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Community Corner

Finance Board Led Astray by DPW Head and Lied to by Water Review Board: Outside 2nd Meter Use

Tuning in to the 'Visit' of DPW Head Robert Grover to the Finance Board to 'Sell' his own concept that the Townspeople should not have a 'Second Meter' as 31 Cities and Towns have as a 'Majority' of those in the MWRA system do against only 27 who do not ; I also visualized the Entire Water and Sewer Review Board in attendance. The Finance Board invited these people to their meeting to take a vote on the refreshed allowance of our rate payers having a second meter which records all the water which goes onto our Lawns, adding water to our pools if we have one, or giving nutrition to our plants and vegetables.  
It was easy to 'read' that most of the Finance Board Members had and 'still don't have' any real knowledge of the 'formulae' or 'facts' to make an informed decision. I wish to 'take apart' the DPW Head's 'warped facts ' and 'slanted presentation here and now and once again when the Selectmen take this up for a vote 'Once and For All'.  I stayed home to 'watch' the meeting as I wanted all of them to 'get it all out' of what they were going to base their vote on. But first I want to 'straighten' out a 'Lie' uttered by the 'Chairperson' of the Water Review Board when she was asked 'How Long' has the present Water Board 'been in existence ? "... She answered " 1983". This is a complete and thorough 'Lie'.....The Board established in 1983 was completely 'Abolished'.  I and many citizens, upon studying the massive 'overpayments' and 'surpluses' being accumulated from us as we paid our water bills saw these overpayments  were being used to 'fund' other Government Expenditures ! Below, using the words in the present 'Town Code ' is the 'correct language' we 'all' should be working with. 

And further, said water and sewer review board shall replace the hearing board established pursuant to the Town of Stoneham, Sewer Use Ordinance, Article VII Section 1, as adopted by Article #13 of the October 24, 1983  Special Town Meeting and shall have all powers and authority of said hearing board.  (10-27-97, Art. 6). 

As you have just read ; the Board I and my fellow citizens at a 'unaminous' Vote in the late 90's formed a whole new Board and 'put away the old'.  I was the First Chairman of the New Board and we 'found much' including the MDC , The Zoo, and other structures were actually 'using' our Sewer System ! We brought it to the attention of the Selectmen and Mr. Grover and were just about laughed out of the room. We then called the District Attorney and reported what we felt was 'Larceny' over $ 250. A few weeks later on the front page of the 'Independent' , the Town Administrator ( Jeff Nutting and Robert Grover) were 'announcing' that there had been a 'miscomputation and oversight' at the MDC properties and we are 'owed' several hundred thousand dollars...!  
Then meeting late at night with the likes of Ron Florino, Richard Gregorio, and Tony Kennedy, we studied the 'huge surpluses' in the water and sewer accounts and 'reformulated' them so it would not happen again.. And it hasn't !......** I 'must' inject at this point that these 'surpluses' were during the times when Second Meters were allowed !!. 
Back to the Finance Board Hearing, I noticed the Fin Board was not calmly and clearly told that this Town receives about the same amount of water each and every year....which is about One Billion or 1 thousand million gallons which goes through the "Meters' of our community and also gets used for non metered for our Fire Department and Cleanouts. 
Each year Our DPW by law submits Reports to the Dept. of Environmental Affairs which I have worked with immensely in my studies of this system. These reports must show the 'Breakdown' of each categorical use.  WHAT do they show over the years including now ? Mr. Grover's reports show and reveal that 50 % of the water is used for Residential Homes. Another 30 % is used for a company called " Kraft Foods' or about a Million Gallons per day.  Those two 'areas' ; Residential and Kraft make up 86% of our water use !........Mr. Grover also presently reports he 'cannot' account fo 16% of the water being sent to our community !
Ladies and Gentlemen: I have just copied from the current reports only three areas...which totals 96% of our water supply which leaves only 4 % for all our Businesses, Schools, Football Fields, Golf Courses, Thousands of visitors to our restaurants, businesses, private Bear Hill Course , and more.. How in God's name can we believe this ?.....How ?...The Finance Board was 'never' allowed to 'hear these facts'. Darn shame....
Mr. Grover, an educated Engineer and evidently not a 'Botanist' or Biologist stated in this Public Meeting when asked by the Chairman about Rain, Snow and Ice's effects on our Sewer Bill.. the DPW head said... " Oh , no effect at all for 'that' goes into the 'Storm Drains'........What ???? He mentioned earlier that when 'WE' water the grass and  flowers ( instead of God's snow and rain)... 'ours' goes into the sewer which is in the same place as the snow and rain. !! ( Ridiculous ).....
Ladies and Gentlemen : We only use Outside Water about Four months out of 12 per year. May, June, July and August; and NOT every hour of every day. Some days it actually Rains; honest ...We do not water outside every day either. ! We also do NOT fill up our pools, whatever size, each year either ! We , for the most part 'refilter' the winter storage and add chemicals and perhaps 'some water' which evaporates and does not go into the sewer , regardless of Mr. Grovers laughable comment our flower, shrub, and plant water does not go into the roots of the Biology and into these beautiful works of God, but  somehow ( and God knows what he is talking about ), goes into the 'water Table' ! 
Lastly ( for now) with more to come in public hearings; I wish to convey as Mr. Grover did ( and the Fin Board should have 'picked up' on it as an 'opening ) that the Sewer Rate formula is Based on 'Population of citizens' ; about 45% of the rate which amount does not change if Mt. Rushmore fell into it. The 'rest' of the rates is based on 'thickness' of the'sludge' ; human waste; and any other 'solids'. I swear to you all that the outside water we use during this 'few days or hours' for these short 'Four Months' does not contain 'any people'; any human waste; or anything else which again ; Using Mr. Grover's 'own words'....does 'not' get picked up by those 'FIVE SENSORS' SO glibly mentioned....
Years ago for Penance for my abundant sins I decided to teach CCD; ninth grade and after class a young lad came to me after class and asked 'Mr. Pignone; How do I get God on 'my side'? ".... I looked down at this handsome young man and said : "David, if you want 'God' on your side; it's simple. Just jump on His !! ".... And now I write to the Finance Board who surely desire the people to be on their side as well. If you want the people to be 'on your side' as you deliberate and vote on these issues......Just......'Jump on Ours'........OK ?...

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