The developer of a proposed solar farm on August 17 responded to Marion Planning Board Chairman Robert Lane’s personal opinion that the decommissioning escrow amount should be $110,000 by calling the amount “somewhat unreasonable.”

Applicant Clean Energy Collective and engineer Bob Rogers suggested a $40,000 escrow amount, while another engineering firm recommended $50,000. Engineer John Novak, the peer review engineer for the Planning Board, also suggested $50,000, with separate amounts that would increase every seven years upon review.

“I believe we’ve complied with the bylaw,” said developer Greg Carey, referring to the $40,000 estimate and the independent engineer’s estimate. “But for the purpose of trying to resolve the issue, we would be willing to work on a number that is somewhere in between $40,000 and $50,000.”

Lane said he would not hear that number, and pointed specifically to one detail of the estimate – salvage of the materials in the case of abandonment.

“I’m not prepared to move from [$110,000] unless I get really strong reasons why,” said Lane. “Salvage is all speculative. We have to look at the cost of seven years from now.”

Lane conceded that the issue would not be resolved that evening.

“To go from fifty to one-hundred is somewhat unreasonable,” said Carey.

Stormwater waiver issues were left unresolved as well, although Rogers explained that the drainage design has been modified in order to avoid certain Mass DEP regulations, to which Rogers was seeking a waiver.

The issue, which pertains to the grade of the site relative to seasonal high of groundwater, was resolved according to Rogers, who explained that the design has changed so that the east basin is at the existing grade of the land, and the system was reclassified as a “dry extended detention basin,” which no longer applied to some aspects of the DEP regulations. For water recharge, Rogers added an over 200 square-foot rock-filled trench.

Novak disagreed with Rogers over the alterations, and Novak insisted upon the DEP’s 2-foot above groundwater minimum as opposed to the 1-foot above groundwater waiver Rogers sought. Novak insisted Rogers’ 1-foot waiver request for the system was over 1-foot, more like 1.1 or 1.2 feet, which would require a waiver for a different amount.

Rogers visually appeared perplexed as he went over the details again with the board and Novak, but the two engineers did not reach common ground.

“What I’m trying to do is protect the board,” said Novak. “If they requested an incorrect variance then it’s not good for anybody.”

Lane asked the two engineers to meet at a later time to discuss the matter and resolve the disagreement before the next meeting.

Also during the discussion, Rogers provided the board with the reassurance it requested during its last meeting that would demonstrate that no houses could be built within 100 feet of the solar energy facility. Rogers presented the board with a signed letter from the property owners stating they would not later subdivide their remaining 23 acres of their land for the duration of the solar farm. He also presented an aerial photo of the site and a map detailing the locations of wetlands not viable for development to further prove that no houses could be built in the future inside the 100-foot setback.

Although board member Rico Ferrari stated he was uncomfortable with the level of reassurance, the rest of the board expressed contentment on that one issue.

The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for September 8 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry

Imminent financial deficits and the uncertainty over the future of the town’s sewer treatment facility are what drove the Marion Water Rate Study Committee to recommend on August 18 that the Marion Board of Selectmen adopt water and sewer rate increases for the current fiscal year.

The last time the Town raised the water and sewer rates was eight years ago back in 2007, when, at that time, the town committed to performing annual reassessments of the Town’s water and sewer rates.

“This year, regrettably, we will be making a recommendation for a rate increase,” said Marion Town Administrator Paul Dawson. He said it was important to note: “Remember that this is actually three years later than we had predicted [rates would go up].”

Most residents, Dawson noted, belong in the Tier I consumer group. The 2.5% increase, talking dollars and cents, translates into a $14 increase each billing cycle for an average residence of 2.5 people, based on average water consumption.

For water-only customers, the increase averages at $1.77 each billing cycle, and sewer-only customers would see an increase each cycle of about $12.22.

“We will revaluate this every year,” said Dawson.

If the selectmen vote to adopt the new rates, then come September, Tier I water consumers will see their base water charge – the standard payment made by all water consumers – rise by 2.5% annually, beginning this fiscal year 2016, and continue to increase by 2.5% each following year through 2018.

Tier II and III consumers will witness a 3% increase in the water rate, which will be adjusted further in the following years through 2018 by 15%.

All sewer customers will witness a 2.5% increase in their sewer rate as well.

As Dawson and the committee analyzed the numbers, the budget, and the projected shortfalls that would eventually amount to over $100,000 in sewer alone, they determined that the increase was necessary to keep both the water and sewer operations from falling too deeply into a deficit.

The rate increases help cover the costs of maintenance, future improvements, and chemicals for water treatment; the rate increases do not, however, account for what Dawson called “the elephant in the room,” the unknown result of the Town’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit that could result in an excess of $20 million in costs for the town.

“Obviously, we’ll have to raise rates accordingly,” said Dawson, once the Mass DEP issues a decision in the fall on whether or not it will allow the Town to explore alternative ways in which to comply with the strict environmental and pollution standards the DEP issued this year.

Water consultant for the Town, John Gregory, explained how the committee extrapolated the data and determined the rate increase percentage. The bottom line, he said, was the surplus and deficit number and its propensity to plunge deeper into the negative over the next three years.

After brainstorming, Gregory said the rate increases were the best way to even out the surplus and deficit number and come close to breaking even each subsequent year.

“This was the best means that we could come up with,” said Gregory. The way that is least problematic for the townspeople, Gregory stated, but still meets the needs moving forward. “And the NPDES permit is still out there looming. We don’t know how this is going to work into this.”

Dawson emphasized that the Town has internally done its best in this situation, and he praised both the Water Rate Study Committee and the Department of Public Works.

“It’s a great thing that we’ve been able to hold this off for a few years,” said Board of Selectmen Chairman Stephen Cushing. “We’re at a point where we have to do it.”

The board refrained from voting that evening in order to allow residents and interested parties to learn about the rate increases and voice their concerns and opinions during a special public meeting, which the selectmen scheduled for August 25 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall.

Also pertaining to the Water Department, Dawson said recent water quality samples showed high amounts of coliform at several drinking water source sites, resulting in a thorough chlorination of each of several water tanks. On August 14, resampling was done and chloroform results were high again.

“Not e-coli,” said Dawson. “Coliform. This has never been a boil water situation.”

The positive results triggered three required subsequent retests.

“And I’m happy to report, as of today, the results … came back and everything appears to be clean,” said Dawson.

Dawson said a detailed water quality report would soon be disclosed to the public in a formal press release.

The next scheduled regular meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen will be September 8 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Police Department conference room.

By Jean Perry