Here she goes...
Finally, Selectman Kevin Geraghty, with the board's agreement, expressed their opposition to the attempt by Manchaug River Corp. to breach the dam along with their support of what the town's attorneys and the Conservation Commission are doing in the matter.
Mr. Smith said they have retained George X. Pucci of Kopelman & Paige to represent the town.
"It's a dramatic turn of events, a not-so-veiled threat by the company. Their interest is not the environment or dam safety. They are interested in divesting their responsibility." he said. "I think they're in for a war with the community and the state."
Good choice of quotes, Ms. Vecchione! And well said Mr. Smith and Mr. Geraghty!
Remember readers that you can see for yourself the meetings of our Sutton and Douglas Selectman and Conservation Commission at the towns' websites.
Here's the link to Sutton's award winning website:
http://www.suttonma.org/Pages/index
On the left side of the home page, click Sutton TV online to view the meeting. On the right, click for the Board's decision and how to submit testimony.
And yes, I did noticed that the dam owner is incorrectly listed as Manchaug River Corp. ... but I kind of like it!
But for the record, the dam owner is Manchaug Reservoir Corp. c/o Interface Flooring Systems of Atlanta Georgia.
This morning's photo taken by a new MPA photographer, thank you!
Do you think this bird species, the Cormorant, would continue to live at Manchaug Pond if it is reduced by 180 acres to a shallow, eutrophic swamp?
Why the aversion to a Water District?
ReplyDeleteWhoa. Aversion? NO. Just reality.
ReplyDeletePut your ear to the ground! This is what's on the street:
~ no time for a district the Dam Owner says, must divest now! Too bad DC won't sit down and work with us toward a solution.
~ Dam Owner wants to sell to Whitin's District or that other buyer. Profits before people or the environment.
~ 2004 is ancient history! The Dam Owner was nowhere to be seen when the Towns' were looking for the best option. MRC never jumped in 2006-07 when Selectman wanted to know their position on a district as a major property owner.
~ get a kayak! You can get out on the lake whatever the waterlevel! Great Canadian, Rte 146, Sutton reports a big jump in sales to people on Manchaug Pond!
~ SAFETY! SAFETY! SAFETY! .... so now the community outside the lake wonders if the dam is safe! How much $$$ will it cost they ask?
~ LIABILITY! LIABILITY! the other point the attorneys and engineers of the dam owner drove home. Who will assume the liability?
~ The dam owner made this HUGE! stirring up the two towns, the state, the courts, now to "restore" the GREAT POND... Now its THE PEOPLES DAM! Up and down stream and everywhere in between see the need. Did you see the Steven's and Whitins Res people at the July 7th meeting, and all those statewide groups, and state officials! We even have cars driving the side roads around the lake asking if their are houses for sale!!
~ who should pay if so many benefit from the Great Pond... the MPA members? the bass fisherman? the campgrounds? property owners in Sutton? Douglas? on Stevens'? the Douglas Waste Water Treatment plant? the old Guilford mill? the Whitinsville Water Company? the Milford Power Plant? Alternatives Unlimited hydroelectric plant, the Whitinsville Golf Course? or the people on Whitin Res who will loose water big time if Manchaug is breached? Truly THE PEOPLEs'DAM!
~ which brings us to the new question ... if so many need the water, especially summer needs of drinking, power/energy, irrigation, sewerage....
why should the 120 pond property owners (60% being summer camps with owners who live somewhere else!), and who favor environmental reasons, recreation and property values, get control? Drinking water is most important! The summer flow is important!
So dam owner, aversion, no. But it is time to take this out of the financial guys' hands, send the engineers and lawyers home, and give it to your environmental foundation to handle - let them come to the Towns with a proposal that Preserves Manchaug Pond and works with the community.