Community Update: Highlights of June and July 2023 Board Meetings

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Community Update: Highlights of
June and July 2023 Board Meetings
We want to thank everyone for your patience as we address emergency repairs and plan for longterm upgrades to our water system. While the main break has been repaired, we continue to work to address the ongoing issues with our water, in daily communication with Sharpe. Special thanks to Board members who have devoted lots of hours during this past July 4th holiday to problem solve and address the latest water system failure. In the past month we have had emergencies related to one of our septic fields as well as a failure of the main pipe to the well. During the septic emergency, Board members took turns to manually pump the system while we waited for repairs. I am so very grateful for their dedication to our community!
We’ve held emergency Board meetings on July 4th and 8th. The meeting on July 8th was well attended by residents who learned first hand of the complexities of the decisions that we as a Board are facing. Minutes from each of these meetings will be posted on the website, and this update will summarize key points covered in all meetings that occurred in June and July
WATER SYSTEMS
Current Well
We have had two proposals from Sharpe Water with estimates to repair or replace the current well which is in imminent danger of failure. We will also seek bids from another water company too. Replacement has implications for our plans to pursue county water. In the coming weeks we will be meeting with the county official to get answers that will inform our decision on how best to proceed with the two options.
The pump house drain that flows into the bay was scheduled to be jetted by Atlantic Plumbing on July 6, but they were unable to do so citing phragmite overgrowth at the end of the pipe. Board members were skeptical, and so Rotorooter is scheduled to come out July 12, we will ask about installation of a wider drain.
County Water
Resident engineer and Board member Bill Custead leads this work. He has also proposed a third option that will be considered. We discussed the timeline, urgency, and ways to encourage the county to speed up the process which at this point looks like at least two years away. Our current system will not last until then. We are also exploring additional grants that could help us defray the costs. As you can imagine, this is a complex decision that we face and we are
determined to explore all options, weigh pros and cons, and consider financial impact when we make the best decision for all.
COMMUNITY SEPTIC
Emergency repairs were made in June to septic system B. A huge thanks to board and community members who manually pumped the system over a series of days while waiting for the repair. We avoided a devastating septic flood into homes!
WETLANDS PRESERVATION
Recent removal of phragmites from the waterfront near the dock has led to concerns about legal vs illegal actions. A call to the Worcester County Environmental agency clarified that only Phragmite can be removed from the wetlands, no other plants of any kind may be touched. Chopping Phragmite down during this season will only result in quick regrowth, and so Fall is the best time for cutting. According to Dave Bradford, the Deputy Director of Environmental Programs, hiring a company with knowledge of how to properly remove and manage growth over time is recommended. The Architectural Review Committee will revisit this in light of the impact on well drainage.
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
The townhouses are still in need of painting and repair. Letters to individual owners will be resent with deadlines.
BOAT DOCK/BOATYARD
Dock Update: New repairs are holding well. Marina is filled, but a pile driver is still needed.
Boatyard Update: Boatyard will be more functional by cutting down trees for more room for storage, and removing abandoned boats/trailers. Next year boat yard payments will be included with the dues.
RESERVE STUDY
Is underway and scheduled to be completed by the October deadline. 

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