Jim Andriote’s opinions make accusations that are not true.
The reason the autonomy issue even had to come up was the result of the previous Town Council to play politics with the WPCA sewer budget. Some members of the council were trying to make a statement to show that they wanted to keep costs down. Well it is not that simple to keep a sewer rate at the same level year after year and to reject a sewer rate increase for political reasons is just plain wrong.
The reason of the rate increase was directly contributed to energy increases at that time. At that time the average WPCA electric bill was about $950,000 (give or take) per year. When electric costs rose by 25% (2009-2010), this affected everyone. That contributed to a new electric bill of to a new level of approximately 1.2 million dollars. The WPCA cannot run a deficit nor can it run a margin, the WPCA had to adjust its rate to accommodate the new electric costs.
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By the previous town council's poor leadership, the actions of Chairperson Jacobson and Vice-Chair Hillman created a situation for the WPCA; furthermore they made it for political reasons so they would appear they were not “raising taxes” (actually its a sewer ussage rate) and helping the town. Keep in mind the WPCA has to treat the effluent that it receives we cannot simply “turn down the lights” to save energy.
Mr. Lynch’s pay at that time was too low for that position and the increase was to bring his pay in line with other administrators in this field of work. The referendum to readdress the contract was partisan posturing and was a waste of time and tax payer money. This is fact because one year before another employee’s contract had a $13,000 increase and no one said a word.
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The State of Connecticut statutes stipulate that certain town boards and commissions are to be separate from the political influence of town politics for the very reasons mentioned above. The board of education and the WPCA fall under this to keep budgets separate from the manipulation of the town council and for efficient operation.
The Board of Ed and the WPCA are NOT subcommittees of the town council. All members of the WPCA are appointed by the town council and one of the five members has to be a seated town council member. There are strict rules and procedures that govern the WPCA operation, on how we collect fees, to awarding contracts for repairs and to construct new facilities. The water & sewer commission’s job is to see that everything is done correctly. So the WPCA cannot do what they want, the budgets are under strict third party audits,federal state and town regulations. The Town Council can at any moment step in vote down the ordinace, replace the commission and take over, that is in the charter.
The autonomy part or should I say the section of the charter that authorizes how the WPCA is to operate was voted on and was passed by the citizens of Montville several years ago by public referendum during a charter revision. By all accounts WPCA autonomy is provided for in the town charter right now. Both town attorneys, the WPCA and Town council agree to this ordinance, but the previous town council didn't even listen to their own attorney's advice. (wasting more money)
The threat that I am accused of making “to sue the town” is not true as well. I was actually making a statement to that town council, that the WPCA would seek a ruling by the Superior Court in New London. This suit is a simple clarification to resolve a dispute. This was to reaffirm the same discussion the court had made in favor for the WPCA previously. So it is really the previous Town Council that is not following the will of the people nor the courts or state law. They are the ones that wasted the time and hard efforts of the tax payers of Montville.
Andriote is making assertions that are unfounded and are selling half truths for partisan gain and for other reason that only he knows; it is certainly not for the good of the people.
I ask for all to attend Monday's public hearing, to seek the real facts and not listen to the fiction for partisan gain.
