NORTH SMITHFIELD – The Town Council approved a settlement this week with Philips North America that will allow the company to connect homes with contaminated wells in Millville, Mass. to the Slatersville Water system.
As part of the agreement, Philips will provide the town of North Smithfield $260,000, to be used to connect 26 additional homes along Mechanic Street and Old Great Road to the municipal water supply.
The deal comes in response to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management’s determination that the business, which reportedly released oil into the ground at industrial sites in town many years ago, was potentially responsible for chemicals found in the wells in 2004, both in North Smithfield and later in the adjoining Massachusetts town. It may bring a final end to water issues that have concerned residents in one area of the Blackstone Valley for many years since.
But according to at least one councilor, the funding fell short of what the town could have gotten through negotiations and what the ratepayers in the Slatersville water system deserved.
“I am adamantly opposed to this agreement,” said Town Councilor John Beauregard during a 3-2 vote approving the settlement Monday night. “I think this is a bad deal for the town and a worse deal for the ratepayers.”
According to the terms of the deal approved by councilors on Monday, May 1, homes at 3, 19 and 25 Providence Street in Millville will be connected to the municipal water supply, and Philips will make a payment to enable the town to also connect eligible properties in North Smithfield.
Slatersville water lines were extended to the area of town, which includes Mechanic Street and Old Great Road, in 2020 with the help of a $1.4 million loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The project, first moved forward under former Town Administrator Gary Ezovski, extended service to some 46 homes and was later recognized for, “Excellence in Public Health Protection,” by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
“You have to applaud the prior administration for putting in the water line,” said Councilor Douglas Osier in discussing the resolution, negotiated in executive session over the past several months, with NRI NOW.
But only a handful of residents have tied in to the new line, with the burden to connect houses to water provided at the roadway estimated at around $10,000 per home on average.
Now, the town will offer to finance connections for properties close to the wells where contamination has already been detected. The agreement includes a, “performance premium,” under which the town receives extra funding of up to $40,000 if agreements are signed with 15 or more homeowners by the deadline of June 30, 2025.
And Philips will pay for closure of the private wells currently serving the eligible properties.
“I think it’s a great deal, because we worked together with Philips,” said Council President Kimberly Alves. “We were able to bring water to residents in Millville, and also help our residents at the same time.”
Beauregard told NRI NOW that initially, he and other town officials hoped to get Philips to not only finance the additional North Smithfield connections, but also to pay back money the town still owes for the 2020 water line extension. The state agency forgave a portion of the $1.4 million infrastructure loan, but $550,000 still remains, a burden that falls on Slatersville’s roughly 580 water users.
“This is a worldwide, multimillion dollar company, and they’re putting the burden on these ratepayers,” Beauregard said.
He noted that the town was in a good position to negotiate a better deal because it was in Philip’s best interest to hook up the Millville homes with North Smithfield, alleviating the burden of working with Mass. DEP and the need for future well monitoring.
“That’s the negotiating process,” Beauregard said. “I was so frustrated. It was an unfortunate deal for the town, and a very bad deal for the ratepayers.”
Philips, which conducted metals plating and branding at a 35-acre parcel on Industrial Drive between 1977 and 1990, has been voluntarily working on the solution in conjunction with the Massachusetts agency, along with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Trichloroethylene, Tetrachloroethylene and Freon 113 were detected in wells supplying drinking water to three Millville homes in 2015.
The councilor also expressed concern that if the town hits ledge or runs into construction setbacks, the cost to hook up the homes could exceed the $260,000.
Councilor Claire O’Hara cast the only other dissenting vote on Monday.
But Alves told NRI NOW that councilors discussed the expense with the Water Department, and she felt comfortable with the figure.
“There may be residents who don’t want to tie in,” she added.
Osier noted that Philips was one of two parties deemed potentially responsible for the two-town contamination, but the only one at the negotiating table. PT Property Holdings, LLC aka Polytop, has reportedly not cooperated with MassDEP to perform response action.
“It was clear they didn’t want to go the litigation route, and neither did the town,” Osier said of Philips. “We negotiated everything we could. Philips very well could have walked away from a deal. You can’t use residents as leverage in a negotiation.”
Osier noted that the agreement also doesn’t prevent the town from going back to the company if more problemed wells are discovered in town.
“It did not release Philips from liability for contamination found in the future,” he said. “I would never sign a deal where the town couldn’t go back.”
