Southwick Water Commissioners Luther Hosmer and Edward Johnson discuss who is responsible for an undocumented water line that was attached to a water meter in Whalley Park prior to the town taking ownership of the park. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Southwick Park and Recreation Commissioners Daniel Call and Kelly Mangi, right, met with members of the Southwick Water Commission in an effort to help resolve an unauthorized water usage problem that was recently discovered when the town assumed ownership of Whalley Park. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – The water connection between Whalley Park and the Southwick Recreation Center (SRC) was discussed at last night’s Water Commission meeting, minus members of the SRC.
The SRC laid 1,500 feet of pipe from its property to connect to water at Whalley Park. The connection was disclosed to the Department of Public Works April 26. The connection was deemed illegal because Whalley Park is a town property, the water is metered, and there was no permission granted from the town. There is also a $70,000 water bill, from that meter, in question.
SRC board members have said they were not aware of the connection.
Park and Recreation Commissioners Daniel Call and Kelly Magni, as well as Finance Committee member Robert Horacek, attended the meeting. The SRC declined a request to attend.
Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Jeffrey Neece sent a letter to the SRC requesting their presence at the May 16 meeting. Neece received a response stating that no one would attend because it conflicted with the SRC regular meeting. The SRC letter stated they were also seeking information from Town Hall through a Freedom of Information Act request and once they received it, they want to have a joint meeting with the Water Commission held at Town Hall auditorium and indicated they want seating for 100 people.
Commissioners said they did not need 100 people at the meeting.
“I feel they’re telling us where to have our meeting,” said Water Commissioner Edward Johnson. “I don’t want this to turn into a circus.”
Commission Chairman Luther Hosmer agreed and said they should have been at last night’s meeting.
Selectwoman Tracy Cesan attended the meeting and echoed the commissioner’s thoughts.
“This is a serious issue that needs to be treated seriously,” Cesan said. “I don’t want this to taint what the Rec. Center stands for, but I think they should have been here tonight. They’re in the wrong and should not be dictating the meeting.”
Johnson made a motion to send a letter to the SRC asking the board to attend the Water Commission’s next meeting June 6 at the DPW on College Highway.
Neece said the connection was severed and a valve removed. He said it would take “minutes” to reconnect and the SRC needs to remove any pipes it has on Whalley Park property.
“This would make reconnection difficult,” said Neece.
Neece said he wants the public to know the town’s water system is safe. There was concern at the May 2 meeting that backflow preventers may not have been installed and if the SRC irrigation system was connected to the town water system, in addition to a well, it could infiltrate the water.
“Be assured the water system is safe,” he said.
Hosmer said a separate, but related, issue is who is going to pay the $70,000 bill. Magni and Call said since the Parks and Recreation Commission took over oversight of the park in October of 2012, it has “not used a drop of water.”
Prior to their take over, the Board of Selectmen accepted the park on behalf of the town in December, 2011, and was in control of it until the October Town Meeting.
Cesan said she does not believe Parks and Recreation should incur that cost, and agreed with the Water Commission that it should not forgive the bill. Instead, Cesan suggested paying the bill with general funds so that the cost is spread across the town. However, she said the SRC needs to pay a portion of it because it used that water.
Magni said his concern was moving forward so the Parks and Recreation could budget for the water used at Whalley Park.
“I don’t care about the past. I care about the future,” he said.
DPW Administrative Assistant Gail Cigal, who serves as the Water Commission secretary, said normally if a bill is not paid, water is not turned on.
Magni, Call, and Cesan all said the park needs water or it would cost even more to rebuild the fields.
Hosmer and Johnson agreed and said the water should be turned on.
Johnson said two members of the SRC board – friends of his for 40 years – visited his home to talk about the situation and “they are willing to work with us.”
“I was told the baseball committee has their own thing and (the board) didn’t know about (the connection),” said Johnson. “They said they did not know this was going on.”
Johnson said he wants the SRC to meet with the commission to resolve the issues.
“I think it’s getting out of hand,” he said.
