Monday, March 2, 2026

Underwood general services agreement, $5,000

Approved the $5,000 Underwood Engineers general engineering services agreement, 3-0.

The engineer presented a $5,000 agreement to start engineering services. The scope includes getting engaged, attending meetings and helping with initial budget support. He said it would cover work through the annual meeting on April 27, 2026. If the warrant article passes, Underwood would write a task order for next steps. A commissioner moved to approve the agreement and another seconded. The chair signed it. The commissioners will also review a separate Underwood draft contract.

2026 proposed budget and sewer base rate increase

Commissioners agreed to the sewer base increase from $94 to $125 and to use Waterworth for water only. No vote count recorded.

The commissioners agreed to a base sewer rate increase from $94 to $125. The systems operator said the district has 7,500 linear feet of 6 to 8 inch sewer lines. He said $125 would pay to clean the lines over five years and replace manhole covers. The commissioners agreed to use the Waterworth software (a rate and infrastructure planning tool) for the water side only. There will be separate water and sewer budgets and new water account numbers. The operator's pay split will change from 90% sewer and 10% water to 71% sewer and 29% water. The commissioners will hold a budget work session on March 9 at 4:00 PM at the district office. The treasurer must place public hearing notices in the newspaper by March 23. Another work session is set for March 16 at 8:00 AM.

Engineering services for water exploration

Two Underwood Engineers staff and a state Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) staff member met with the commissioners. Underwood gave a general engineering services agreement. Once signed, each job would get its own task order sent to the commissioners. The commissioners may have their lawyer review the agreement. The NH DES staff member said engineering and preconstruction costs paid now could be reimbursed from the State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan, but she could not promise that bond counsel would approve them. She said she has not seen bond counsel deny eligible costs.

Bond warrant article for well exploration

The district's lawyer helped write the warrant article (a question for voters) for a bond for well exploration. The commissioners wanted help choosing a dollar figure. The engineer suggested $3 million, and said $2.9 million may be easier to support. He said that with the SRF, the district only spends and repays what it needs. NH DES said the number could rise to $2.9 million if the commissioners send a letter adding a 25% contingency (extra money set aside for unexpected costs). The engineer said he would write a letter supporting that. The engineer suggested adding an interconnection option (linking to another water system) to the article. NH DES offered to review the article language and any public outreach before release. The district's systems operator asked NH DES to hold the SRF offer letter until after the article passes, and she said she could. The offer would likely be a $926,000 loan and a $1.4 million offer. Voting is at the annual meeting.

Water source options and next steps

The engineer said that if the warrant article passes, next steps would be to compare options: seek new wells, look at other possible wells, rehab (repair) existing wells, and explore interconnection. Underwood would estimate what each source could provide and its capital costs, list pros and cons, and research funding. A commissioner listed options: a deep rock well on the Society property off Baker Street, treating arsenic in Well #6, treating dissolved organic carbon in Well #5 (now offline), revisiting the Goldsmith Well, and studying conservation land on Summer Street and Pleasant that shows a stratified aquifer (layered underground water layer). NH DES said $1.4 million in funding, with $1 million at 100% loan forgiveness, comes from the emerging contaminants fund because the work treats PFAS. That forgiveness would be lost if only arsenic in Well #6 were treated. She said the forgiveness was tied to the Society well site, which did not work out. She expects 10% forgiveness on $400,000 of the $1.4 million. The group also said a copy of a 1986 Maher report could not be found, and Underwood and NH DES will look for one. NH DES said asset management plan grants usually open in the fall.

Trust funds warrant article

The treasurer will take the town's draft article and change it to name the Newfields Village Water & Sewer District, with the commissioners as agents to spend the money. She will combine all three accounts into one article, as a Department of Revenue Administration (DRA) staff member suggested, and send it to DRA for approval. The chair said that once voters approve it, the commissioners must decide how to use the trust fund money.

Sensus meter antennas

The chair said a meter specialist from Core and Main confirmed the district's current Sensus meters will work with antennas. Each antenna costs about $200.

Emergency water tower repair funding from standpipe trust

The systems operator said emergency maintenance on the water tower, including all Laviolette bills and other repair bills, should be paid from the standpipe trust fund account. The district will keep a running total of repair bills, and the standpipe account will repay the general checking account. The treasurer was also told to ask the district's lawyer how the cell tower account can help offset budget costs.

Commercial billing formula for tank and blending bonds

The commissioners discussed how commercial properties are billed by units for the water tank and blending facility bonds. There is no set formula, and it may be based on square footage. The systems operator suggested having the engineers create a sensible formula so billing can be done properly.