It was a brief reprieve from election season. The Wareham Fire District, which includes the Wareham Fire Department and the Wareham Water Department, held a Candidates Night on Wednesday, April 7 to introduce those seeking four positions in the district's upcoming election. The Wareham Fire District sets the water rates and allocates funds for the fire department.

Three candidates are seeking two open seats on the Prudential Committee, the five-member board that oversees the district operations.

Incumbent George Barrett, who has served as a member of the Prudential Committee for 12 years, 9 of which he has spent as the chair, described the role of a prudential committee member as a "combination of a Selectmen and Finance Committee member," as the committee provides financial oversight to the district and also negotiates contracting and collective bargaining agreements. Barrett said that he was pleased that the committee was able to reduce healthcare costs three years ago and that the department was able to keep water costs down.

Residents who use Wareham water (Onset has its own water and fire district) pay a base rate of $75 semi-annually for 4,000 cubic feet of water. One cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons of water. According to the committee, this amount is sufficient for 77 % of all residential users and 66 % of all users in Wareham. After the base allocation, a customer is charged a set rate per additional hundred cubic feet. Only 20 water districts in the state have lower rates than Wareham, according to a ranking of the state's 360 water districts, committee members said.

Margaret Ishihara is seeking election to a second three-year term. She cited continued progress on the district's financial situation - when she joined the committee, the district's annual audit had not been completed for the past three years - as her goal for the next term.

"There were some tense moments," Ishihara admitted. "But the auditor says we are at a point to be proactive."

John Connolly, Jr., is challenging the incumbents but was unable to attend the meeting. The evening's moderator, Ted DuMoulin, read a letter from Connolly in which the candidate stressed his long experience as a call firefighter, his involvement with the Wareham Conservation Commission, and his desire to bring a "common-sense approach" to moving the district forward.

Two water commissioners are seeking reelection unopposed.

Edward Tamagini, III, is seeking a three-year term, and he said that one of his major goals was protecting the watershed and aquifer through land acquisition and other protective measures.

Ted Hatch is seeking to fill the remaining two years of the late James Galavotti's term. Hatch retired as a water commissioner last year but was appointed to fill the term of Galavotti, who died unexpectedly right after winning reelection. Hatch said he sought to continue the progress made by the district. He cited accomplishments as maintaining the basic rate and implementing a "consumption-base rate" for additional usage, and he echoed Tamagini's commitment to aquifer protection through land acquisition. The district has recently received three grants to purchase land.

Marybeth Fernandes will be seeking reelection to the clerk and treasurer positions. She is running unopposed, and she has held the positions for the past nine years.

She thanked supporters for allowing her to hire additional staff and implement many improvements over her tenure in response to the district's considerable growth and new financial accounting and reporting requirements. She cited updated software to convert the accounting system as a major improvement that has enabled the district to upgrade to a AA+ Bond rating.

The elections will take place on Saturday, April 17 at the Wareham Fire District and Water Department Office at 2550 Cranberry Highway from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All registered voters in the district (roughly all precincts except Precinct 2) are welcome to participate.

The district's annual meeting will be held on Monday, April 12 at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

The meeting warrant includes two articles on a project to construct a well at Maple Park.

Article 6 seeks to borrow $2.9 million to construct the well and associated pumping station. The warrant states that for most residential customers, the payback of the bond will result in an estimated annual charge of between $7 and $27 to the consumption-based Capital Improvement Fee beginning in July 2012 until the bond is paid off.

Article 8 seeks $550,000 to purchase 70 acres of an 180-acre parcel that surrounds the proposed well. The warrant states that "[t]he remaining acreage may be purchased under a conservation restriction using Community Preservation Act and other available funds." The 110-acre acquisition will provide a buffer to the acquifer. The 80-acre parcel will enable the district to expand the well if necessary.