Stratford WPCA approves engineering fees for flood-protection, greenlights stormwater study and denies Orno Lane sewer hookup

The Town of Stratford Water Pollution Control Authority on April 22 approved three actions tied to wastewater infrastructure and discussed how sharply higher project estimates could affect federal funding and local rates.

At the meeting Chairman Brian O'Connor called the board to order and members first approved meeting minutes. The board then voted to approve a $60,000 engineering fee amendment to cover additional design and permitting work for the WPCF perimeter flood‑protection project after staff told the board that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection requires a dam‑safety permit that was not anticipated in the original design scope. Town engineer John Casey told the board the amendment was needed because "the engineers proposed a fee amendment in the amount of $60,000 for those work tasks." The motion to approve the fee amendment carried by voice vote.

The board also authorized a phased study for stormwater improvements at the Water Pollution Control Facility, approving a not‑to‑exceed study fee of $157,250 for the consultant listed in the meeting transcript as "Time Bond." Casey said the consultant has already begun survey work and that the $157,250 figure is for a preliminary study phase that would be negotiated further and must be approved by the state agency that is the grantee under the subgrant. "Their fee is proposed at a hundred and $57,250," Casey said during the presentation. The board voted to move forward with that study contract.

Separately, the WPCA considered a request to connect a proposed development at 170 Orno Lane. Staff described the development as 11 single‑family condominium homes; the request sought sewer service sized for 11 three‑bedroom units (33 bedrooms total). The zoning commission had previously approved a global settlement and a unit mix of seven 2‑bedroom and four 3‑bedroom units; the developer had sought to change that mix and zoning denied that change. The board concluded the proposed hookup differed from the approved settlement and voted to deny the sewer extension request.

Members used the meeting to review several large infrastructure projects that will affect future budgets. Casey said the floodwall project is at about 90% design and cited the originally awarded FEMA grant (transcribed during the meeting as $2,000,729 and $7,771) but said the most recent cost estimate received the preceding Friday raised the total project cost to about $13,600,000. Casey said staff will re‑evaluate the project's benefit‑cost ratio for FEMA, noting that a much higher project cost could prompt FEMA to reassess the award. "We did ask the engineer to evaluate, with this higher cost... whether the cost effectiveness meets FEMA's criteria for funding," Casey said.

The WPCA also reviewed the WPCF stormwater grant the town has for related work. Casey said the grant is approximately $4,000,000 (he rounded in the meeting to $4,100,000 for discussion) and that the town's match would be roughly $1,400,000. Board members discussed the town's annual capital ask — typically about $500,000 — and the need to plan years of capital work and possible bundling of projects to bid efficiently.

Board members and staff discussed the WPCA fund balance and the rate schedule. An unidentified WPCA board member said the fund balance is "right at the line" and that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection wants the authority to increase that balance; the board discussed scheduling one or more special meetings to finalize a budget and set rates before the tax‑billing timeline. Councilman O'Neil and other members asked staff to pursue any additional grant options but staff cautioned that combining federal funding sources has constraints and that available state and investment dollars have been limited.

The meeting concluded with the board scheduling additional special meetings to accommodate the budget, rate‑setting timeline and a Memorial Day scheduling conflict, and with a motion to adjourn.

Votes at a glance
• Approve minutes (motion to approve minutes of the February meeting): passed by voice vote.
• Approve $60,000 fee amendment to GZA for flood‑protection project (mover: Mister Veil; seconder: speaker 6): passed by voice vote.
• Award WPCF stormwater study, not‑to‑exceed $157,250 (mover: speaker 6; seconder: speaker 3): passed by voice vote; contract subject to negotiation and state approval of subgrant terms.
• Deny sewer extension request for 170 Orno Lane (mover: Mister Rilla; seconder: John Casey): motion carried by voice vote.

What’s next
Staff said they will confirm FEMA benefit‑cost ratio calculations for the floodwall given the higher cost estimate, finalize negotiations on the stormwater study scope and fee, and coordinate special WPCA meetings to finalize the WPCA budget and set rates.