.00).” Also, “irrigation systems will need to be installed with (or, if pre-existing, retrofitted with) timing devices” that allow the systems to comply with outdoor water use restriction.
Outdoor water use is not regulated unless the water conditions have been declared. The following are exempt from regulation: outdoor water use from private wells, use for health or safety reasons use required by regulation, use for the production of food and fiber, use for the maintenance of livestock or use to meet the core functions of a business.
The following frequently asked questions were answered by Meise-Munns:
Why is this bylaw being proposed now? Do other communities have similar bylaws or ordinances?
Longmeadow’s per capita residential water use was the second-highest in all of Massachusetts in 2020, following Town of Weston at 139 G/P/D. During the three years preceding the report, Longmeadow’s residential G/P/D had been reported at 120 G/P/D (2020), 92 G/P/D (2019), and 94 G/P/D (2018). MassDEP calls for the town to commit to establishing a water conservation bylaw requiring weather-responsive controls on automated lawn irrigation systems.
This strategy was identified by analysis of Longmeadow’s residential water bills. Water use increases heavily during irrigating months; in non-irrigating months, Longmeadow’s G/P/D was more closely aligned with the state average. Therefore, any controls placed on extraneous irrigation (irrigation when it is not needed for the health of the lawn, such as during wet weather) is likely to improve Longmeadow’s G/P/D water use.
By adopting this Outdoor Water Use Bylaw, Longmeadow will join the ranks of many other municipalities across the state that have already adopted similar bylaws/ordinances. These communities include, but are not limited to, the towns of Shrewsbury, Spencer, Concord, Franklin, Lincoln, and Acton.
Isn’t our excess water usage due to large institutions? Why do residents need to comply when individually we use very little water compared to a golf course or institutional facility?
MassDEP isolated our municipal water usage data to identify residential water use. The numbers cited as our annual G/P/D only reflect water used on residential sites. Institutions, businesses, and municipal properties are not counted in these numbers.
Regardless, the proposed bylaw would require all customers of the public water supply to follow the same law. So, any public water supply users, including commercial and municipal, would need to comply with this bylaw and purchase and install the appropriate soil moisture or weather sensors to their irrigation systems. The only properties which would be exempt from the bylaw are residents, businesses, institutions, and municipal sites that rely on their own private water sources for irrigation – such as wells or irrigation ponds. Neither MassDEP, the Select Board, nor the town manager have jurisdiction over private water supplies in this matter.
What will compliance with this bylaw cost me? Will the town help pay for/cover the cost of compliance?
The cost of these devices vary by the type of sensor, and the make and model but can be as inexpensive as approximately $50 when purchased and installed by oneself, or up to several hundred dollars when paying for a high-end product and installation. As long as the device works for the intended purpose, the town will not require one model over another.
Longmeadow has discussed offering an incentive to residents with existing irrigation systems to help cover a portion of the cost. The value of this incentive has not yet been set and will not be until the bylaw passes. This value will be set by the Select Board in their roles as the Town Water Commissioners. Note that the town is not required to incentivize or help cover the cost of following a law; however, Longmeadow will be offering such an incentive to demonstrate goodwill and acknowledge the extra unexpected cost for someone who had previously installed a system.
Why do I need a backflow prevention device for my irrigation system?
Subsection 5.3 (a) of the proposed bylaw describes the installation of backflow prevention devices as already required per Massachusetts Drinking Water Regulations (310 CMR 22.22).
These are state regulations and are not specific to Longmeadow or any other community. Just as it is when installing any indoor plumbing, it is the responsibility of the system owner to conduct due diligence and ensure compliance with all relevant local, state, and federal laws. A reputable landscape company or plumber hired to install an irrigation system would know this and comply.
If a resident is installing their own irrigation system, it is up to them to perform due diligence and learn what the relevant regulations are as housed in 248 CMR 10.00: Massachusetts Uniform State Plumbing Code and 310 CMR 22.22: Massachusetts Drinking Water Regulations. Residents and business owners are invited to speak with Paul Healy, the building commissioner, to learn about the laws and regulations governing their projects, and which permits may be required.
Inspection of the backflow prevention devices is also already required by the state. The language in subsection 5.3 (c) of the proposed bylaw reminds readers of that responsibility. Per the already existing Town of Longmeadow’s Water Rules and Regulations Section 7-4.2.h: The DPW is responsible for conducting the inspections and will charge fees to the customer for the inspections, per already existing town regulations. Again, the proposed Outdoor Water Use Bylaw is not introducing any new policy here.
How will this bylaw be enforced, and will it cause additional burdens to our already under-resourced staff?
Enforcement will occur in the same way that zoning or building code enforcement already occurs – if an enforcement officer notices a suspected violation (a sprinkler system on during a rain event, for example), or if a neighbor reports a suspected violation of the same nature, an enforcement officer would visit the site.