What's Up South of Boston
Posted by Tanna K in What's Up - South of Boston on January 9, 2012
A listing of what people are doing in the towns of Hingham, Weymouth, Hull, Scituate, and Cohasset. We update frequently. Just go to categories and click on What’s Up. Read our hard copy paper just the way we publish it: http://tinytowngazette.com
Town Manager Mike Coughlin responds to Mariner letter
Posted by Tanna K in Uncategorized on February 20, 2012
In their commentary, Ralph Dormitizer and Sam Wakeman seem to predict my fate before the hearing on March 13th. Maybe they know something as insiders or are just guessing but the people of Cohasset have an opportunity to weigh in on the issue at my hearing.
Both Ralph and Sam are long time public servants in this community. They argue that I have not been collaborative and that the old ways of doing thingsin Cohasset need to be preserved. This would be fair enough if Cohasset finances were in good shape but they are not. Cohasset has suffered a financial implosion. The complete system broke down. The road back is a long one and I am glad to say that we have turned a corner.
I did not make this financial mess– I walked into it. Nevertheless, if the old system they talk about is worth preserving where were these committees during the many years it took for this problem to manifest itself into epic proporations. The Advisory Committee, Capital Budget and Budget Planning Groups are all important but a blind man should have been able to spot the warning signs. To make it clearer– our independent auditor warned for years about the growing storm.
Collaboration is also a two way street. Where was the offer of colloboration with me. Almost from day one, officials in this community– knowing full well of the gravity of our financial problems inisted on protecting their turf and in the same process that ultimately was the cause of the financial implosion. In six months, we have taken the bull by the horns–exerting strong leadership to deal with the financial crisis.
With respect to Water, Dormitizer and Wakeman imply that I did not attempt to seek collaboration with the Water Commissioners. I ask– why has joint management worked with the Sewer Commission and not with Water? The answer is easy because the Water Commissioners have resisted it ultimately hiding behind a flawed legal position which tries to paint them as an entity all to itself and not answerable to anyone. To collboration and reform, I am on record as stating the Advisory Board needs to be strengthened into a true finance committee– fact conveniently left out of their commentary.
Finally, Dormitizer and Wakeman try to imply that I have lost political support. To the many who showed up last week and the many others that have expressed their support in the past days– their observations are another cocktail party statistic– a fact taken out of context. Yes– I may not have the support of certain town officials– some of those who should ultimately be asked why the town and they not act to avert thee financial crisis.
In a democracy, its the people that matter and throughout history it has been shown that any small group who thinks that can substitute their opinions for the will of the people will ultimately fail. I hope this will be the case on March 13th, I may not win but its important to the future of this community that the people be reminded that we are a nations of laws not men.
Mike Coughlin
Town Manager
COHASSET RFP still before inspector general- we think
Posted by Tanna K in Uncategorized on February 19, 2012
Cohasset Water’s RFP concession agreement continues to be on hold at the inspector general’s office – where Town Counsel Paul DeRensis is defending the Town’s position against Cohasset Water’s designer counsel. DeRensis says that the town has joint control of the water company. Designer counsel says naught.
In spite of the fact that Cohasset Water’s RFP is on hold with the inspector general, Peter DeCaprio, chairman of the water commission is out hawking the Cohasset Water RFP at luncheon engagements (if the Old Goats count) saying the RFP will be issued on Feb. 28th. Is this even legal? Isn’t the RFP supposed to be under wraps until such time as it is issued?
Has DeCaprio presented the Water RFP to selectmen? Have they reviewed it? Not at any public session we’re aware of. But then most things don’t happen in public sessions these days.
Town Manager Mike Coughlin has been suspended (go to tinytownunleashed.com for background). The recently appointed acting town manager, Michael Milanoski, has in the past year been appointed as an associate member of the conservation commission and chair of the governance committee. Milanoski could not be appointed town manager because he would need to be out of town government for one year in order for the board to do so. But he can, apparently, be appointed interim/acting town manager for just about forever. Who knew?
If you Google Michael Milanoski you will find a lot of rotten stuff that raises some questions. We have no idea if any of it is true or not. In any case, we will not be publishing it here and you will not read about any of that old news on our blog – so don’t submit it.
