Committee to be formed to look at fairness of Gilford sewer fee policy

Published Date

GILFORD — Selectmen this week voted unanimously to establish an ad hoc Sewer Advisory Committee that will, among other things, evaluate the fairness of the administrative fees that are assessed to property owners who use the town sewage system.
The committee is established for one year ending December 1, 2013 and will be made up of the director of Public Works, the Finance director, and up to five additional members who are Gilford residents and connected to the sewer system.
The five members will be chosen by selectmen.
The committee was spawned by the members of the Gilford Meadows Condominium Association through its treasurer Mark Corry who cried foul when selectmen set new sewer rates last December.
Corry's objection was not with the new administrative rate — it went down to $14.60 from $17.55 per quarter — but with the notion that each household in his condominium unit pays the administrative fee despite the fact that the entire complex has only one meter.
His rational was that if all 40 units installed their own meters then the meter reader would have to make 40 separate stops. As it is, "he drives in, goes to the back of the utility house, reads the meter and leaves."
He said the administrative fees and flow rate are part of the dues paid to the association and not individually assessed.
Corry argued further that because many in his association and other similar mobile home parks and associations in Gilford are seasonal, installing separate meters could make sense to some because part-time residents would pay less in flow rate.
Town Administrator Scott Dunn said the way imposition of the administrative fee for each dwelling is consistent with the ordinance is written and any change to the way it is imposed would require a change in the ordinance.
The committee is tasked with making a recommendation to selectmen before the end of this year as to whether or not the ordinance should be rewritten.