Pollution District Votes New Officers, Plans Brief Elm St. Closure

Above, New CRPCD Leadership: Franklin's Mark Cataldo, Clerk; Franklin's David Formato, Chair, and Medway's Michael Callaghan, Vice Chair.

The Charles River Pollution Control District (CRPCD), the independent agency that treats Franklin sewerage before it goes into the Charles River, held a monthly and an annual meeting, back to back, on Wednesday afternoon, starting at 3pm at the District’s main facility in Medway.

One of the first items on the monthly meeting agenda was a discussion of the plans to install an Insituform-type liner for the sewer interceptor that runs along Elm Street in Franklin, crosses the Charles and continues on into Medway. Director Elizabeth Taglieri explained that the line has been in need of repair. Its condition will determine how long repairs take but in discussions with the contractor, the CRPCD is aiming to accomplish the installation of the liner, before fall if possible.

The hoped-for sequence of event will be to only shut down the bridge (and part of the road) for just a few days. Work will proceed around the clock in that phase and temporary pumps and piping will route the sewerage around the area being repaired.

The contractor emphasized that redundant pumps will be available to minimize the risk of any service disruption.

Much of the rest of the meeting involved reviewing spending and discussing the ongoing challenges of I&I – infiltration and inflow – which adds cost to operations.

Also discussed and approved was a ban on accepting grease and fat waste. Taglieri said her department had contacted other similar facilities across the region and none currently accept the waste, which can clog CRPCD equipment and must still be hauled away and burned. It was noted that commercial haulers are operating in the region and can handle this waste for those that need it. Taglieri also proposed not only informing companies that haul waste to the CRPCD facilities that it will no longer be accepted and won approval to institute fines and suspension of service measures for violators. The changes will become effective July 1.

After the conclusion of the meeting. The same personnel began the CRPCD annual meeting.

Election of officers being the first order of business, someone nominated the sitting Chair, Douglas M. Downing of Medway, to continue in the position. But Downing had other ideas, nominating David Formato, the sitting Vice Chair, a resident Franklin.

Downing paused and explained that he had been with the commission for more than 20 years, about 16 of which were as Chair, and he suggested it was time for someone new. He lauded Formato as fully prepared to take on the task. Following that “speech” the nomination of Downing was withdrawn and the Commissioners voted unanimously to install Formato as Chair.

They also then voted Michael Callahan, a Medway commissioner, as Vice Chair. Mark Cataldo of Franklin was again voted as Clerk. The reconstituted Commission then formally appointed Taglieri to her current position, Barbara Maffeo as executive secretary, and John Foster as Treasurer. Downing will remain a Commissioner from Medway and Wolfgang Bauer will stay on as a Commissioner for Franklin.

There followed a discussion of District finances. The “stabilization” balance was noted at $2.4 million. There was discussion of creating a dedicated I&I account, using some of the surplus monies from the year. After some discussion, it was agreed that some money should be put aside for that purpose and the rest retained for the stabilization account ($300k for the latter, $131,701 for the latter).

The Commission then adjourned.