Kingston Forms Sewer Advisory Committee to Address $8 Million Shortfall
Town Meeting Date Set for April 26, 2024
KINGSTON - December 3 - The Kingston Board of Selectmen has established a Sewer Advisory Committee to tackle an estimated $8 million capital shortfall in the town's sewer system. The Committee, comprising representatives from various town departments and community members, aims to develop solutions before the next town meeting.
Brian Donahoe, representing the Sewer Commission, presented the proposal for the advisory committee to the Board of Selectmen at their recent meeting. Donahoe emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "We have a capital shortfall somewhere around $8 million. That reflects a number of issues that, again, are part of the reconciliation we're going to talk about."
The Committee will include a Selectman, Sewer Commissioner, Finance Committee Member, Town Administrator, Health Agent, Town Pplanner, Water Commissioner, environmental community representative, sewer customer, non-sewer customer, and a member from the Kingston Business Association.
Eric Crone was appointed as the Board of Selectmen's representative on the committee. The board delegated the appointing authority for several positions to the advisory committee itself, including the environmental community representative, sewer customer, non-sewer customer, and KBA member.
Donahoe outlined the committee's goals, saying, "My goal, personally, with the Sewer Commission, is to have no more than three or four meetings between now and the end of January so that we can come before you and the town basically ready for some kind of an article for town meeting that reconciles appropriately the shortfall that we know we have."
The sewer issue extends beyond financial concerns. Donahoe presented a map of the sewer system, highlighting areas that need attention, particularly near water sources. He explained, "The South Street well isn't [protected]. And we want to get the sewers up there. That's why the water department needs to weigh in on this and the environmental community and all of us, because those well fields are starting to show nitrogen levels increasing."
In other business, the Board of Selectmen set the date for the Annual Town Meeting for April 26, 2024, moving from its traditional May date. Town Clerk Paul Gallagher suggested the change, saying, "My request, and I'll take the brunt of it as my recommendation, but it's up to only the board's discretion. And that gives the town clerk not back-to-back weekends, too."
The change accommodates scheduling conflicts and aims to avoid issues with back-to-back weekend commitments for election workers. The board voted unanimously to approve the new date and directed Town Administrator Keith Hickey to work with legal counsel to update the town meeting timeline accordingly.
Hickey also provided updates on several town initiatives. He announced that the town's website would undergo a complete redesign, with the process starting in December and aiming for a July 1 launch. Hickey encouraged public input, saying, "If anybody has any suggestions, both on the board and publicly, of how we can make it more efficient and make it easier to use, let us know."
Additionally, Hickey reported that Kingston has agreed to implement an online permitting process for various departments. "We're using the same company that a lot of communities are using in Massachusetts, including Plymouth and Duxbury," Hickey said. The system aims to streamline processes for residents, potentially including transfer station decals, beach stickers, and business licenses.
The meeting also saw the acceptance of several donations, including $4,600 to the Kingston Veterans Donation Fund from the Arbor Hills Neighborhood Community and $1,000 to the Council on Aging from the Friends of the Council on Aging.