January 2019

1. Upcoming events.
2. Featured Topic (Challenges)
3. Breaking News and Current Events
4. Rumors and Corrections
5. Water Bill Reminder
6. Tax Bill Reminder
7. Website updates
8. How to contact the District of Eidelweiss District office and the Commissioners.
9. Links to Commissioners and Committee Meeting minutes.

Upcoming events

• Feb 12, 2019 1:00 pmAsset Management meeting at the Eidelweiss Office
• Feb 23, 2019 VDOE Annual Meeting Voting 5pm to 7pm; deliberative session 7 pm.
• Every Tue. 8:00 am Commissioners meeting at the Eidelweiss District Office.  

Challenges for VDOE

The year begins with continuing challenges.  A public hearing for 2019 warrant articles took place on January 18, 2019. The Commissioners described the background and rationale for 2019 planned activities.  In addition to the Commissioners’ warrant articles, there were several petitioned warrant articles from citizens.  The Commissioners are not in favor of any of the petitioned articles.   

The website has substantial information about the Commissioners’ plans for warrant articles for 2019. All warrant articles prepared by the Commissioners have a detailed cost analysis. The Commissioners encourage the voters to carefully review the proposed warrant articles and request additional backup materials from the office if desired.

Roads

The year has started with significant storms with high amounts of snow and a combination of rain and ice. Repairs of the Terra Star involved an expense of $8,538. On January 25, 2019 the Terra Star was engulfed in a fire that resulted in a total loss. An insurance claim has been filed. We face difficulty in snow plowing as a result of the loss of the Terra Star. A loan of equipment from Madison has been requested.

The Ford 550 has been repaired at a cost of $2,061.33 to correct the front end and inoperable plow controls.  In addition, new chains were purchased.

Salt and sand were delivered in early January in order to meet anticipated requirements.

One part time employee helped with the snow removal.

Water System

For four days –December 27 thru 30, 2018 the DPW well did not operate as a result of a pump failure. Muddy Beach well was able to provide full water service during the outage. This was a high usage time period. The volume during these days was three times the normal usage.  Fortunately, we had a spare pump in our inventory. Without it the outage would have been protracted.

Water usage in 2018 was at historical normal levels. This means that prior leak detection efforts have been successful.

As a result of much of the water system’s assets being over 50 years in age, we are faced with the need to replacement.

Earlier this year, the District received reports that both storage tanks at Reinach had failed inspection and could not be re-lined.  These tanks provide the main water storage for the district.  In discussion with NH DES it was determined that a new larger water tank is required.  The Commissioners believe that the concrete tank design for the Reinach tank replacement is the most effective and lowest cost alternative. Two thirds voter approval at the annual meeting is required to approve the financing. The State DES representative has stated if the project is not approved, the State will mandate and manage the project.

2019 Warrant Articles for the Water System (retained from the December Newsletter)

• The Commissioners will prepare a Reinach Tank Replacement warrant article for a concrete tank with a 90,000-gallon capacity to replace two steel tanks with a 60,000 capacity. The steel tanks were determined to need replacement and not suitable for relining. The warrant article will use an engineering cost estimate of $653,400. The December 4, 2018 bid opening resulted in one bid that was rejected by the Commissioners due to its high price. A survey of the potential bidders indicated that the lack of certainty of funding resulted in no interest in bidding.
• One warrant article will address the use of funds available in the existing bank loan. The Commissioners will request alternative projects to be covered under the loan. These projects are based on priority and risks to the system operation. The DPW electrical system needs substantial upgrades to avoid possible failure which would shut down the entire system and other improvements to meet code. Other projects include Summit pump house electrical update and the Chocorua pump house electrical update.
• One warrant article will request funding the Upper Lakeview pressure reducing valve from water fees. Other warrant articles cover additions to capital reserves. These reserves are essential in being able to replace or reline tanks or to repair or replace water lines in the future. Muddy Beach tank replacement warrant article will request funding from the Water Tank Capital reserve.
• A water rate projection has been completed and is available on the website.  The projected water user fee for 2019 is $616.  The impact of the Reinach tank proposed loan is $94.00 per user for 20 years.   
• 2018 water budget versus actual expenditures were tight. Most expenses were in line with budget except for repairs and heating costs. 

