Southwick residents approved funding for Whalley Park earlier this year. (File photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – The Park and Recreation Commission has a $36,000 question when it comes to Whalley Park.
Commission Chairman Kelly Magni told the group this week that there is a huge water bill headed their way.
“We will soon be handed a bill for $36,000 for water,” said Magni. “Apparently, Whalley Park used over eight million gallons of water, which is hard to believe since I think the entire town uses one million gallons per day.”
Magni said the water department claims there are two water meters at the park and water is passing through both.
“One meter reads about 1.5 million and the other reads eight,” Magni said. “I’m trying to figure that out.”
One issue with the situation is that the water department has just one work order for meter installation, but two were installed.
“There should have been a permit to install a water meter,” said Commissioner Daniel Call.
Magni said there is a permit for one meter, but no documentation whatsoever for a second, which is the one that reads eight million gallons.
“It’s a gray area,” said Magni as to who installed and ordered a second meter.
“I think if they can’t find a permit, we don’t have to pay a bill,” Call said.
Magni said the Commission has not actually received the bill, yet.
“I’m going on speculation,” he said.
Magni said he expects the bill will be received by the town and passed on to the Commission. This is a practice that he said is flawed.
“No one else receives a water bill,” said Magni, who added that the Board of Selectmen and Park and Recreation Commission are co-owners of the park.
Commissioner Li-Ling Waller said she does not understand why the Commission would be expected to pay such a bill from its own budget, which is smaller than the bill.
“Don’t they realize we’re wearing the same jersey,” said Waller. “It’s all Southwick.”
Department of Public Works Director Jeffrey Neece, who oversees the water department, said bills go out Nov. 30 so he is not sure of the exact amount of the forthcoming bill. However, he does not believe the Park and Recreation Commission will be the recipients.
“In this case I believe the owner of the property at the time, John Whalley, will be billed,” said Neece.
Neece said there are definitely two meters and he does not know who installed the second one.
“I’m not sure who did it, but nonetheless there are two meters,” said Neece. “We found it when we did the last reading along an irrigation line for the field.”
Neece said the entire town uses, on average, 800,000-900,000 gallons of water per day.
