Fall Update - September 2011
At the September 10 meeting, Fuss & O'Neill presented a Wastewater Facilities Plan Update. If you would like
to review the presentation, please click here to access the document.
Spring Update - March 2011
Dear Old Lyme Shores Beach Association Member:
Winter is more then half over and everyone is looking forward to the upcoming summer season. However,
now is a good time to bring everyone up to date on what has been happening since our last all Association
meeting in September.
You remember it was at this meeting that the Association Members charged the Board of Governors through a
unanimous vote to conduct a Wastewater Control Study to determine the best possible solution for the future
handling of wastewater for the Association.
Shortly after this meeting the Board of Governors met and established a Water Pollution Control Authority
(WPCA) Committee to undertake this highly important study. The committee is made up of five members of
the Board of Governors: Association President Paul Rowean, Dino Genga, Paul Yellen, Jack Thomas and
Chaired by Jim Zanavich.
On October 06, 2010 OLSBA-WPCA published a Request for Qualifications in the Hartford Courant as Public
Notice to all interested engineering firms that OLSBA-WPCA was looking to have a Wastewater Control Study
completed. The Notice requested interested firms to submit their Statement of Qualifications to the OLSBA-
WPCA by November 10, 2010.
Thirteen companies showed interest in our Project requesting further documentation as to the Project’s
specifics. Of the thirteen, seven actually submitted timely Statement of Qualifications by the required
November 10th deadline. All seven of the submitting firms were strong well qualified engineering firms and
any one of them could probably complete our study. However, it was up to your WPCA Committee to pick the
best fit for our Study.
The WPCA Committee undertook a review of all of the submitting firms’ documentation. For two months
individual Committee members examined and thoroughly evaluated each submission, they then ranked their
preferences from best to least based on the individual WPCA Committee member’s judgment. These
rankings were then tallied and the top four firms were selected for face to face interviews.
During this time Committee members met with George Hicks of the Department of Environment (DEP) to
discuss procedures and protocol as we moved forward to the interviews and ultimately firm selection. These
discussions were extremely enlightening and helpful to the Committee members.
The selection interviews took place on January 22, 2011 in Hartford. Each firm was limited to a one hour
window. All four firms were asked the same seven questions with WPCA Committee Members individually
scoring how each firm answered the questions. As time permitted all firms were encourage to make their best
pitch as to why their firm should be the one chosen for our Study.
The Committee members then took their results home with them and reexamined all of the materials
submitted, the responses to the questions and their individual scoring. Again the results were tallied and after
a meeting on February 10th where each member presented their case for their top choice a decision was
reached.
The engineering firm selected to conduct the OLSBA-WPCA Wastewater Control Study is Fuss & O’Neill of
Manchester Ct. This firm has extensive experience in conducting such studies and is well acquainted with the
shoreline communities having just completed a study for Old Saybrook and has had projects involving both
the Town of Waterford and East Lyme. They are fully qualified and possess a strong experienced team. We
have attached a Fuss & O’Neill thumbnail overview and bios for some of the team members who will be
involved in our Study. Fuss & O’Neill has also worked closely with the Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) in obtaining funding to help finance various projects and is well versed in State policies. This will serve
our Project well.
Fuss & O’Neill was notified of their selection and WPCA Committee members met with them in their offices on
February 16th to further discuss the Project and how it is to be played out. A timeline was developed and
benchmarks established to evaluate how the Project is going. Budget figures have been developed and are
within the amounts established by the Association Membership at the September 2010 Meeting. Contracts
are expected to be signed within the next week.
Fuss & O’Neill hope to begin the Study immediately and will need to develop information on Old Lyme Shores
Beach Association’s current wastewater disposal methods. They will be using Town records, existing land and
environmental records and will need to develop additional information from our Association Members. It is
impossible to complete an accurate Study without your assistance.
It is expected that a written series of questions will be required from all of our Members regarding their
individual property and wastewater disposal. The questions are not difficult and can be answered without
further research. We ask Association Members to be open and forthright in answering the questions as it is
imperative to achieve accuracy for the Study.
In the rare instance individual Association Members may be contacted to verify or elaborate on specific areas
of concern. Fuss & O’Neill people will identify themselves to you should this happen. All information obtained
will be treated with the upmost confidentiality.
We are posting this letter to our Web site which will be updated periodically. We will also send written
communication throughout the length of the Study. It is our intent that every member is aware of the status of
our Study Project throughout its life.
Please note that representatives of Fuss & O’Neill will be at our all Association meeting on June 18, 2011.
Mark your calendars and bring your questions. It’ll be here before we know it. See you there!!
Board of Governors Old Lyme Beach Association