Great Barrington — Back on May 30, Town Manager Mark Pruhenski recommended to the Selectboard that the town should create a program that would offer up to $500 for Housatonic Water Works customers for the installation of water filtration systems.
The program would be funded via $250,000 in relief funding from Chapter 268 of the Acts of 2022, a $3.76 billion economic development bill that was signed last November by then-Governor Charlie Baker.
At their meeting on June 12, the Selectboard discussed how the potential program would be implemented, including whether or not HWW customers would be required to submit receipts of water filtration system purchases, and if the relief funds could be used instead as reimbursement for purchases of bottled water, or other related expenses.
The discussion of the implementation of the potential program has continued for several meetings, including meetings on June 26, and July 10.
During the Selectboard special meeting held on Wednesday, Aug. 2, over two months since Pruhenski made his proposal, members of the board still could not decide on how to implement the potential program
At the Aug. 2 meeting, Selectboard Chair Stephen Bannon said that the town still has not received any relief funds from the state.
“I don’t think there’s an urgency [in making a decision] because the money is not in hand for the town,” Bannon said. “But I do think we need to get closer to a solution.”
Selectboard member Eric Gabriel told the board that relief program should stick to reimbursing HWW customers for water filtration system purchases.
“I don’t necessarily mean whole house filters or a big elaborate system, it could be a filtration system that is sitting on the counter,” Gabriel said. “I do understand that people might have their water delivered and they might be looking for reimbursement, but I would like to start with where we were going initially.”
Selectboard Vice Chair Leigh Davis said that, while she understood Gabriel’s point, “…unfortunately, this [program] is going to be a Band-Aid.”
“Whether it’s $500, $1,000, or $300, it’s not going to do enough,” Davis said. “I would like to honor the people that have spent money on buying water or doing laundry because everyone needs some kind of reimbursement. I think because this is already after the fact if someone can show a receipt that is directly linked to this crisis, they should be able to be reimbursed. While a filtration [system] is a longer-term solution, I think people have already spent money [relating to water issues].”
The Selectboard proceeded to discuss potential ways of leveraging the state funds and the process of reviewing any purchase receipts submitted to the town from HWW customers.
“Working in the nonprofit world, we’re always trying to leverage funds,” Vice Chair Davis said. “A lot of times we’ll go to a donor and try to find a creative way to match a grant, either through state or federal money. I don’t know that there might be some initiative out there where we might be able to double this money.”
After a lengthy discussion, the Selectboard could not come up with a consensus decision on the potential program and tabled any further discussion.
Residents who spoke at the meeting said that there needs to be much more comprehensive relief for HWW customers beyond the proposed program.
“I think that this [program] is aptly referred to as a Band-Aid,” resident Donna Jacobs said. “I think the whole crisis needs a more comprehensive approach. You are spending an awful lot of time talking about this when the issues are much more complex. This needs a more comprehensive approach. You are talking about [the amount in aid] and whether or not [customers] need receipts, and I think a lot of time is being wasted. But I will say that if you would like some citizen volunteers to help out with collecting receipts [for the program], I am putting my name forward.”
Resident Michelle Loubert said that she agrees with Jacobs.
“I don’t even think this is a Band-Aid, this is Scotch tape,” Loubert said. “But you’ve got to work with what you have right now. I think some good conversations are going on here, but the goal is to try to be as fair and equitable as you possibly can be with the amount of money that you have.”
Resident Toby Stanton suggested that the town should give HWW customers a tax rebate instead of requiring receipts for water filtration systems.
“We installed a whole house [water filtration] system for over $1,000, and it requires $160 every six months to change the filters out,” Stanton said. “There should be a tax rebate for anyone using HWW. That way, you don’t have to deal with all the receipts that are coming into Town Hall with people trying to get their money back. You are creating a little bit of a headache for the clerk. The above counter water system is completely inadequate when you are trying to fill a bathtub for your child to wash them at night.”
A continuance of the discussion on the potential relief program is not listed on the Monday, Aug. 7 Selectboard meeting agenda.
However, an executive session to discuss HWW is listed on the agenda.
The agenda lists the executive session as “To consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real estate, if the chair declares that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body” and “To consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real estate, regarding Housatonic Water Works, because an open discussion may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body and not return to public session.”
Similar executive sessions have been held by the Selectboard in the past at their meetings.
No formal decisions by the Selectboard are expected to be made after the executive session as the agenda lists that the board will not return to public session.
