Much needed infrastructure improvements on the city’s water and sewer systems are being cited as the main reason for the surprise additional fee showing up on resident’s water bills, according to Acting Water and Sewer Superintendent Mark Lawhorne. — Photo courtesy of Somerville Neighborhood News

By Amy Swain

The Board of Aldermen held a regular meeting last Thursday, August 25. It was the first meeting since the end of July, and there were some big issues on the table.

The meeting opened with Mayor Curtatone giving an update on the Wynn Casino project. The city had appealed licenses on the building project, citing that some of its allowances were unprecedented and arbitrary. Particularly the length of the license and the lack of effort on the part of the state to assist with increased traffic and pollution.

The mayor was happy to announce success. While the new standards are not perfect, we gained some significant ground. The license previously given was for eighty-five years; it has been altered to fifty years. There is a ferry route set in place to help with traffic, which was only required for fifteen years; that has been increased to fifty. “It has never been about getting more money,” the mayor said, “But about doing all we can for our environment and the quality of life and health of our people. We did that.”

Another order of business concerned responsible hiring practices. “This is about the type of working relationships we should have in our city,” stated Ward 5 Alderman Niedergang, who enjoyed the support of the entire board. The discussion was spurred by the hiring of Callahan, Inc. construction at Assembly Row. Federal Reality was given roughly 73 million dollars of state and city funds, and was urged to use responsible contractors. They hired Callahan, who allegedly has a history of unethical business practices, including poor safety standards and unpaid overtime wages. “This is not just how they save a few dollars here and there,” Niedergang continued, “It is their business model.” While there has been little they can do regarding this project, the board continues to look for solutions, and is taking action to prevent these practices in the future.

Perhaps the most pressing issue involved the recent increase in water charges. Acting Superintendent of the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund Mark Lawhorne presented to an unhappy board. He revealed that a study has been in process since April, 2015. When the Water Department presented in June, there was no mention of a fee, or even a study. In fact, there was a slide in their power point presentation regarding the budget that read matter-of-factly “No fee increases.” However, when the tri-annual bills began arriving recently, there was a new $60 additional base charge.

Every board member voiced disappointment and frustration about the fee, and about the amount of grief they have been receiving from their constituents about a fee they were blindsided by.

Alderman Sullivan expressed confusion on why it makes more sense to charge everyone more – with some bills more than doubling – than to charge people appropriately to their usage. Further, the additional moneys going to the water department should have been included in the budget to allow for difference in what the department may require from city funding.

Alderman at Large White pointed out that there is an ordinance requiring departments to present proposed rates no later than May 15, in a public hearing to then be approved. There is the opportunity for a waiver if there are outstanding circumstances. As neither was done, White is having the legality of the fee examined. He also requested that when the study is complete (anticipated date of September 12), it be put on the city’s website so that the BOA as well as the public can evaluate and form questions for the public hearing scheduled for September 13.