Monroe residents brace for the high costs of water maintenance

Residents of the town of Monroe’s Water District One, which includes 74 households located on High Ridge Road and parts of Rye Hill Road, voiced their frustration with their current and potential cost burdens associated with the improvements to their water system, during the August 12 Monroe Town Board meeting. Water district members commented during the public hearing on paying for the improvements, which are estimated to cost about $1.1 million.

Several commenters said they had already seen an approximately $800 increase on their recent tax bill in relation to district upgrades and wondered whether that number may increase or remain. Commenters questioned the amount needed for the improvements and wondered if there were ways to offset those costs, whether through grants or other measures.

While the residents shared their concern about the costs for improvements, most expressed a strong desire for them to happen, noting the poor quality of their water and low water pressure. One resident claimed that on several occasions her family has been unable to shower or brush their teeth in the evening because there was no water.

Councilwoman Mary Bingham addressed the high expense of projects like this. “One of the things I learned being in government is everything’s very expensive. So yeah $1.1 million amongst 74 households seems like a lot. I came from a water district with 40 members, 40 households and our bill was bigger than this,” said Bingham. The councilwoman further explained that the alternative to having a water district would be to drill a private well, which has its own cost burdens. She also shared that the costs would be distributed over time but couldn’t say how many years. As for the issue of grants, Bingham said that the town will keep trying to obtain one, despite being unsuccessful thus far.

Bingham went on to detail what the proposed $1.1 million would cover, which included an estimated $200,000 for construction. When asked why the work couldn’t be done by the highway department, she said that, in addition to not having the manpower for the task, the department employees may not have the required skills for the project, such as being a licensed electrician.

Bingham explained that the town usually gets three companies who will bid on a project. These bids are reviewed by the town engineer and the town attorney. The board then decides where to award the contract. Councilwoman Dorey Houle, who led the meeting in her capacity as acting supervisor, reminded the public that these bids will be available for them to review.

Regarding the urgency of the matter, Bingham explained that while the system is not likely to fail imminently, it could fail very shortly, and the town wants to get the repairs done as soon as possible.

The public hearing regarding Water District One will remain open until September 16.

Lead pipes

In other water news, the town will engage the services of MHE Engineering to conduct a lead service line inventory. Houle explained that the inventory, which would involve all town properties, was mandated by the state and must be completed by October.

Hospitality tax

During the meeting the board discussed the potential benefits of establishing a “hotel” tax that would cover hotels, motels and short-term rentals. The council members debated how the revenue collected would be categorized and whether the board would have the authority to decide where that money is allocated. Possible uses for the revenue included funding short-term rental enforcement and land preservation. The board agreed to continue the discussion at the September meeting.

Land and trees

The board continued its review of a zone change petition that would enable retail business on a portion of Larkin Drive. Under the town’s current zoning code, the approximately 10.3-acre section is in a light industrial district; the petitioner wishes to have it re-zoned as heavy industrial, where retail is permitted. The project representative told the board his client was looking to add large retail establishments, ranging from 10,000 to 55,000 square feet a piece, to the area. He claimed that these establishments would not be comparable or compete with smaller, locally owned businesses. The board voted to send the petition to the county for general municipal law review and agreed to keep open the public hearing for the matter.

At the meeting, the board continued its review and public hearing for the proposed amendments to its tree preservation code. Councilwoman Maureen Richardson expressed concern that certain town departments were not involved in the creation of the process, claiming that the building department did not have sufficient staff to handle the demands imposed by the code. According to Houle, Planning Board Chair Bonnie Franson expressed her desire for her board to alleviate the building department’s burden associated with tree preservation. She suggested the board wait for the planning board’s response to the proposed legislation and then share that with the building department. The town board voted to formally refer the resolution to the planning board for review.