Goshen board reviews Middletown intermunicipal water and sewer agreement, defers vote pending clarifications

The Town of Goshen board spent much of its Nov. 25 meeting reviewing a draft intermunicipal water and sewer agreement with the city of Middletown, asking for detailed cost, capacity and legal clarifications before any final vote.

The agreement under review would have Goshen accept a limited service area (three parcels in the initial map) and take over water lines currently held within a transportation corporation created for Amy’s Kitchen. Town officials said the arrangement is intended to avoid large upfront costs for the town: the transaction would carry no immediate payment but Middletown would be paid per‑gallon for water delivered and the original owner could receive a negotiated share of profits until an agreed threshold is met.

Why it matters: board members raised questions about who would ultimately bear debt and operating costs, whether out‑of‑district users would be assessed, how connection fees would be applied, and the town’s exposure to future capital improvements in Middletown that might be shared under the draft language. The State Office of Mental Health (OMH) was identified in the agreement as an early customer with a contracted allocation discussed in the meeting record (40,000 gallons per day). The board sought engineering estimates and written clarifications on billing, ownership and long‑term responsibilities before considering approval.

Board questions and public concerns: board members repeatedly asked for firm numbers from Delaware Engineering and counsel before signing. Officials discussed two different headline cost figures during the debate (transcript discussion referenced both about $3.0 million and figures above $5.0 million), and described a proposed financing structure where district users would help shoulder construction and debt service, with the town establishing levy/benefit assessments as needed.

Several residents urged caution. Chris Haley, identifying himself as a Goshen resident, said the material presented that night was new to some stakeholders and asked about next steps and timing for a final vote. A resident asked whether HDPE pipe warranties on existing lines would transfer; town staff said the pipes are covered by a 25‑year warranty and that warranties would be transferable when the town takes ownership. Residents and board members also linked the IMA discussion to broader local planning concerns — including sewer capacity, pump stations, and whether the town should require deed dedication of privately funded lines as a condition of connection.

What the board decided: the board did not vote on the IMA. Multiple members said they would "hold off approving anything till we get these questions asked," asking staff to gather written clarifications from Delaware Engineering and from legal counsel and to report back at the next meeting. The chair stressed the current draft is a non‑binding first phase and that additional agreements (with Amy’s Kitchen, Lipoff Wells, and the State OMH) would follow if the board proceeds.

What’s next: town officials said they will collect answers on ownership, precise cost estimates for operations and maintenance, hookup fees, whether and how capital improvements in Middletown could create shared obligations, and timing for the required deeds and easements. The item was left on the agenda for the board’s next regular meeting pending those clarifications.