Middletown WPCA Special & Regular Meeting Summary - May 8, 2026
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Middletown Water Pollution Control Authority Special & Regular Meeting Summary - May 8, 2026
Note: The special and regular meetings took place on May 8, 2026, according to the user-provided date, although the transcript indicates the meeting was held on May 7, 2026. This summary uses the provided date.
The Middletown Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) held a hybrid special meeting for a rate hearing and a regular meeting. The agenda included a public hearing on fire hydrant installation, adoption of sewer rates, financial reports, delinquent account discussions, a proposed water shut-off policy, budget approvals, goodwill adjustments, and an update on fire protection for Scarborough Lane.
Public Hearing & Public Comments
- John Binker (resident of Scarborough Lane) addressed the board regarding a house fire in 2022 that destroyed a home. He petitioned for installation of fire hydrants on Scarborough Lane, noting that the Westfield Fire Department had difficulty obtaining water from a buried tank. He previously discussed options with the director, including connecting existing hydrants at an estimated cost of $170,000 for homeowners. Mr. Binker stated he considered the cost unacceptable and had spoken with the mayor, who mentioned possible alternatives. He requested the board's assistance.
- Riley McManus (owner of 36 Walnut Street) presented a request for an unexplained usage adjustment on his sewer bill. He explained a spike from an average of 3,440 cubic feet to 9,700 cubic feet in the October 2025–January 2026 quarter, despite reduced occupancy. The next quarter returned to normal usage. He requested a reduction to the historical average. The director explained the board's typical goodwill adjustment policy: averaging three prior billing periods and splitting the difference. Mr. McManus was asked to return in June with further documentation.
Special Meeting: Rate Hearing
- The board read a legal notice for sewer billing and use charges, advertised on April 15, 2026. The new rates include:
- Quarterly billing for residential units with meters 5/8” to 1” (billing dates August 1, November 1, February 1, May 1).
- Monthly billing for meters 1.5” and above on the first of the month.
- For properties not using city water, a set rate based on estimated consumption of 2,350 cubic feet quarterly.
- Minimum charge of $43.75 per quarter for consumption under 500 cubic feet.
- Effective July 1, 2026, repealing all previous charges.
- The board approved the sewer rates unanimously. The special meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes: The minutes of the regular meeting of April 2, 2026, were approved unanimously with no changes.
Discussion Items
- Monthly Fund Balance Reports (April 2026):
- Water fund: cash balance of $3,244,710 (year-over-year decrease of $892,000).
- Sewer fund: cash balance of $2,082,006, reflecting repayment of a GSIF loan.
- Consumption report showed improved cash flow due to quarterly billing but noted earlier billing timing affected totals.
- Delinquent Report: A list of delinquent accounts was reviewed. The director noted that some large accounts (e.g., city departments, Liberty Commons) appear multiple times due to multiple meters. The board requested better grouping of accounts in future reports.
- Old Business – Metro Square Litigation: No new update; a meeting with the owner's attorney and city attorney had not yet occurred. The owner allegedly claimed he saw a newspaper article about overdue taxes and threatened to sue; the board had not seen the article.
- Fourth Draft Shut-Off Policy: The board discussed the policy, which would allow water shut-off for nonpayment (except for owner-occupied residences) as a method to collect delinquent accounts. The mayor was unable to attend. The board expressed urgency, noting uncollected revenue in the millions, and agreed to vote on the policy at the June meeting. Council members Linda Salafia and Vinnie Lapreto agreed to co-sponsor the policy before the City Council.
- New Business:
- Water Rate Increase FY 2026–27: Approved at a council meeting on May 4, 2026. The new rate is $4.67 per hundred cubic feet, effective July 1, 2026. No public comment was received.
- Traffic Control Costs: The police department increased traffic control rates by 25%. The board discussed that water and sewer projects pay these costs. Council member Linda Salafia stated she added an amendment to exempt water and sewer from the increase, though the board will verify the final resolution.
- GSIF Loan Resolution: Approved a loan of $1.5 million from the General Sewer Improvement Fund to the Sewer Operating Fund, to be repaid within one year (by June 30, 2027).
- Water Department Capital Non-Recurring (CNR) Budget FY 2026–27: Approved the $600,000 budget, including line items for lead service replacement ($507,940), hydrants ($20,000), water meters ($70,000), and other improvements.
- Sewer Department CNR Budget FY 2026–27: Approved the $600,000 budget, including pump station repairs ($345,000), sewer line replacements ($50,000), and vehicle replacement ($55,000).
- Goodwill Adjustment Policy for Financial Hardship: Approved a new policy allowing adjustments for owner-occupied residential properties experiencing extended unemployment or medical hardship. Requires documentation, no prior claim within 10 years, and a timely request. Excludes rental and commercial properties.
- Goodwill Adjustment for 99 Mile Lane Property: Approved a $548 adjustment for water lost due to a leak that did not enter the sewer system, as calculated by staff.
