Sewer debate creates discord between officials
Date: 11/21/2012
By Carley Dangona
carley@thereminder.comAGAWAM — After Mayor Richard Cohen and City Councilor Robert Rossi failed to reach an agreement regarding the Southwest Area Sewer Extension Project Phase II, the matter will go before the City Council on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. with a brief period for public comment.
The $10.5 million project is the source of contention between Cohen and Rossi. The completed phase would provide a sewer system, two pumping stations and capital improvements within the area.
In September, Cohen refused to sponsor the resolution stating that the figures in Rossi's cost projection didn't add up. In early October, the City Council's Administrative Sub-committee, of which Rossi is chair, endorsed the loan order without Cohen's approval.
In late October, Cohen responded with a letter where he introduced a resolution to be presented to and discussed by the entire council. In it, he stated, "I do have reservations as to the magnitude of the impact this bond order will have on our rate payers and taxpayers."
He added that the construction of Phase I necessitated a rate increase of approximately 35 percent, which does not include the rate increase that shall be required to offset the $860,000 abatement [Phase II] granted by the council.
In a letter addressed to the mayor, City Council President Christopher Johnson weighed in on the cost of the project. "These sewer rate increases [to sustain Phase II] will raise the average homeowner's sewer bill from $259 to $469, or a $210 increase per year."
Johnson noted that after reviewing data from Tighe & Bond Inc., it was clear businesses would be subject to a five-year period of rate inflation. He estimated they following yearly increases: HP Hood LLC, $139,292; Six Flags New England, $154,422; and Berkshire Power Company LLC, $49,722.
He added that these hikes would only fund the first two phases of the extension.
"When Phase II is completed, the entire system will be approximately 50 percent complete, a goal this committee is most eager to reach," Rossi stated on his website,
http://bobrossiagawamcitycouncil.com/Southwest_Sewer_Project.html, in an outline of the first two stages.
In a written response to Johnson, Cohen stressed that he does not support sponsoring a bond of $10.5 million for the phase, and only introduced a resolution to bring it to the attention of the council.
Johnson proposed a resolution to create a septic repair loan that will bypass this project altogether and create immediate relief for residents in need of updated sewage systems.
In the motion, Johnson states two main conclusions determined by Tighe & Bond Inc. "At the current rate of construction, it will take approximately 25 to 30 years to complete the installation of sanitary sewers in the entire southwest section of Agawam; whereas, the anticipated cost, in today's dollars, to complete the installation of sanitary sewers in the entire Southwest section of Agawam is in excess of $30 million."
Johnson also wrote a letter to his fellow councilors, in which he noted that only four to six households are expected to hookup after the finalization of the second phase since doing so is not required.
An additional workshop for town officials to come together on this issue is slated for Nov. 28.
