South Berwick Water District customers who attend the district’s Board of Trustees annual meeting March 3 will cast ballots to fill a seat on the board that governs decisions regarding the town’s water system.
The 7 p.m. meeting at the South Berwick Community Center, 71 Norton St., will also include the board’s annual report on the district’s activities.
Current trustee Henry Miller is unopposed in his bid for another three-year term. However, nominations are open and voted on from the floor at the meeting. Anyone interested in more information before the election can contact Ryan Lynch, district superintendent, at 207-384-2257.
A proposed 25% increase in water rates, the first in 20 years, is now pending before the Maine Public Utilities Commission .
“There were no members of the general public attending a Feb. 17 public hearing to discuss the increase,” Lynch said. “The only attendees were water district employees and their family members.”
If approved by the utilities commission, the increase – which raises the average user’s annual cost by about $52 – will go into effect April 1.
The South Berwick Water District was established in 1960 as a quasi-municipal entity. This means the district is affiliated with the Town of South Berwick but is not governed by the town.
The district is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees and operates under the rules and regulations of the Public Utilities Commission and the Maine Drinking Water Program. Douglas Letellier is chairman of the trustee board. Other members are Robert Landry, clerk; Dennis Fontaine, treasurer; and trustees Mark Ouellette and Miller.
The Board of Trustees meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Water District office, 80 Berwick Road. Special meetings are occasionally called to deal with a specific issue; the time, date and location of special meetings may vary and are announced at the time the meeting is scheduled.
Anyone who wishes to attend a trustees’ meeting to discuss a particular topic must call the water district office to have their topic placed on the agenda.