- Scarborough Lane Fire Hydrant Petition Update: Director presented options and estimated costs:
- Option A: 130 feet of 8-inch water main, tree clearing, easements, one hydrant – ~$70,000 (engineer's estimate).
- Option B: 290 feet of pipe on Atkins Street, one hydrant – ~$90,000.
- Option C: Extend water main to end of Scarborough Lane – ~$700,000.
- Option D: Full loop – ~$1.13 million.
- Mr. Binker noted that only some residents would benefit from the cheaper options. The board recommended he contact the Westfield Fire Commission to determine which option would be most effective, then engage his neighbors. The board agreed to participate in a meeting with the fire marshal if needed. The petition for cost-sharing requires 95% neighborhood participation.
Key Outcomes
- Sewer rates approved with a minimum quarterly charge of $43.75, effective July 1, 2026.
- Water rate increase approved to $4.67 per 100 cubic feet, effective July 1, 2026.
- GSIF loan of $1.5 million approved (moved by Linda Salafia, seconded by Vinnie Lapreto).
- CNR budgets approved ($600,000 each for water and sewer).
- Goodwill adjustment policy for financial hardship approved.
- Goodwill adjustment of $548 approved for the 99 Mile Lane property.
- Shut-off policy tabled to June meeting with a commitment to vote; co-sponsors identified.
- Scarborough Lane resident directed to consult Westfield Fire Commission and organize neighbors for possible cost-sharing.
- Next regular meeting scheduled for the first Thursday of June 2026 at 6:30 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. This is Brian Robelard, Chief Engineer for the Water and Sewer Department. On behalf of Chairman Brian Gartner, Director Joseph Fizzino, welcome to this scheduled and special meeting of the Middletown Water Pollution Control Authority. This meeting does appear on the city website and is appropriately scheduled on the city calendar. This meeting is open to the public for listening to the provider phone number and access code posted on the agenda. All public comments that were submitted to the director prior to the meeting will be read into the public record. The meeting will be recorded and then posted on the city of Middletown website. All speakers should identify themselves before speaking. Thank you. And now turn this meeting over to Chairman. Welcome everyone to the meeting for May 7th at 6 30. We're actually starting the meeting at 6 34 BM. And uh first on the agenda is a public hearing. We have a gentleman here from the public that wishes to address the uh WPCA, please. Uh good evening, folks. My name is John Binker. I'm a resident of uh Scarborough Lane 307th. In fact, I was here back in October, I believe. Uh petition the town and the I guess Middletown Water Pollution and Control Authority or uh installation of fire hydrants on Scarborough Lane. This is uh due to a home fire that we had back in February of God, I want to say 202, where a family was uh a place for well over a year. Um there was a uh like a one to alarm fire or whatever. I don't remember to be honest with you, but they lost everything. Um you know to me, we have an issue in terms of safety. We do have a water tank that is actually buried on Scarborough Lane. I remember I know I talked to Scott, who I believe either the uh fire chief or fire marshal for Westfield fire, like totals maybe 20,000 gallons or something along those lines. But in any event, um, even with additional companies there to uh work on the fire, they weren't able to you know save the house, right? So again, I was here October, and then I was asked to come back in November, and I believe that meeting was canceled due to E9 quorum. Um I was here, but I didn't realize it at the time. Anyway, uh I think then December, I'm not sure what happened there. And then finally, I believe it was in January. Don't quote me on it, but I did have a conversation with Joe regarding um, you know, what you folks did in terms of call it homework for lack of a better term, going out to Scarborough Lane and figuring out if fire hydrants could be added, tapped off uh one that's on Timber Ridge, and then there's another one that's in the mined Scarborough, and I don't remember the name of the street, to be perfectly honest with you, but which uh uh wouldn't call it uh an easement, let's call it to uh get down in the back of our property or um the town to take care of the not called uh retainment bonds, but they're detention bonds or whatever. Anyway, um so the next thing was that uh you know you guys were gonna I guess uh scope it out and determine what could be done, like I said, connecting a couple of those hydrants that are already in existence. And conversation I had with Joe, I believe, you know, due to us not having city water that you folks wouldn't you know be getting anything in turn for these fire items, and the cost would be put on the homeowners. And I think he told me somewhere on 170,000 dollars at the time. Don't quote me. Um after that, you know, I kind of ruminated about it a bit. And the two fire hydrants um where they would have been installed. I don't believe, you know, if I asked 44 neighbors on Scarborough Lane to chip in $4,000 each, I guess it would have been out to you know. Um, I don't think that they would buy that. Okay. Um, and then the other thing, um, I talked to Mayor Natara after that. And I told him, you know, as far as I'm concerned, under 70,000 for the homeowners to put the whole bill was unacceptable. Okay, and he said he was going to talk to you folks or Joe anyway. And we had a conversation probably about a week ago. He said that you possibly had five additional alternatives, is what he told me. And he was gonna be here via the online feed, but you know, I don't know. That's all I have. We can get into that on their regular meeting. We can discuss it if you want to stick around, but we have to jump to our special meeting, which is the rate hearing. You know, motion so just so I think the recess for the regular meeting.
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