“They are exhibiting that they are a good neighbor,” Alves agreed.
According to Mass. DEP, the project will extend an 8 inch main water line approximately 750 feet from its current end at Old Great Road. The line extension and connections to the residential Millville buildings will likely be completed within 60 days after construction has started.
“I think it’s a win for the residents,” said Osier. “They’re going to be able to get clean drinking water.”
Based on the information provided in this article, I don’t know how anyone can claim this is a terrible deal. It’s naïve to believe that unequivocally proving Philips was the sole source responsible for the contamination would be a quick, easy and inexpensive lawsuit. When the Massachusetts department of environmental management, with all their resources, can only state that Philips was one of two companies which could “potentially” be responsible for chemicals found in the wells I wouldn’t bet the farm on the Town winning the lawsuit. Homeowners often make the mistake of rejecting an early or first offer when selling their home and some end up accepting a much lower offer months later. At some point Philips, who was voluntarily participating in negotiations, could have packed up their tent and taken a hike. Also, should the town be forcing homeowners whose wells are contaminated to continue to cope with living in those homes because we “may” have won a bigger settlement? Mr. Beauregard claimed the restrooms at the football field were desperately needed for health and safety reasons but doesn’t seem to understand that contaminated water is a far greater risk to residents’ health. BTW, those porta-Johns are still needed at the football field, even though the restrooms were built. I also remind residents that Mr. Beauregard claimed the town would get a huge windfall of revenue from the 400 acre solar array and we are actually getting less in revenue from that facility than one box store at Dowling Village pays. It doesn’t appear to me he knows how to negotiate or recognize a good deal.
So much negative speculation. The real question is did the Town Council negotiate, or merely settle? If yes, what exactly is “everything we could”? We could “go back” to Philips, but couldn’t they then walk away as well? So many unanswered questions here. Perhaps Mr. Beauregard will fill-in some blanks.
And you’ve just got to go back to that concession stand Mr. Clifford. How much sleep have you lost knowing Mr. Beauregard cut a deal with a developer that is of great benefit to NS? Besides NSMS it’s the only new facility constructed for the Town in the last 20 years – and at no taxpayer expense. We can clearly see how painful that reality is for you.
You are Mr. Clifford a skilled curator of negativity and despair. Imagine if your talents could be put towards good.
Mr Guertin, stop misleading the public with your propaganda. Your tendency to leave out relevant financial information has always been one thing in life we can always count on. The concession stand did come at a cost to taxpayers. The town forgave a payment owed of $268,000 in exchange for building the shell of a concession stand with restrooms which has no central heat. Don’t even bother uttering John’s silly claim that it cost the developer over $600k. When I’ve told people in the construction business that line they’ve broken out in laughter. You defend every dumb decision John makes which leads me to believe that you have advised him on these issues. Did you tell him to promote the Nike boycott? I sent him an email questioning why he would put such a foolish item on the agenda but I bet you read and approved his boycott resolution. You were at that meeting but you didn’t speak. Were you in agreement with John and did you encourage him to do it? How about the solar deal, did you encourage him to push it through by bypassing the normal process? Did you counsel John to throw the PBIC members off and replace them with board members who pledged to push for a new station and ignore the plan approved by voters? Watching John in action is like watching your clone. He seems to use some of the same tactics I’ve seen you use over the years.
He quotes…so many unanswered questions…..yes.
And funny how some can often bring up that lack of full disclosure of a real estate deed payment missing by a certain someone, which is a violation of RI law, that you referenced months ago to show honesty or lack thereof. Saying you were wrong so I posted the statute as proof. But that’s ok. Boggles my mind how some just do not want to know the whole truth of the matter. Accepting partial info and nothing more. And that’s ok with them. And those that care to show all the facts, are the negative ppl! It’s all about accountability.
I don’t make it a habit of replying to you but this is low hanging fruit. My negotiation skills are on point and I know a good deal when I see one. Let me give you just a few examples; (this post is so old most people won’t even see this.)
