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For a variety of reasons, the Middleboro Selectmen never seem to pay much attention to water and ignore it until a crisis is created like the one that prevented the tax rate from being set until water rates were increased.
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Last year, the former Town Manager, Jack Healey told the Selectmen that fees had not been increased in almost 20 years and reminded them that rates needed to be addressed.
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Instead of addressing the matter, the Middleboro Selectmen ignored it.
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Because the Water Department is an ENTERPRISE ACCOUNT, it must be self-supporting.
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Last week, Selectman Wayne Perkins spoke on Selectman Adam Bond's radio program and said all the politically correct and predictable things one might expect regarding the importance of water as a resource and of course, the Lakeville IMA (Inter municipal Agreement).
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Last year, I raised the issue on numerous occasions about the need to begin a public dialogue to address separating the water and sewer departments from the Board of Selectmen. Clearly, the Board lacks the time or inclination to pay adequate attention to the need and the ratepayers deserve better.
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My suggestion precipitated the immediate knee-jerk reaction from the usual whining negative crowd that insists that management by crisis has worked fine in the past and will continue to do so.
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In 2006, a town committee reviewed the method other municipalities employed with their water and sewer departments. Selectman Patrick Rogers served on the committee and indicated that other municipalities found it most effective to combine water, sewer and DPW.
Tom White served as Chairman of that committee and indicated that the report should be available prior to the end of 2007. A public records request has been submitted for that report, but I am not optimistic. Perhaps this serves as an example of why committees don't always work.
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There are future issues that require planning and consideration that are conveniently ignored at cost to ratepayers, particularly FEES. That the former Town Manager indicated FEES had not been increased in almost 20 years would seem important enough for the BOS to heed. Selectman Patrick Rogers has raised the issue repeatedly of WATER DEVELOPMENT FEES for new customers, like a buy-in fee.
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In order to better serve the region, it is likely that a regional water authority will come into being that to include at least Carver and Lakeville. As such, it would seem of greater future importance to ratepayers to ensure a separation.
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Emergency water service was extended by the Middleboro Board of Selectmen to a new residential customer in Carver last year that should have received Town Meeting approval according to the Carver IMA. Town Meeting voters were never asked to approve the new service. It would seem to be another issue that bears monitoring by a separate governing body.
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Ratepayers can submit a petition to the Board of Selectmen requesting a warrant article to be added to the Town Meeting Warrant with the signatures of 10 registered voters. Is it time to get involved?
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Since a permanent change would include a Charter change, my initial suggestion was to consider an 'advisory committee' of perhaps 3 members appointed by the Board of Selectmen. That 'advisory committee' would seem to function well meeting no more than monthly. Is that a sensible approach for ratepayers?
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