Letters to the editor, Nov. 18, 2010

Wicked Local Littleton, Friday, November 19, 2010

Littleton —

Sewer study grant not suspicious

In last week’s Independent, Peter Barbella shared his suspicions about the source of our $100,000 grant to study sewers, economic development, and environmental sustainability for Littleton.  I felt it might be useful if I clarified the nature of the gift.

Last July, I wrote a grant proposal for the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) to the Barr Foundation, a local, nationally recognized charitable foundation, seeking funding for CRWA to use its engineering, science, and legal expertise to study sewers in Littleton. Prior to submitting the grant, I was appointed to the Littleton Common Sewer Feasibility Study Committee.  At our first Committee meeting in September, I informed members that I had applied for the grant, and at our second Committee meeting, I informed them that Barr Foundation Trustees had awarded CRWA $100,000 to study the sewer and economic options in Littleton, as part of their climate change and smart growth focus.  CRWA’s charge under the grant is to: Identify effluent discharge sites, soil conditions, time of travel to surface water bodies; locate treatment plant sites; investigate the economics of energy production at the treatment plant; develop a septic system utility; determine the economics of capital investments for wastewater, including district incremental financing and energy production; determine the economics of operations of the treatment plant and energy generation; determine the economics of property tax revenues over time; review and anticipate Common density district design concerns, including Blue Cities™ stormwater remediation.

Since CRWA will be doing this work for the Sewer Committee, the Board of Selectmen, and the Town, it was important for Selectmen to review CRWA’s services.  Once the selectmen approved CRWA’s involvement, I resigned my position on the Committee to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.  CRWA is a nonprofit charitable organization, and no money from the grant will be given to the Town; no money is being exchanged between CRWA and the Town.

This is a cooperative working arrangement with the Selectmen, the Sewer Committee, and CRWA.  CRWA has done a number of cooperative projects with other cities and towns. Should anyone wish to review any of our projects, please visit the CRWA website at www.charlesriver.org. Charles River Watershed Association executive director Bob Zimmerman, Sanderson Road

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