Sewer commission to hold second Town Meeting vote for $36 million in repairs
The Wareham Board of Sewer Commissioners will once again bring forward a request for $36 million in sewage facility repairs at Fall Town Meeting after their failed attempt to secure funding at the Special Town Meeting in July.
At the commission’s Thursday, Aug. 24., they unanimously voted to present a borrowing request for $36 million in repairs at Fall Town Meeting.
According to Sewer Commission chair Bernie Pigeon, “headworks” and “clarifiers,” which deal with sewage at the beginning and end of the treatment process, are reaching the end of their useful life and that replacing them is critical to keeping the plant functioning.
The request, originally presented during the Special Town Meeting, failed to achieve the two-thirds majority vote needed to approve the borrowing.
“I don’t think we have the option,” said Sewer Commission member Peter Dunlop referring to resubmitting the request. “We have to convey to the people and the Select Board that this is not a Band-Aid, it is step one and two of a multi-step program to bring the system back to what it was 50 years ago.”
Select Board members raised concern during the Special Town Meeting regarding the uncertainty of securing the funding due to the commission not meeting several conditions needed in order to receive it.
According to Pigeon, the Sewer Commission still plans to fund the repairs through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan and a 10% principal forgiveness loan as they discussed during the Special Town Meeting.
The commission is still anticipating a 17% contribution from Bourne through an intermunicipal agreement according to Pigeon. He said that Bourne officials have still not responded to his email regarding the matter.
“What are we doing to satisfy the Select Board’s concerns ?,” asked Sewer Commission clerk Sandy Slavin.
Pigeon said that the commission will “appear before the Select Board” and GHD, the consulting for the project, will host two informational sessions prior to Town Meeting to inform residents of the repairs and the current condition of the devices.