Even if Mr. DePasquale’s claim the bathrooms and concession stand cost him $600K are way off and even if they only cost him what he would have owed the town which is $268K it was still a great deal for the town. The town could have never built that building for $268K. What you call a shell of a building needed to connect to the septic system at the middle school which was over two hundred yards away. The power for all those lights and score board had to be disconnected from the old concession stand and moved under the paved walkway and memorial without digging anything up. This was not a 110v extension cord. But again I’ll stipulate for argument sake that the project only cost him $268K. Even at that price the town would have never built it, it never would have happened. Yes, I made a very good deal on this and every time I go to the field I am proud to say I had a very big part in making this happen. And I believe the parents and athletes that use the field would tend to agree. The concession stand does a great business, the bathrooms are being used and even the press box is used. And BTW no field house leaves their restrooms open 24 hours, that would be a recipe for disaster. That comment made no sense. The port-jons are there so when the rest rooms are closed you don’t have to go under the bleachers which I have often seen people doing.
I was also part of negotiating a very good deal regarding the solar farm on Iron Mine Hill Road. I will gladly own this. Now instead of a house farm in the neighborhood there is a solar farm quietly generating power. Yes the construction was a very big inconvenience for the neighbors but now that it is done the neighborhood is back to the way it has always been. Had over one hundred houses been built instead the neighborhood would have been changed forever. As a bonus the junk yard was cleaned out and cleaned up and that is a very big deal. As far as no windfall, I guess that is the eyes of the beholder. Not only do we receive the annual payment of $268K but we will also receive millions of dollars from the tangible taxes on the sub-station. I would call that a windfall for the town. If you don’t think millions of dollars is a lot of money then you are doing very very well. But for me, I think it’s a lot of money.
I also worked with Kim Alves and helped negotiate a very good deal with the Fire Department to get an additional rescue on the road. Some day, and I hope this day never comes if you ever have a medical emergency and the rescue is able to get to you in a matter of minutes please don’t feel obligated to thank me, I was just doing my job.
I helped to negotiate a deal with Mr. Gold to purchase the Gold Forest. You seem to be adamant that the people spoke when approving the bond for the police station well they also spoke when approving the bond to acquire more open space. I went to his office in Pawtucket and talked him into sitting down with the town one more time. He wanted nothing to do with North Smithfield after dealing with town officials in the past. Myself, Paul Soars, and Paul Zwolenski negotiated a very good deal for the town to purchase that property. Plus it included a house on Rt. 7. Anyone who walked the Gold Forest during Covid knows what a beautiful piece of property this is. It was a done deal, we had an agreement, it would have cost the town $1.4 million for all that land and even included a lake. Soon residents for generations could enjoy everything that property had to offer. But a new council came in and tried to “renegotiate” the offer. That didn’t work out very well. As a result we will now have some type of development on that property. It is already under a purchase and sales agreement to a developer. That land will soon be gone forever. But like the bathrooms and concession stand you don’t care because you would have never used it.
There are other positive negotiations I have made for the town but this reply is getting very long and you and your “friends” will need space to pick it apart and attack me.
John Beauregard
Millions from the substation you claim? That’s odd because when I asked the tax assessor for a copy of their tangibles filing she said they were exempt from disclosure under the APRA law. If you were able to obtain that document or any document which attests to your claim that we’re getting “millions” from the substation please post it. Don’t be shocked when you get the real number John and you should learn to fact check before boasting. It demonstrates poor negotiating skills when you can’t support your claims with facts. As for the developers’s cost of the concession stand, you and Mr Zwolenski didn’t give Mr DePasquale or his firm any document attesting to the value of his “donation” as being over $600k did you John? To claim the town would have faced hundreds of homes in lieu of the solar array on that property is a joke, but then again you believed the same claim was true in regards to the Gold Property. Neither property is suitable for a major subdivision due to its topography, wetlands and limited frontage lots. That’s why the Gold property has been on the market for years and has never sold.
Suddenly you’re concerned with supporting claims with facts? That’s a first as it’s clearly not a requirement on Cliff Notes. I guess it depends on who the claims are against. Everything I said in my reply to you was 100% accurate. Michael, you should learn to fact check before boasting. It demonstrates poor negotiating skills when you can’t support your claims with facts. Saying things like “I’ve told people in the construction business that line they’ve broken out in laughter” is not really proof and most likely not even true.
I see lots of flip flopping and lots of misconception by you. I know facts are not your friend, so I’ll provide a short list for you. Are we just supposed to take your word as fact all the time or is there a side to every story?
