Watertown committee backs monthly WSA updates, seeks clearer accounting of ‘special fund’

Watertown’s Water and Sewer bipartisan committee voted March 16 to recommend that the Water and Sewer Authority provide monthly updates to the Town Council and to the public, and urged clearer public disclosure of WSA financial accounts, including an unexplained “special fund” from which $1 million was proposed to be appropriated.

The motion to require monthly presentations passed by voice vote after debate over whether updates should be biweekly, monthly or aligned with council meetings. Chair Michelle McHugh told members the committee will post the executive summary and supporting documents on the committee website for public review and solicit feedback at the next meeting. A member asked that the required reporting be re-examined at a future date.

Public commenters at the meeting urged greater transparency in how meetings are held and how information is shared. Richard Rosanski said the committee should recommend moving WSA meetings to larger chambers, streaming or recording them, and making recordings available online. "I have no idea what the special fund is," Rosanski said, urging the committee to identify whether that fund is a reserve and to list all WSA-associated accounts so the public can understand their purpose.

Another commenter, Frankie Popalowski, told the committee, "We really really don't still know what what's going on and it's it's very very frustrating," and urged clearer findings on responsibility and causes so that the committee’s recommendations can prevent future problems.

Committee members also asked staff to reconcile summary figures in the document: the executive summary cites roughly $34 million owed in unpaid bills and interest and a later $36.1 million payment. One member requested a simple breakout showing how much of the total is unpaid principal versus interest and how costs break out between water and sewer so the public can see the composition of those totals.

Separately, members discussed clarifying the relationship between town administrative staff and the WSA, including how portions of staff time (for example, the town manager or finance director) are allocated to utility rates. The committee asked the finance department to prepare lists of all WSA financial accounts (the town charter references four: water operating, sewer operating, water capital and sewer capital) and to clarify whether the cited “special fund” is distinct from those charter accounts.

The committee said it will post the full set of documents online and prepare a concise presentation for the next public meeting so residents can review materials in advance. The committee adjourned after confirming the outreach plan.