David Toth: Passing of Rusty Cross is a loss to town of Ashland

To The Daily Sun,

The passing of Rusty Cross, superintendent of the Ashland Water and Sewer Department, is both a personal loss and a deep loss for the town. I had the good fortune to work with Rusty when I served as a water and sewer commissioner during a time when the department was facing serious financial challenges, deteriorating infrastructure, and increasingly stringent state and federal regulations. Rusty had a highly detailed knowledge of the water and sewer systems, the technical knowledge of the systems and equipment, and the skill and ability required to keep them operational. He was highly respected not only by the commissioners and his colleagues but also by the engineers and department of environmental protection agency officials.

Rusty Cross saved the water and sewer department several million dollars, and his contributions will continue to save ratepayers well into the future. His most important contribution was to increase the amount of septage the town receives, increasing revenues from just enough to cover operations to over $500,000 a year. As a result, the department was able to repair or replace critical infrastructure and build a Septage Receiving Station to protect and extend the life of the septage lagoons. Ultimately, the town will be able to build a modern sewage treatment plant.

Rusty was also instrumental in the department initiative to computerize operations, a complex project that took over five years. When the project began, the department depended on paper records and maps as well as Rusty’s extensive knowledge of the water and sewer systems. The project involved creating a global information system for all lines and components, a computerized maintenance system to schedule and track all maintenance and repair, and an asset management plan to identify, schedule, and fund the replacement of all systems, equipment, vehicles, and buildings. When we began this process, I remember Rusty saying that we needed to record the information in his head because he wasn’t always going to be around. His prediction came true all too soon.

I respected and trusted Rusty, and I enjoyed working with him as did his colleagues and our ratepayers. I feel a profound sense of loss at his passing but am heartened to know that the work Rusty did will benefit the town far into the future. We owe him a debt of gratitude.

David Toth

Ashland