For instance, you claim we’ve never met, we’ve met at least 5 times, 3 of those times at the same house, 1 of those 3 times you’ve thanked me for my service and shook my hand. The other 2 times both were in town hall. 1 of the 2 times I was trying to ask questions about permits for a deck, you walked in after being quite loud in another room, and the other, is when I confronted you at the meeting and you couldn’t look at me after I sat back down.
In your response to this article, you claimed that no one leaves the bathrooms open 24/7, yes this is true, but even during practices and a few games it’s not open either, depends on the sport apprently.
You claimed the unpvaed path and lighting from the middle school parking lots were an oversight, yet claim a big success, in order to claim we need more parking at the field.
You claim you were doing your job when getting an added rescue on the road to protect the residents, yet feel the need to attack people are their place of employment. I’ll add on to this one, why are you so upset about the negotiations, when there were none when this first came out in 2015 and the multiple times I’ve brought it up during the 2 most recent election cycles? Your previous response was we’ll wait and see what happens first, setting a dangerous precedent of not protecting residents.
I’ll flip to different topic about election laws. You have said that you want strict election laws, but both yourself and O’Hara have violated them since 2020. You getting escorted away from the fire dept, causing a big scene when you were in the wrong, back in 2020. O’Hara for promoting her campaign inside town hall during early voting for the 2022 election. Yet there’s no mention of condemning yourself or her during it.
There’s more but I said I’d keep it short.
Bryan, after reading this I’m thinking you have some serious issues. Maybe we met once along the way in passing but we never met five times and we never spoke. I never thanked you for your service because that is not what I say to Vets and members of the military. Can you tell me what I say? As far as walking in after being quite loud in another room, I’m never loud, especially to the point where you would have heard me from another room. Anyone who knows me knows that. That just never happened. As for not looking at you when you came to the council meeting, every time I looked in your direction you looked down at the ground. And regarding you coming to the meeting, I do regret not taking the opportunity to confront you in public about your lies on social media. As your mentor Mike Clifford says, support your claims with facts. You put a lot of stuff out there but never back anything up. I wish I would have asked you do do that, it would have been very interesting to see what you came up with. But I remained quiet and I do very much regret that. Maybe I should rethink my policy of not engaging people during open forum. Are you really saying you brought up the water issue on Mechanic Street to me during the last two elections? Where and when did we have this conversation? I never said we’ll wait and see what happens because we never discussed this and that would not have been my response to this issue. And when then Town Administrator Ezovski told the members of the council some wells were polluted on Mechanic Street everyone agreed we had to act right away and we did. This was not a discussion I would have had with Bryan Murray. And to continue with your weird response, I never discussed election laws at any time and never said I want strict election laws, I never even gave that any thought. As far as being escorted away from the Fire Dept and causing a big scene in 2020, again it never happened. I was never escorted from a polling station and if you know me, I don’t cause big scenes. Where do you come up with this stuff?
You said you will keep it short? Please don’t keep it short. If you say there’s more I would love to hear what else you have to say. You are wasting your talent, they way you can make up a story you should be working for Disney.
I don’t know if it is on purpose or you can’t help yourself but every word you said was a complete lie. You say facts are not my friend? In your world facts don’t exist. I should not have even replied to you, it will only encourage you and that’s the last thing we need. But I just could not help myself, this is the most bizarre post about me I have ever seen. And that’s saying something. Mike Clifford has nothing on you.
BM IS going to call the state police – you just “cyberstalked” him.
I’m sure there is a warrant out already, you internet bully !!! LOL
Grow up.
Ida what did you get – more minutes and data for your prepaid ???
Happy Mothers Day !!
Why do you need to know little boy….is your life that boring ? Grow up, your little childishness is evident to us all….and validates what a Woonsocket person said to me this week….NS is a mean little town now. And is why they moved out.
Who said I’m a little boy or a male for that matter….??
Jeez and I wished you a happy Mother’s Day!!
So let me get this straight, your friend moved out of NS because it’s “mean” and they chose to move to Woonsocket ?
Again, grow up. Your attacks made me a tough skin, and yes, NS stinks as to accomplishing any thing of late. Drag their feet. Offer no decent services. But you would not know because I have traveled and lived and able to compare. Nice area, but lousy police and fire dept compared to neighboring towns. No decent senior transportation. I can compare so any put down of me says more,of you than of me. No f said, now grow up and stop your childish badgering. You are only proving me correct.
