HomeMy WebLinkAbout1929_12_20 Town Board Minutes (2) MINUUT -S, OF A JOINT MEETING OF THE BOARD 07 TRUSTEES OF T12 VILLAGE
OF MAMARONECK, TOVT17 BOARD OF THE TOWN OF MAMARONECK ANDTHT. TOWN
BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HARRISON, HELD DECEMBER 20_TH, 1929 at B;OOP. M.
at the VILLAGE MEETING ROODS.
Present:. Mayor A. V. Hains
Trustees W� T. Kuhn
W. E. Lyoh' Tr.
W. A. Rushworth
E. Chrystie
Town of Mamvk. Sup. Burton
Tudge Boyd
Judge Leeds
Clerk Sherman
Atty. Gamble
Atty. Esser
Town of Harrison Sup. Taylor
Judge Minor
Judge Min tzn e r
Judge Sullivan
Mayor Rains called the meeting to order and turned the
chair over to Supervisor Burton.
Supervisor Burton requested that Clerk O*Callaghan of
the Village of Mamaroneck take down the proceedings of the meeting.
He also stated that the purpose of the meeting was to present to
the Boards concerned, the plans and programs for the extension of
the Westchester Joint dater Warks,. No. 1. The conditions existing
were most unsatisfactory due to the over working of the plant, the
small amount of surplus water and the increase of the communities
using this water.
When the plant was first purchased in 1925,. the consump-
tion amounted to from two to three million gallons daily and in
1924 it amounted to five or sax million. It was now absolutely
necessary to make certain replacements and betterments in order
that the people might be assured of good drinking water and
adequate fire protection.
Mr. Hogan, special auditor for the Water Board explained
in detail the financial report of the Westchester Joint Water Works
from the inception of business to Dedember lst, 1929* showing total
receipts of $2,200.016.61, and total disbursements of $2,199,893.73.
He further stated that the interest on bonds issued and maturing
bonds must be paid for by the Water Co. ftom the rates collected in
the future, as they had in the past.
Engineer Potter addressed the meeting and outlined contemp-
lated plans for the enlarging, extending and otherwise improving
the joint water works. The proposed improvements ,consisted of three
storage reservoirs, one at the site of the existing dam near the
present pumping station, one along Mamaroneck Avenue in the property
owned by the Westchester County Park Commission, and one at Silver
Lake, the total of these exclusive of cost of land or interest during
construction, amounting to $322,,600. Plant improvements consisted of
laboratory equipment, a claar water basin, additional filters, an
additional power unit and additional pumps, at a total cost exclud-
ing interest during construction, of $212,OOO. A stand pipe to be
constructed in the vicinity of Polly Park Road and North Street in
Harrison would cost exclusive of cost of land and interest during
construction, $'75,000. For the acquisition of land for a future
reservoir to be located at Forest Park, $50,000. All these im-
provements to be at a total cost of $659,600. , excluding the 100
acres of land to be acquired for the upper reservoir and one-half
acres of land for the Harrison standpipe and interest during the
construction of all the work. He further stated that unless- some
action was taken* it would be necessary to continue purchasing
water from the New York City supply during the dry season. The
water purchased during the summer of 1929 cost $55,000 amount was
more than sufficient to pay for the upkeep and financing of addit-
ional reservoirs.
Supervisor Burton stated that the County had given the
Westchester' Toint Water works access to from sixty to eighty acres
along Mamaroneck Ave. and also acquiesced to the raising the
dam and flooding a larger area at Silver Lake.
Supervisor Taylor stated that the cost of the proposed im-
provements amounted to '$750,000. Better water would be obtained and
a daily capacity of approximately ten to twelve million gallons which
was adequate for some years to come. The Westchester County Park
Commission had agreed to undertake the planting of trees and shrubs
to beautify the proposed lake along Mamaroneck Avenue.
Mr. Esser advised that on theproposed bonds to be issued,
the .three boards should approve the plans as prepared by the engin-
eers as a first step. Before bonds could be issued, however, the
Village of Mamaroneck should pass a resolution to issue these bonds
which was subject to a permissive referendum under the Village Law.
The Town boards must then wait until this permissive referendum had
taken place when they could sell their bonds , but until that time
could take no further action. The estimated cost to each municipal-
ity was based on the water consumption of each obtained by a survey
of the engineers which was as follows: Harrison, 35.88% ca- $269,100;
Village of Yamaroneck, 47.06fa or $352=950, Town of Mamaroneek,27.06%
or $127,950.
Supervisor Taylor stated that the report of the Westchester
Toint Water Works, No. I by the State Board of Health showed that good II',
healthy drinking water- was obtained but fault had been found with the
use of the two obsolete , uncovered settling basins and recommended
that this be corrected and additional units be added in order that
the plant would not be used at capacity as it is at the present time.
The full program as contemplated, would take from one to
one and one-half years to complete and the object of the water
Board was to commence this work as soon as possible. The matter of
running a pipe from Silver Lake at a cost of $400,000 had been invest- 1
igated but the opinion of the engineers was that an open stream would
be just as satisfactory; inasmuch as the County Park Commission own
both sides of the stream and the cost. was considerably less.
Trustee Rushworth was informed that the County Sewer
which had been laid 8 ft. from the proposed reservoir, was made absol-
utely water tight and was lower than the water supply, thus doing
away with the question of sewage seeping into the water system.
Supervisor Burton spoke on the advantages of the proposed
improvements stating that it was the hope of the water Board to keep
the rates as they were at present or if they were increased, to a
small degree, 10rzt to 15%_ at the most.
Nr Hogan advised the ifteeting that there was no charge
under the title of reserve for depreciation in their accounting
but that one-half of one percent was set aside as a reserve for
renewals, basing forty years an the life of the entire plant.
The proposed plan was discussed by the members of the
various boards present, in detail as to the expenditures and receipts
under the existing conditions as compared with the proposed conditions
and on motion, of Trustee Chrystie seconded by Supervisor Taylor,
— RESOLVIM, that it be the sense of this joint
meeting that the separate boards convene to
discuss the proposed plans for the improvement
of the Westchester Toint Water Works, No, 1.
So carried.
The meeting then adjourned.
CLERK