SOUTHWICK – Following the rejection of several articles to fund the next phase of sewers in town last week, the Board of Selectmen discussed how to move forward last night.
Selectman Russell Fox suggested the town meet with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to find out what fines would be imposed if the town is not making progress by the Dec. 31, 2018 deadline the DEP issued to the schools.
Superintendent of Schools John Barry acknowledged the DEP deadline to hook the school campus to sewers during the Annual Town Meeting. He said he thought the DEP would work with the town.
Fox said a site visit with the DEP should be the first priority, adding that increasing the size of the Sewer Implementation Committee, which is an advisory committee, should also take place.
“I think we need to reorganize and expand the committee and include Randy Brown (the Department of Public Works director) as a permanent member,” said Fox.
Fox said he would also like residents from the areas affected by the proposed Phase II of sewer installation be appointed to the committee.
Selectmen Chairman Joseph Deedy noted that the town pays for using Westfield’s water treatment facility regardless of how many residents are on the system.
“We bought 500,000 gallons of the two-million gallon capacity in the interceptor,” said Brown. “We own a 25-percent share.”
The board agreed to contact the school department and DEP to organize a site visit as soon as possible.
At the start of last night’s meeting the board reorganized and voted Deedy as chairman, Fox as vice chairman, and Douglas Moglin as clerk.