Ida: the sad part is no one is attacking you. You’re showing your true colors by lashing out at anyone and everyone when someone questions your nonsense and logic. By your own words and definition, you are cyberstalking NS leadership and residents.
Has anyone else checked the tax rolls for the name “Ida”.
Enjoy wherever your new home is!!
The sad part is that if you can’t see the attacking being done, you end up part of the problem. So yes, you did attack her, as well as Mr and Mrs Lombardi, yourself, and others.
I would be upset to at the police and fire departments, if they failed her/not up to her standards (which seem high and appropriate, as someone from that field should) like she has said.
You keep throwing out the term cyberstalking, unfortunately you’re also missing multiple parts of said definition in order for it to be considered as such.
BM – so you and your pitbulls get to attack, throw insults, name call, distort reality, twist facts and make up blatant lies ?? And that’s ok? But any pushback or questioning or such is an attack ??
You and Ida must live or have lived on the same one way street in town!!
Beauregard and his allies has the pitbull term, not me. When someone threatens my family, friends, or myself, yes I will defend them and myself. Certain people only know how to throw insults or name call, so I match their energy appropriately. The distortions of reality, twisting of facts, and blatant lies are not done by me, you may want to ask Beauregard those portions, as I have already said my first hand accounts. Some people, including themselves, just can’t handle the cold hard truth about their leader, or themselves.
“Ida what did you get – more minutes and data for your prepaid ???” – was said by you. Not only is this not an appropriate question, it also potentially attacks their age and income. Once again, matching energy with your insults thrown at Ida.
We quite possibly lived near eachother for a period of time, but I don’t think so. I do know the road (not a one way) she has brought up in discussions, as I also wondered that issue every time my running route brought me that way.
Good Lord are you sick. I have loved many cities, many states. I can compare with valid experience. My military husband died for your bully butt, sadly. Go ahead and keep attacking, it says more about you than me. Carry on….lol.
It’s weird how you have a different version of history compared to what has actually happened. Are you sure you aren’t the unwell person?
So are you saying that what you said didn’t equate to thanking me for my service in your own way? Are you saying that you didn’t shake my hand? Are you saying that you didnt need to leave your group of people and answer my questions of the political scene back in 2016? I know it’s a bit far back, and there have been many other events that may have clouded your memory of such conversations, for example the whole nike incident, or maybe you were too busy going behind the council’s back, or was it the sexual harassment/assault case against the administrator, or was it finding ways to not fix the most needed roads? Did we not talk back in 2018 at the same house, I’ll say that was more of a passing by as I was exhausted from work the previous night. But we did talk briefly about items. Maybe you didn’t hear me when I asked questions as it was a busy day.
The loud room incident is when Chase called out on the track issue, you were laughing/boasting about it in another room and I just happened to be there at the wrong time, for your sake. That’s when I was very visibly upset, I needed to leave when you came into the room. Maybe you aren’t loud, maybe your voice just travels very far and sounded like you were right next to me.
As you lie again and again, you could ask the grant writer, as she even asked me if she needed to move so I could stare you down, as you looked away in shame. I didn’t look away until the executive session happened, so I’m quite shocked you would blatantly lie. The only time I was looking away in the first portion was to look at my talking notes.
The water pollution was not brought to your attention apprently, as it was on public forum, and in the most recent email. Which if you listened to the town, you might’ve heard about it, instead you insult the town people to put yourself up. Ask some of my friends or family members, or my extended family who used to live on Providence Street who had brought it to our attention. The valley breeze wrote an article about it back on January 2018, October 2017, a few other news outlets around that time as well, and their neighbor said the town was very well aware of it, yet nothing was done. Pollution was found back in 2004, which just begs the question of why wasn’t anything done back then.
As for the election laws, that was more of a what we have seen from you. We never talked about it, but it was in response to the 2022 presidential election as you were quoting fox news and former president trump a lot during the lead up to it. It wasn’t in an article or anything, just right place right time as I overheard you talking to others. You really do need to be more aware of your surroundings, you never know who’s listening.
As for the polling location, the other people there campaigning, myself as I was right across at the lil general, trying to get an ice cream sandwich. You were caught too close to the polling location trying to give away hand sanitizer with vote for you on it. Looked like a big scene to me, guess it wasn’t to you, as you might be use to them.
