The Water & Sewer Commission is having a work session on July 29 (Friday) at 4:00 PM. Agenda items listed are: Signature I.D. program; Safety signs for lagoons; Water rate upgrade; and Third commissioner. We urge people to attend. It will be important to find out whether the Commissioners will appoint a third commissioner or how far they are along in the selection process. It will also be interesting to learn more about their criteria for selection and how they are going about the process.
The water rate upgrade is another key item. The department is losing approximately $10,000 per month on water and depleting is cash reserve to make up the difference. The department is also facing replacing an estimated $2.5 million in equipment over the next five years and does not have the cash reserves to pay for the equipment, nor does it have a plan to deal with these expenses. How the department decides to address this problem is of critical importance not only to rate payers but to taxpayers as well, because ultimately the town is responsible for the department's debts.
At the last Water and Sewer meeting, chairman Boyle asked people what they would do in this situation. People in the town can help by providing input and support, but the department has to be forthcoming about its true financial situation. The department's short term and long term financial obligations cannot be dealt with in isolation but most be considered and prioritized with the Electric Department's obligations, and the town's. We may need the help of outside organizations as well to sift through this complex situation and develop a plan that can help us restore the town as a whole to a solid financial footing while minimizing the impact on tax payers and rate payers.
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