Shedding
some Light…on Water
Drill a well.
If
you are a water customer in the Town of Templeton, you most likely received the
following letter in the mail:
The
new rates were adopted by the Templeton Water Commission based on a rate study
by the engineering firm Tighe & Bond. The letter is dated November 5, 2013.
The Commissioners met on November 12th.
The
water rate increase will be 23% in FY 14. The new quarterly charge for the
honor and privilege of being a water customer is $49 per quarter. This cost is
in addition to the average water customer’s quarterly water bill rising from
$138 to $170.
The
$49 per quarter equates to $196 per year customer service charge. The increased
customer charge will generate $411,600 based on 2,100 water customers.
Questions:
When
was the rate hearing held to allow public input into this water increase? The
sewer department will hold a public hearing on rate increases on December 2,
2013.
What
is the cost per 1,000 gallons including the customer charge? Does Templeton
have the highest water rate in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?
What
capital projects will be funded by this increase? It is too late to replace the
60 year-old water mains on Baldwinville Rd.
If
the water department operates as an enterprise under Chapter 164, when will the
water department make a PILOT payment to the Town of Templeton?
When
will the Light and Water Department Commissioners adhere to Mass General Laws –
specifically Chapter
164 section 47C (j):
(j)
Except as provided for herein, a municipal lighting plant cooperative shall be
exempt from paying taxes, including, but not limited to taxes on its income and
real and personal property situated within the commonwealth and owned by the
municipal light plant cooperative; provided, however, that the cooperative
shall agree, in lieu of property taxes, to pay to any governmental body
authorized to levy local property taxes the amount which would be assessable as
local property taxes on the real and tangible personal property if such
property were the property of a domestic corporation; provided, further, that
no such municipal lighting plant cooperative shall be allowed to commence any
such operations allowed pursuant to this section or exercise any such powers
pursuant to subsection (d) until such payment in lieu of taxes is executed. The cooperative shall pay all sales or
excise taxes which are properly assessed on its business activities under this
section to the extent such taxes are assessed against domestic corporations.
The
Templeton Board of Selectmen recently sent a letter
to Senator Brewer asking for a determination regarding this outstanding
issue relative to the enactment of Chapter 93 of the Acts of 2000.
In
the meantime it appears the large file size of the entire water capital
improvement plan is too large to upload to the TMLWP website.
Drill
a well.
My
opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !
Julie
Farrell
Does it make sense to have an Engineering firm do your rate study? Of course your gonna need a lot of work done on your system which of course will need to be engineered, those cost have got to go up. This is the classic tail waggin the dog. Ever since that Special Legislation that some called a "scam" Ch93 Acts of 2000 the costs for water have been out of control.
ReplyDeleteWhen are we gonna admit we were duped?
Now with a 411k increase Templeton will/should get a pilot payment long overdue and the town will have the money needed to run like a business.Right Chairman Dana.You could ask your counsel.Templeton has been short changed from the 2000 law being passed . Time to pony up if we are to pay the top rates we need top management to go with it.
ReplyDeleteWell, i am glad I have a well, but for those who do not, you need to start paying attention. Things are not going to get better anytime soon. I wish I did not have to say that, but it is the real truth. Stay tuned for more facts. Bev.
DeleteHere are some comparison rates (below) that I researched online.. I would say Julie that you are right in line in saying that Templeton now has or is close to having one of the highest water rates in the Commonwealth.. this is very very sad there are so many foreclosures and empty homes currently in Templeton... between the increase in the tax rate, water rates etc... I wonder how many more people are going to lose their homes because they cannot financially absorb all these increases?? I don't know about ya'all but my home value keeps dropping like a lead balloon..people won't be able to sell their homes to get out from under because they will owe more than what their home appraises for and they will be forced to let the bank take their homes and walk away. I've lived in this town my whole life.. I was born here, and raised my own children here, and it really pains me to say this because I really do love this town, but I'm really not sure we can afford to stay living here much longer... I've never heard of anyone ever receiving a increase on their water bill to this magnitude 24% is unacceptable and totally unreasonable! and how much money did the town spend to just re-do Baldwinville Rd ??? only just to tear it up now and fix the water mains now...seriously???... NUTS!! once again what a waste of the tax payers money that would be!
ReplyDeleteLeominster: Water: $3.75 Sewer $3.97 = $7.45 (combined rate)
Out of Town: Water $4.48 Sewer $8.59 = $13.07
Gardner: Water $5.26 Sewer $4.10 = $9.36 (combined rate)
Westminster: Minimum charge of $51.42 which entitles the water user to 6,000 gallons per semi-annual. The rate for water used in excess of 6,000 gallons per semi-annual is $8.57 per one thousand gallons.
Town of Holden: WATER RATES
Meter Size MONTHLY FIXED FEE
Single Family Residential $23.09
MONTHLY USAGE CHARGE
0-150 CF $1.64 per HCF
151-500 CF $1.97 per HCF
501-1000 CF $2.36 per HCF
1001-1500 CF $2.83 per HCF
over 1500 CF $3.40 per HCF
Notes:
1) HCF is equal to one-hundred cubic feet (100 cubic feet) or approximately 748 gallons.