I don’t come up with this stuff as it’s first hand accounts by myself and others, I wish disney would hire me, disneyworld is expensive. I can understand why you don’t want people knowing the real truth about what has happened in those events, as it would put you in an unfavorable light even more so than what it is currently. Why would I, an ordained veteran resident, willingly lie about first hand accounts that I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears?
“I was eating an ice cream cone and then big bad John looked at me with an evil look. So then I ran away but he chased me all the way back home. I was so scared of him cause he talks so loud. I told my wife and she held me in her arms and told me to be a good little boy. So I mustered up the courage to give a delusional speech that no one understood in front of the town. My communist commandos now think I’m a brave little boy. I finally have gotten the attention I’ve wanted all my life. Still waiting for that email John…….
Still live by that core value. Still went to go talk to campaigners and help out a friend that night, still tried to get an ice cream sandwich from lil general, still saw you cause a scene, it was across a road of some sort from where I was parked. Apprently mixed up places, as it was the polling location for a long while.
Not saying anything stupid, not sure why you take such offense to truths. Not trying to damage your reputation, as you do that enough on your own (nike, solar company deal, not placing the administrator on leave to protect the sexual harassed/assaulted, to name a few). Also not damaging my reputation, as you try and proclaim that I am. Just sticking up to bullies whenever and wherever I can, and telling the truth. Im a bit confused as to how to you saying being caught in a lie will bring suspect to everything else, yet you’ve been caught in a lot more than I have. My lie counter is very low, unless my children want my food. Then I say it’s too spicy and they wouldnt like it. So…. should we question everything you do as a result of this? What else have you lied about? As I’ve already proven you wrong on multiple occasions, care to walk back from your impossible ones?
As for Greg, yes, still waiting for an email from him.
Grow up.
Let’s be clear about the facts John. Halliwell was used in the 2020 General election but the St Paul’s Street Fire Station WAS used as a polling station in the 2020 Primary election. Did you forget that little fact John or were you just leaving it out so people might believe your false claim about BM being delusional?
Well genius good try covering for your protege but I wasn’t in the primary so what would I be doing there handing out hand sanitizer? Nice try. And yes, the kid has issues as do yiu.
LOL, sure John, your partner in crime Paul Zwolenski ,who helped you derail the Police Station renovation, was running for TA but you didn’t get yourself involved in his campaign. Right, I’m sure everyone who knows how tight you guys are will believe you sat home on primary day and didn’t work the polls for yourself in the upcoming election, and for Paul Zwolenski in the primary.
John it is very difficult to believe what your are saying. First you say “my negotiation skills are on point and I know a good deal when I see one.” How can you say your skills are on point when you do not have the training and experience in negotiations. You where are police officer and have a very small striping business so how does that qualify you as a negotiator. It does not. Second the cost of the concessions/bathroom is absurd. I personally have managed construction projects on many types of buildings and $600,000 is 3 to 4 times what the building cost. If you believe the number do an audit an ask for backup of invoices. Third you want a new police station for your union brothers and sisters no matter the cost or burden on the taxpayers. Fourth you called a residents place of employment as a bully tactic. Firth the Nike town embarrassment. Sixth reducing the roads budget. Seventh having back room meetings to hire a grant writer. And the list continues. Yes you may have voted on a few good things but the negatives and poor negotiating clearly out ways any goods.
Excellent post Rick Bean!
Rick, for eleven years I was a hostage negotiator on the State Police. While negotiating with criminals and emotionally distressed people is different than negotiating over water lines the fundamentals are the same. I have been to numerous schools for negotiating and even assisted in training new members of the team. I kinda do have the training and experience in negotiations that you said I do not. Before you make comments like you did you might want to make sure you have your facts straight. But hey I’m just a retired police officer with a very small striping business so why do I know? On the plus side at least Mike Clifford liked your post, so you can feel good about that.
John, what you fail to understand is negotiating with criminals does not translate to negotiating financially driven business contracts. What you are saying is an all star NFL football player could play NBA basketball and be successful because he is an athlete but that is not the case. In the case of a financially driven business negotiation you need sound facts and realistic financial projections. In a criminal negotiation you do not need any financial analysis and are acting in a short timeframe from emotion and fear instead of a point of a well thought out sound plan and analysis. For example the new police station you are proposing has only considered the upfront cost but zero analysis has been done on a long term planning basis of the total future impact on operating expenses and taxes over the next 10 years. In a financial negotiation you need to determine and consider the free cash flow, net present value, internal rate of return, and the return on investment over a 10 plus year horizon. And not the analysis done by an unqualified state organization or an engineer that tells you what you want to hear, which is you can afford to spend the money. In any large purchase you need to be realistic and prepare multiple sensitivity analysis to truly understand the potential pitfalls and risk associated with the decision. But I will call you when negotiating a union contract because the state police are experts in using bully tactics and holding the state hostage to achieve a one sided contract that is wonderful for the police officers but is unreasonable and unfair for the taxpayers.
