PRESS RELEASE:
For more information:
Lillian Santiago-Bauza
Cell 413 427 7764 lsantiago@eldialogo.com
Co-chairs of the Holyoke Citizens group are:
Mara Dodge, tel. 413-534-3779 maradodge@hotmail.com
Helen Norris cell 413-531-3264 HelenNorrisWard3@aol.com
Holyoke Citizens for Open Government
General Meeting € Mon. Nov. 22 €6:00 p.m.
We invite anyone interested in learning more about
the issue of sewer privatization to attend!
Rm. 405 (center blue door)
(Downtown between 108 Lyman and Dwight Streets)
Holyoke Citizens for Open Government and concerned residents demand that
the Board of Public Works:
1) Extend the deadline for public comment on the proposed contract with Aquarion Water Services (to run the city¹s wastewater treatment plant) until six weeks after the full final contract has been made available for review to all city councilors and citizens;
2) Make available copies of the full final contract for citizens to review at City
Hall, the Holyoke Public Library, and in a computer file on the city¹s homepage.
3) Mail postcards to all ratepayers informing them when, where and how the contract is available for review and informing them of the new deadline for public comment. We request that the deadline be set six weeks from the date this mailing
is sent out.
4) Set a date for an open hearing for public comment and questions midway through the six-week period. Include the date of this public hearing in the postcard
sent to ratepayers.
Nov. 15th the citizens heard from Lee Town representative, Dierdre Consolati, whose Concerned Citizens of Lee group defeated their town¹s proposed private contract for water and sewer last month after demanding public access to ongoing negotiations and determining that the town could do the job less expensively than with a private contract.
The Holyoke Citizens for Open Government wants figures to compare the one private bid with the cost of operating the waste treatment plant as a public facility.
The group last week succeeded in winning an extension on the deadline for public comment on the proposed contract to Nov. 29th from the Board of Public Works.
The group is demanding a further extension of the deadline for public comment to six weeks from the date the final contract is made available for review by all ratepayers. The group is also demanding that ratepayers be notified by postcard of the availability of the contract in public buildings and on-line and that a public meeting be called for questions after some time for review.
Five city councilors (one third of the council) have joined the group of citizens seeking a re-opening of the deadline for public comment on as-yet-to-be released contract for more public discussion. They are seeking more transparency in the process.
City councilors supporting the citizens group include: Jourdain, mentioned above; Helen Norris, Ward 3; Lilian Santiago. Ward 1; Mark A. Lubold, Ward 6, and Elaine Pluta, at-large. Holyoke citizens launching the group included Jeremy Smith, Ken Harstine, Sandra Ward, John Bates, Mara Dodge, John Treworgy, and Carolyn Oppenheim.