2) Rates approved by the Board of Selectmen on June 17, 2013.
And lets not forget the enzymatic poison that is added our expensive water to raise the rates of dental fluorosis currently at 41% and a whole host of other potential health problems like lower IQ in infants. If fluoride is effective at all it is as a topical application according to the experts. The Fluoride Deception by Christopher Bryson is a must read to understand the political history of "The Devils Poison.":
ReplyDeleteThe one thing any company moving to Templeton would look at is fixed overhead. Taxes,lights,water!
ReplyDeleteup ,up and up!
Templeton would be a pass,thanks anyway.
Our L+W commission is out of control of the every day operation and only a rubber stamp. sh _ t fairy has it right and when you have the firm that does the work for you do the study your just looking for a reason to up rates/as the commissioners call it "revenue". how about this for starters spend the misc.income from the light department on the L+W department. where does the Misc.income go and for what if the Budget has money for everything?
Where do we get to view the contracts of 5,000.00 or more. When do we help the low income /fixed income people in town with a better rate as the other munis offer. why not have the private light users pay for what they get and stop charging the regular customers for the cost of the lights. Next month go to the meeting and complain better yet write a note to the commission and GM about your frustration to have to pay more because your a residential customer!
What contracts would you want to see and have the right to examine? If you would like to see them list and email to me at smart@nii.net we'll be sure to ask for them to be included. I'm making a list and checking it twice gona find out who plays nice.
Is Fluoride really worth it?
ReplyDeleteEditor November 16, 2013 Opinion No comments
There’s an old riddle that asks: Name a poison people ingest on a daily basis. The answer? Fluoride. Fluoride is most notably found in toothpaste and municipal drinking water. But it can also be found in certain foods. While most of us aren’t necessarily ingesting fluoride by the gallon on a daily basis, there is some concern that children in particular may be at risk for ingesting too much fluoride. Reach for any toothpaste tube and you’ll see a clear warning label: “Keep out of reach of children under the age of 6.”
Most children use more toothpaste than they need when brushing, and studies have shown nearly half of all children swallow toothpaste, rather than spitting or rinsing it from the mouth. Swallowing more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste daily could put your child at risk for dental fluorosis (one of the first signs of fluoride poisoning), which causes brown spots, pitting and white specks on the teeth. If your child is also ingesting fluoride from other sources, such as drinking water, food or mouthwash, his risk for dental fluorosis increases, as well as a host of other potential health problems. Other tissues in the body may also be affected by early-life exposures to fluoride. According to a review published in the medical journal The Lancet, fluoride may damage the developing brain, causing learning deficits and other problems. A more recent review by a team of Harvard scientists stated that most studies investigating fluoride’s effect on IQ have found reductions in intelligence. According to the NRC, fluoride is an “endocrine disrupter.” The NRC has warned that doses of fluoride of 0.01-0.03 mg/kg/day – achievable by drinking fluoridated water – may reduce the function of the thyroid among individuals with low-iodine intake.
Reduction of thyroid activity can lead to loss of mental acuity, depression and weight gain. Additional studies have shown correlations between fluoride consumption and:
• Bone damage– osteoporosis, easy bone fractures, osteofluorosis
• Higher than normal birth defects or cancer in an area • Nervous system malfunctions
• Learning disabilities; lower than normal IQ test scores in children (fluoride is more toxic than lead)
• Cardiovascular problems such as arrthymias • Signs of early Alzheimer’s in the elderly, such as disorientation
• A tendency to have kidney problems
While water fluoridation is often credited with causing the reduction in tooth decay that has occurred in the U.S. over the past 50 years, it’s important to note the same reductions in tooth decay have occurred in all western countries, most of which have never added fluoride to their water. The vast majority of Western Europe has rejected water fluoridation. Yet, according to comprehensive data from the World Health Organization, their tooth decay rates are just as low, and, in fact, often lower than the tooth decay rates in the U.S. Five studies published since 2000 have reported no increase in tooth decay in communities that have ceased water fluoridation. Research has shown that the benefits of fluoride for oral health are achieved only with topical application, not from ingestion. Topical application of fluoride can be done during your child’s routine dental cleanings. Fluorosis can be prevented by monitoring all sources of fluoride. For children, the critical period of exposure is between the ages of 1 and 4, with the risk ending around age 8. Switching to a fluoride-free toothpaste such as Tom’s of Maine, Burt’s Bees Kids “Berry Bee” fluoride-free toothpaste, and Jason’s Natural Toothpaste, can help to limit risk and is a great first step. Additionally, limiting your child’s tap water consumption during those critical first years can also be helpful. Fluoride can occur naturally in water in concentrations well above recommended levels. Be aware that even bottled water can contain some fluoride, but it’s often in unknown amounts. Water filters can be helpful in removing added fluoride from drinking water at home