WILTON — The Board of Selectpersons voted 3-2 Tuesday night to recommend the town give $60,000 toward the sewer treatment plant renovation.
Board members Tiffany Maiuri, John Black and Jeffrey Rowe voted to double the $30,000 the town previously contributed to Phase 1 loans. Selectpersons Scott Taylor and Jeffrey Adams voted against the amount.
Taylor’s motion to recommend $30,000 failed, 2-3.
The recommendation will be reviewed by the Finance Committee and go back to the board before taxpayers decide whether to give anything to help with the $10.8 million sewer plant renovation at the June town meeting, Chairwoman Maiuri said.
Sewer Department Superintendent Justin Futia previously recommended the town foot $170,368 a year over the nearly 30-year life of loans, because of the added tax value the department provides to the town. The value is seen in the benefits of a clean lake and business growth on Route 2.
The board held a public hearing on the issue Tuesday with about 50 people attending. The majority are not on the sewer system and wanted the board to consider the fairness of higher taxes for those who get no benefit from the plant.
“Would it be fair to ask users of the system to pay for my septic system? No,” said Susan Black. “Is it fair to ask nonusers to pay for the sewer system? No. It is a fairness issue.”
Though his children are grown, Barry Hathaway said he still pays for schools. The ratepayer and taxpayer both benefit, he said.
Of the 450 municipalities in Maine, how many towns do all taxpayers pay on the sewer system, James Black asked the board. Five … including Jay and Skowhegan who have paper mills, he said. Wilton would become the sixth.
A lot of people cannot afford rates going up so much, Robin Bragg said. Some may have to default on their sewer and water bills.
If the town contributes only $30,000, bills for a minimum ratepayer would jump from $439 to $737, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said. If the town contributes the $170,000, the current bill of $439 would rise to $588.
When the sewer treatment plant was built nearly 40 years ago, the whole town voted on it not just ratepayers, Cheryl Mosher, said. People who had to hook on were told they would only have to pay for operations.
Some felt ratepayers had low rates for a number of years and so should have to pay for it now.
“The town should have planned instead of dealing in a crisis mode,” Conrad Heeschen said. “I can live with $30,000 but question going up so much (on the subsidy by the town).”
While the majority did not favor the larger subsidy, some felt there should be a middle ground.
“It is for the value of the common good,” Paul Soucy said. “Taxpayers have subsidized it since the plant was built. It is for the value of the community at large. It should be supplemented at some level.”
abryant@sunmediagroup.net
Send questions/comments to the editors.
