Charlton commission authorizes pipe installation at 6 City Depot Road pending paperwork and assessor financing

The Charlton Water and Sewer Commission voted to allow installation of a water line across the frontage of 6 City Depot Road to address an immediate fire‑protection and safety concern, while reserving the decision to activate service until the property’s privilege/betterment fee is settled.

Kurt Meskes, Charlton’s building commissioner, told the commission that the town has an outstanding court order requiring the mill building to be brought into compliance and that the current owner is selling the property to a buyer who wants to connect to municipal water for fire protection and domestic use. “I would like to ask the commission to allow the pipe to be put in the ground so we can mitigate this hazard and get this building taken care of, while reserving turning the water on until the betterment issue or privilege fee issue is resolved,” Meskes said.

Nick Peel of Charlton’s highway department said MassDOT’s paving timeline is moving quickly and urged expedited action so the tie‑in work can be completed before the state’s milling and repaving work begins in mid‑July. Peel said recent emails indicate preliminary coring and erosion‑control work could start next week, with milling and paving following on a roughly four‑week schedule.

Commissioners discussed whether the town could permit installation now and bill or collect the privilege fee later, and whether the assessors could offer installment financing. Vinny (Water & Sewer staff) noted the applicant has expressed willingness to finance construction costs up front. Commissioner Eric (last name not stated in the record) moved to authorize the installation subject to staff judgment and contingent upon completion of required connection paperwork; the motion was seconded and carried on roll call. The commission then voted to amend the authorization to ask the assessors to permit financing of the privilege fee so the buyer can pay the charge over time.

The commission emphasized two conditions before water service would be activated: receipt of the formal connection request and specifications, and confirmation of any required intermunicipal approvals (the town’s IMA with Southbridge was cited as the authority that must review some connections). Chris McClure of McClure Engineering and Nick Peel said Southbridge staff and their counterparts have been engaged and that staff would work to produce the required paperwork promptly.

The vote authorizes crews to place the pipe beyond the town roadway to avoid cutting a newly paved surface, with activation of service held until the privilege‑fee paperwork and approvals are complete, and with an assessor‑approved financing option requested so the property owner can repay the charge over time.

The commission’s action was procedural authorization, not final acceptance of a fee adjustment; staff will follow up with the assessor’s office and the Southbridge water department and report back at the next meeting.