SOUTHWICK – The Water Commission tabled a vote last night on a $50,000 payment acceptance for water use at Whalley Park for the second time.
There is an outstanding bill of $70,000 for water used at the park through October of 2012, and a letter was sent to the Commission from Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart last month offering a payment of $50,00, which includes $15,000 from the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Last month parks commissioners agreed the commission would make a $15,000 contribution towards the bill.
A written motion was made to offer the funds “without accepting any responsibility regarding the outstanding water use” and further stated that it was “in the best interest for both Whalley Park and the Town of Southwick to put this issue behind us so that we can move forward with building a state-of-the-art park that the town can be extremely proud of.”
Stinehart said the remaining $35,000 would be taken, by the Southwick Finance Committee, through reserve requests from year-end balances.
Stinehart said the water bill is one of several loose-ends related to the park.
“We’re looking into trying to resolve some of these outstanding issues related to the acquisition of Whalley Park,” he said.
Water Commission Chairman Luther Hosmer and Commissioner David Meczywor did not want to vote in the absence of commissioner Edward Johnson. Hosmer said he also wants to meet with the Southwick Parks and Recreation Commission before voting.
“It’s my understanding the Parks and Recreation Commission wants a reduced rate,” Hosmer said, adding that he would be against any discounts moving forward.
Meczywor agreed.
“I don’t want to be sitting here doing this again next year,” he said.
Meczywor said if the commission accepts the $50,000 payment he wants to be clear that from the last billing cycle on, the park would be charged for all water use at the current rate.
“From April (2013) forward, the Parks and Recreation Commission agrees to pay whatever the water bill is,” Meczywor said. “We have one rate and the elderly rate and we can’t make a special rate for one customer.”
Hosmer asked the commission secretary Gail Cigal to request a meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission before taking a vote.
Meczywor was supportive of accepting the payment and said “it’s an act of cooperation.”
The bill in question was for water used prior to the Parks and Recreation Commission assuming responsibility for the maintenance and scheduling of the park. Town Meeting voters accepted the park – a nearly-complete 70-acre park gifted to the town by John and Kathy Whalley – in October of 2012. A water meter reading taken following that approval revealed a large amount of water was used, totaling just under $70,000.
The Parks and Recreation Commission has stated numerous times that it did not authorize any use of water at Whalley Park until July of this year and it should not have to pay the bill.
It was discovered that the Southwick Recreation Center had connected to the water line at Whalley Park with permission from the previous owner. However, the Water Commission absolved the SRC from any responsibility for the bill last month.
