SOUTHWICK – Members of the Parks and Recreation Commission said this week that despite a looming July 1 water shut off, the commission has still never received a bill for Whalley Park water.
A nearly $70,000 water bill for the park has been a contentious topic of several meetings in recent months. The commission runs the park for the town, but the town owns the park. The 70-acre park was donated by John and Kathy Whalley and the town officially took ownership in October.
“We took responsibility for the park in October of 2012 by the Board of Selectmen, not by Town Meeting,” said Commissioner Daniel Call Tuesday night. “The water was not on and we did not turn it on until today.”
The commission maintains it should not be responsible for the bill, especially since it has never actually received one.
Chairman Kelly Magni said the first bill it was given was actually addressed to John Whalley.
“At no time have we had a bill,” said Magni.
The commission received a letter dated May 26 saying that the water would be shut off to Whalley Park July 1 unless several items were complied with, including paying the bill.
“We have never received any bill in the Park and Rec’s name,” said Commissioner Michelle Ackerman.
Last week the Southwick Water Commission held a meeting where it discussed a connection from the Southwick Recreation Center to Whalley Park. The connection was made unbeknownst to the SRC board said Board President Kirk Sanders. He said it was an agreement between the summer volunteers and Whalley. The water commission originally was seeking some payment of the bill from the SRC, but last week absolved the privately owned organization from any responsibility.
Park and Recreation commissioners said this week they were not asked to attend that meeting, although members attended previous meetings on the topic that the SRC did not attend.
“We were not at that meeting, we were not invited to that meeting, and it appears they held the meeting without our presence so they could do this,” said Commissioner Li-Ling Waller.
It was suggested at the water commission meeting that a $100,000 gift from the Whalley family for park maintenance could be used to pay the bill.
Magni said if the town wants to do that, they might as well sell the park.
“There is no way we could sustain that,” Magni said.
The $100,000 was meant to maintain the park while the fields continued to grow in time for use this fall and next spring, when the town could then begin to receive revenue from the playing fields.
Magni said the commission has received nothing from the water commission since that board’s last meeting updating the Park and Recreation Commission of the SRC situation.
