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Advisory & Finance takes no position on two citizen petitions about sewerage and permit extensions
Summary
The committee declined to recommend for or against two citizen-petition warrant articles about permit extensions and sewerage treatment, citing enforceability and environmental-impact questions and noting a public statement read to the committee about sewer-plant discharge concerns.
The Somerset Advisory & Finance Committee on May 20 recorded no recommendation on Articles 22 and 23, two citizen-petition warrant items concerning permit extensions and sewerage treatment plant issues. The committee’s action was consistent across both petitions: no recommendation was taken.
Committee members expressed uncertainty about how enforceable the citizen-petition language would be and raised concerns about potential environmental impacts if Somerset joins Fall River for sewerage. The minutes record that committee members asked whether the Board of Selectmen or the Water & Sewer Department had provided guidance on the petitions; no departmental recommendation is recorded in the meeting minutes.
Elizabeth Paskowski addressed the committee and read a statement from Robert Lima that raised concerns about discharge from the sewer plant. The minutes do not characterize Mr. Lima’s claims beyond the fact that Paskowski read his statement; no responses from the Water & Sewer Department or other agencies are recorded in the minutes.
The committee voted to give no recommendation and encouraged members to forward outstanding questions to Chair Greg ODonnell for follow-up with the town administrator or relevant departments before the May 30 Annual Town Meeting.