John, your response failed to provide proof of your facts which I challenged. Simply because you say you are 100% correct doesn’t make it true.
Please provide a document that specifically indicates we are getting millions from the “tangible tax” on the “substation” alone. National Grid has always been one of our largest tangible taxpayers but that’s not a claim you can prove. Maybe you’re playing a word game and suggesting we will receive millions over a period of decades. That claim to fame can be applied to many businesses and even some homeowners if you use a generous timeline. BTW, do you actually think National Grid won’t seek a rate increase from its users to pay the costs it will incur in the operation of substation? By approving that development and clear cutting hundreds of acres you can’t seriously still be proud of that deal and it’s impact on the town.
Also please supply an approved sub division plan demonstrating your claim that hundreds of houses could have been built on the solar array land.
I recently was in the fire station, a call came in for a difficulty breathing home resident. Rescues caught in traffic, a chief had to leave in his car. This elapsed over an 8-10 min time frame. So much for additional rescue. And it was not far from the station. The dispatcher tried frantically, professionally, to get aid out. As a retired nurse, I watched and prayed. Then left.
Something needs to change, and road construction makes it difficult. But posting one rescue at one end, for example might help….additional rescue substation also. Common sense planning.
What a terrible deal for the town and residents. The council, besides John and Claire should be ashamed of themselves. This is what we get when weak leaders are elected. Allowing a multinational company to spit in the faces of residents. The compensation is embarrassing. I am one of those parents in town who had a child with cancer and this company should have been held to the flames. Disturbing pattern of incompetence already being shown by this new class of council. Stop talking in circles over every little issue and start acting on the important ones. Grade F
I would respectfully disagree, those two should be ashamed of themselves too. As well as all council members, since 2015, especially the council presidents. As I have been saying this since 2017, and even making more of a noise about it since the summer of last year, it was also in my email. Unfortunately it was former council president Beauregard who brought this wait and see approach to this issue and others, “We’ll see how it plays out first” I believe were the words he spoke just a few years ago. I believe that even more people who lived here before me, probably made a complaints about what was going on, quite literally, in their back yard. I do know of a few houses that have fallen through in selling due to said pollution, which is even more shocking when housing values went up in those areas.
This wait and see approach allowed for the continued pollution and the spread of the pollution to more and more households. Yes it is a bad deal as it should have been remedied back when it was first found. Yes it is a bad deal when they will be forcing those residents to connect, essentially a connect or die from contaminated water. Yes it is a bad deal to be requesting the next phases 2 and phase 3 sewer projects to shell out $200, to test and see if the pollution made it to us yet. All of which should be covered by the polluting parties. Which is sad to say that only one of the possible parties came forward, but I do give to them credit for admitting the wrong doing.
This is a good deal for those affected, but took way to long to happen. I fault the previous councils the most, and I congratulate the current council for at least getting something started with the possibility of them coming back. Luckily it looks like the current council president is trying to kick the old ways of “wait and see” from which we are used to hearing/seeing from the former council presidents and other members.
Is there any information on the contamination areas? Does this not apply the the homes at the top of Mechanic street?
I just added a screenshot of the eligible homes to the bottom of the story above. From my understanding, the eligible homes are those in the area immediately surrounding the contaminated wells – where testing may have shown some level of the contaminants but not beyond the “safe” standard.
Very helpful. Thank you!
Kudos for Mr B, applaud the hard work. And his being vocal about it all.
Unfortunately I think as did a pediatric cancer mother noted not long ago, the town needs to check other well areas as there are increasing deaths from cancer, in the areas further away, at the Millville/N S border which included one of my own relatives of a very rare cancer. This cannot be ignored. I question if contamination has expanded. Recently sent out letters for the residents to pay $200 for reg testing of their wells, did not involve testing for possible contaminants.