To the editor:
As an observer of local news and with apologies to Charles Dickens, Great Barrington is a Tale of Two Cities: there is the best of water, and there is the worst of water. In January, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) determined that Housatonic Water Works (HWW) delivered water exceeding Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). In March, DEP sent HWW a Notice of Noncompliance for, among other things, failing to provide the public with notice of the MCL violation.
It isn’t only the water that is foul. A petition to Gov. Baker currently being circulated reports “a disastrous public health crisis” and states that “nearly 50 percent of every dollar goes into the pocket of the two private owners” of HWW, one of whom is Jim Mercer (and the other owner being Housatonic resident Fred Mercer, who I am told, interestingly, has a well on his property). I cannot attest to the accuracy of the petition, but having seen pictures of HWW water, there is plainly something quite rotten in Housatonic.
Mr. Mercer also chairs the Great Barrington Housing Authority (GBHA). Not only did HWW fail to provide notice as legally required to HWW ratepayers, under Mr. Mercer’s leadership, GBHA did not provide direct notice of noncompliant water to the residents of Housatonic’s Flag Rock Village. Massachusetts law requires notice to ratepayers, and decency requires GBHA directly notify its residents.
Now we come to today, in what should be the final straw for Mr. Mercer as chair of GBHA. In the second lawsuit brought against GBHA concerning Flag Rock Village in the last five years, there are very serious allegations concerning residents’ mold-related health issues. GBHA has been nothing but persistent in failing to resolve issues at Flag Rock Village, just as HWW has been persistent in its failure to resolve issues plaguing Housatonic water.
Although the selectboard cannot sever Mr. Mercer from his ownership of HWW, the selectboard is authorized by Mass. Gen. L. chap. 121B §6 to sever Mr. Mercer from his position overseeing GBHA. Knowing that the selectboard time and again has shown great concern for public health, one must ask: Is there anything more the Selectboard needs to know to exercise this authority? I am asking on behalf of the 725 or so Housatonic residents and all Flag Rock Village residents.
Peter J. Most
Great Barrington