2019 Warrant Articles for the Highway (retained from December Newsletter)

• The Commissioners will recommend several warrant articles. All of which are to be funded, all or in part, by taxes. Replacement of the Ford F550 will be funded by a bank loan in the amount of $85,615. Gravel road repairs above the usual maintenance involve a cost of $7,275. Asphalt road shim cost for four roads cost is at $21,750. The replacement the inoperable York rack with a front runner rake will involve a cost $4.180. The Thusis project was modified as a result of a revised engineering design that relocated all drainage on to Village property. All work on this project is to be done by the DPW. The cost of the project is $3,425 with $2,010 coming from the balance in an existing warrant article and $1,415 from taxes. Grandval Way and Konstanz Road need an engineering evaluation to determine the scope of requirements to correct drainage, road surface conditions and removal of obstructions.
• 2018 was a difficult year with a large number of ice storms in the early part of the year and above normal number of snow and ice storms in the end of the year. 
• An estimated tax rate projection has been completed.  The estimated tax rate for 2019 is $5.14 per thousand as the Commissioners propose the Warrant.  Passage of any petitioned article may impact this number.       

Breaking News and Current Events:

• Please keep in mind that it is a violation of NH Law to plow or push snow onto the roads.  Driveway plow operators who push snow onto or across the roads narrow the travel surface and create extra work for the DPW.  Property owners are responsible to insure proper snow removal at their property. 

• Public Notice for the 2019 Annual Meeting

The following offices will be open to candidates at the Annual Meeting of the Village District of Eidelweiss on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at the Madison Elementary School

                        Commissioner                                  3 yr term

                        Commissioner                                  2 yr term

                        Treasurer                                           2 yr term

                        Clerk                                                   2 yr term

Final date for submission of petitioned articles was January 18^th. 

A Public Hearing for a bond for water system improvements in the amount of $653,400 was held January 18^th at 7:00 pm at the Madison Town Hall

A Public Hearing for a bond for purchase of a new truck in the amount of $85,615 was held January 18^th at 7:00 pm at the Madison Town Hall

The Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, February 23^rd at the Madison Elementary School. 

Voting will be from 5 - 7 p.m. The deliberative session will begin at 7 p.m. 

Rumors and corrections

There is a rumor that the Board of Commissioners are not effectively planning and managing projects. 

All projects proposed on the 2019 Warrant by the Commissioners have been fully planned.  Scope of each project has been identified, cost estimates have been received for each project from contractors and vendors, priority of every project proposed has been considered.  Every proposed water system project on the 2019 Warrant was identified by the Asset Management Teams review of the Water System Master Plan; road projects have been identified by the Asset Management Road review completed with the VDOE Highway Foreman.    

Water Bill Reminder: 

Any property with an outstanding water bill has been posted for service disconnection.    

Tax Bill Reminder:

The second tax payment was due December 6, 2018.  Please be aware that all 2018 tax increases for the County, School, Town and District are included with the second tax payment of the year. 

Website updates

If you have photos of the district and would like to share them so that they may be included on the site, please send them to office@vdoe-nh.org.  We will review and select the best photos for use with the site.

How to contact the District office:

• The VDOE has an official website and sends out emails with emergency notifications. Be sure to visit the website at www.vdoe-nh.org and enroll.
• The VDOE has a “see something / say something” policy. Anyone who sees something suspicious or unusual should report it for the benefit of the VDOE community to the Madison Police at 603-367-8334 (non-emergency line).
• Office hours and guidelines have been added to the website to make it more convenient to schedule appointments with the District administrator. Click Here for Office Hours.

The office can always be contacted via email with questions, concerns and suggestions. Messages will be forwarded from the office to the commissioners. The email address is office@vdoe-nh.org

Links to Commissioners and Committee Meeting minutes:

• Commissioners Meetings
• Asset Management Committee Meetings: