Patriot
Rd- Water Main Breaks
The
problem of chronic water main breaks on Patriots Rd is not being addressed. The
Templeton BOS has received another, amazingly polite
e-mail asking for our help. I have tried every way I can think of to have
the BOS address the situation. I have asked for agenda items. I have written letters.
I have attended TMLWP meetings to no avail. My latest attempt to try to begin
to resolve the issues regarding chronic water main breaks has been to make a
public record request for the PLAN that
was created in the early 2000’s.
I
attended the TMLWP meeting on Tuesday September 11th. At that
meeting water superintendent Ron Davan, discussed a water system plan created
by Tata & Howard. I asked if the plan were available. I was told it might
take a while to locate it. I submitted a public
records request for this plan, if it is ever located.
Is
it me?(don’t answer that) Let me ask you, the readers of Pauly’s blog, this
question – If you were the manager of the TMLWP, and you were under pressure to
try to figure out a solution for the multiple water main breaks of July 14th
and the chronic water main breaks on Patriots road, AND there was a PLAN for
the water system in Templeton, wouldn’t that PLAN be on your desk? I know if it were my problem, the PLAN would NOT be covered in two inches of dust in some remote storage area.
Let
me know if you have any suggestions to try to find a solution to the multiple
water main breaks in Templeton.
My
opinions…supported by FACTS!!
The plans were probably written on the back of a matchbook cover. I know, I'll as the one person who would know..I'll let you know , when I find out. If the people are sick of running out of water, maybe we can ask them to go to the selectmans meeting. It is a sad day when people who pay their taxes, need to confront the people who they elected, to get a straight answer from them. If this has to be the way they get things done, so be it. Bev
ReplyDeleteI keep asking this question where are our ELECTED light & water commissioners????? Dana Blais who has been a commissioner since JS was the manager, Greg Edwards who has been a commissioner for years and years and newly elected Chris Stewart. As commissioners they are elected to oversee the light & water dept, not just let the manager and superintendents run rogue. They Dana & Greg have been collecting stipends all these years. What have they done for the money besides sit at meetings and get golf trips paid for? right Dana?
ReplyDeleteJulie asks a good question/questions but does not get good answers,if any at all! Most are the runaround type.Water super and general mgr. don't have their own plan thats for sure. The thing that strikes me is the raise they as managers get to not have any plans for their dept.NONE
ReplyDeleteMore NEGATIVITY as we saw at previous meetings, there will be little or no follow up again, just a plan to close the door due to cost of repair or flowable fill and 1 million a mile or 100 per foot. Time has come for action. get the job done and if there is no plan at the next meeting let hand them a letter to deal with their performance and response, a letter for their resignations!
shareholder/owner/fed up citizen
A line in the sand is what these guys have to see. They treat the taxpayer like water on a dog, a good shake and it is all off. It would be different if the decisions they have made were good, and the departments they were getting paid big bucks to run, were run well, but that is not true. A taxpayer presence is needed and a good strong person is needed to run for the next open spot. Bev
DeleteI am all done living this way !! the water main on Patriots road is not going to fix itself . How about the next time the WATER MAIN BREAKS WE TURN OFF ALL THE WATER IN TOWN ! this way everybody will know whats going on . I for one am allready getting prices for a Well . so now the water dept. wont have me over a barrel . The water rates go up and the water quality and service goes down . Good Luck everybody im soon to be a former water customer .
ReplyDeleteFirst, I would stop thre nut case idea of water paying light rent of any kind, instant funds for water main repair, secondly transfer money out of the light cash reserve to water, whatever the process, to use for water main replacement, third, call senator brewer and ask how Templeton can get 0ne and half million dollars for water main replacememnt like Barre got, if you can't help us, we will say thank you by voting for someone else, then get in touch with the new us rep for Templeton, the one who came to see the wind mill and ask what he can do for us. if no one wants to help then in my opinion, C$T should actively push for the replacement of those representatives, state and fed, hardball is all they understand. good luck
ReplyDeleteand replace the L&W commissioners!!!!!Does John Driscoll have a contract with the town?
DeleteHi Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI'll have to forward you the latest "nasty gram" from Mr. Driscoll. Mr. Driscoll feels itnis none of the BOS or advisory boards business to review or analyze the water department budget.
We are all just a bunch of nimrods. Mr. Driscoll feels Chapter 164 gives TMLWP immuntity from following the rules and regulations the rest of us peons have to follow
Can the town repeal Chapter 164?
DeleteShould we all just stop payment of L&W bills in order to get attention for all the complaints of each dept? More importantly, the attitude of the Manager? Give me a break. The first word in the name of the dept is "Templeton". If it is a private company maybe it shouldn't be named Templeton Light & Water. In that case, if it is a private company, lets hire another one that is willing to present normal business operation costs and plans as a normal standard business practice. If they printed an old financial report in the town's annual report, has the actual one ever been turned in to the town? It just seems these departments can be run properly without the additional bad attitude. What's the deal with the refusal to be open and honest with the customers? If it was truly a private company, they'd have no customers with customer service like that.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't the first time it has been suggested that we stop paying TL&W until a management change is made. Perhaps we should send our checks to the BOS, so we can't be accused of not paying. The BOS hold the checks until the commissioners kick Driscol to the curb.
ReplyDeleteWhile I can't endorse the non-payment of bills, what I can suggest is paying these bills with "Under Duress" on the notes line of your check. That can be helpful, if there were ever a class action lawsuit by disenfranchised customers...or even a ten taxpayer lawsuit.
DeleteThe BOS has no authority over the hiring process of the L&W manager. The L&W commissioners do. Pack the meetings. I try to post the agendas once they are made posted at the town clerk's office. Usually, the Thursday before the meeting.
See you there in October!
I for one know jeff has it correct! Its about the vote!
ReplyDeletethats the only way we will see change,as for driscull he doesn't like any questions or information getting out, money is the bottom line and that can be a big chip to hold. we arn't just customers WE are shareholders!Time to pack the few meetings we get and together do or threaten to do whatever. they need to see and hear us for any change to be made otherwise were just a pain in their ass/wallets
I think I missed the last meeting. I didn't know one was scheduled. It is too bad, I really wanted to go. We need to have Mr. Ritter find out how we can make changes in this department. Does anyone know who is up for election this year? We need a strong person to take a place at that table. Do you guys know, My grandfather was one of the first Light Commissioners. His name was Grover Chipman. I doubt how things are going, would have been what any of these guys had in mind, back then. Bev
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