In response to concern from residents, the town will seek legal advice about whether the contract for sewer construction in the Cromesett and Oakdale neighborhoods can be combined with that of the Parkwood Beach neighborhood, and whether $1.4 million in federal stimulus funding, presently earmarked for the Cromesett/Oakdale contract, could then be applied to the combined contract.

A combination of the contracts and application of the stimulus money to that combined contract would spread the cost of the sewer extensions more evenly among affected property owners. The betterment fee is the amount each household along a new sewer line is required to pay to cover the cost of the extension.

Cromesett, Oakdale, and Parkwood property owners have not yet been given a final figure for how much their betterment fee will cost, which is causing many residents in those neighborhoods to worry about how much they will have to pay.

Parkwood residents were previously told their fee would be in the $18,500 to $19,000 range. Some Cromesett and Oakdale residents say they have heard estimates well above $20,000. Even spread over an allowed 30 years, the result is a substantial new annual expense for someone on a fixed income.

"The citizens are hearing ... exorbitant estimates," Selectman Cara Winslow said during the Tuesday, May 18, Board of Selectmen meeting. "We need to work on [how] to get them a final figure, because there's a lot of anxiety."

Board of Selectmen Chairman Jane Donahue said she would like various estimates to be provided to residents based on how much the fee would be if the contracts are combined or not combined.

While the Parkwood Beach project was more expensive than Cromesett/Oakdale will be, the Parkwood cost will be divided among approximately 440 property owners. Cromesett/Oakdale costs will be divided among only about 260 property owners.

Although not all property owners are required to immediately tie into a new sewer line, the betterment fee is mandatory for any property owner who gets the ability to tie into the line.

In other town business, the Board of Selectmen voted to propose co-chairs for the School Committee's Transportation Review and Crisis Planning subcommittees, with a member of the Selectmen serving as a co-chair with the School Committee's chosen chair, as well as another member of the Selectmen serving on each committee.

The School Committee asked for a representative of the Selectmen to serve on the committees. If the School Committee approves the addition of members, Donahue will serve on the Transportation Review committee with Selectman Brenda Eckstrom. Donahue will also serve on the Crisis Planning committee with Selectman Walter Cruz.