There is something incredibly wrong with all of this, of course. In the end, it may not be the Inspector General or anyone else who saves us. We may have to save ourselves – at Annual Town Meeting.
When we created the strong town manager act we envisioned hiring someone strong, like our now suspended Town Manager, Mike Coughlin.
We didn’t get that in the first two town managers. The first one started off well and then he had problems with keeping his pants on. The second one became over-whelmed with the powers that be. He became un-strong.
Town Manager Mike Coughlin walked into a 1.3 Million water dept., incomplete records in the sewer department, and worked like a beaver to figure things out. He also questioned the selectmen’s ethics regarding various matters, not just the Cohasset Water RFP consignment contract.
Unfortunately, the questions surrounding the Water RFP is not the only issue undermining the ethical position of the Town of Cohasset. Even before Coughlin began employment with the town on August 1st, he became very concerned about the legal and ethical actions of certain officials on Cat Dam.
Coughlin expressed his concerns to the regional director of the DEP in Lakeville. Executive session minutes- will show two things– the close but highly questionable interelationship between the town’s legal position and that of the E-20 group. Secondly, a concerted effort to contact state officials some at the highest levels to influence the outcome of the regulatory review process. This is a quasi judicial proceeding– any contact by town officials to influence the outcome is one thin ice.
There is also the issue of the Governance Committee.
The Governance Committee was created in the aftermath of the controversy concerning the conservation appointments - which may be illegal. It never once looked into the conservation issues. Instead of studying the conservation issues– it began questioning the Town Manager Act. What ever happened to the inquiry on the Open Meeting Law violations?
The Chair of Governance (Mike Milanoski) - was appointed to the conservation commission. Executive session minutes of January 31st will reveal he is now part of a back channel effort to unduly influence the DEP. He was almost handpicked by certain selectmen to meet with the DEP — despite the fact he was not part of the con com when Cat Dam was considered. Now he has been appointed the Interim TM – if he can partipate in an ethically questionable effort to influence the DEP - how can he be entrusted to deal with the serious ethical issues surrounding the Water RFP?
In the very near future four town officials will meet with DEP -Town Attorney and the Conservation Agent– now– the vice chair (Selectman Paul Carlson)- one of the three who voted illegally to not reappoint the original conservation commission is part of this effort.
Instead of contacting the Con Com to choose their representative– the BOS hand picked Jack Creighton.
Why did the Selectmen pull back on their decesion to vet Peter DeCarpio, Cohasset Water Department chair, by the ethics comission? Hard to know.
Selectmen couold have requested enforcement from state ethics. We (this newspaper) is under the strong impression that Town Counsel had serious reservations about DeCaprios’s relationship to Macquarrie and American Water. Actualy, it’s not an impression. We have Town Consel’s E-mail stating the same.
Has anyone told the I.G. office that Aquarion is the holder of the expiring water contract and is also involved in the RFP?
Aquarion owns the American Water Co (running the Cohasset Plant). They purchased Accord Pond and American Water Co. How do they get to help formulate the RFP for the water they are purchasing? Is Selectman Chairman Ted Carr involved, financially, with anything to do with this? May be.
How nice of Ted Carr to abstain on the vote to appoint Milanoski (4-0) as interim town manager. “We are neighbors, “he said. But Carr told Town Counsel to STOP the ethcs investigation of Peter DeCarprio who is financially related to AQUARION, AMERICAN WATERWORKS AND MACQUAIRE BANK…
Carr has no problem with that realtionship.
Just the little neighborhood ones.
How cute.
Lost dog in Cohasset, MA
Posted by Tanna K in Uncategorized on February 19, 2012
This dog was “found” within 15 minutes of us posting it on our blog. She is now
home, happily playing with her family.
Milanoski appointed Acting Town Manager
Posted by Tanna K in Uncategorized on February 17, 2012
Michael Milanoski, chairman of the Cohasset Governance committee and an associate member of the conservation commission has been appointed Acting Town Manager at no pay for a period of two weeks. The Board of Selectmen voted Milanoski’s appointment on a 4-0 vote with Selectman Chairman Ted Carr abstaining because he and Milanoski are neighbors.
Town Counsel Paul DeRensis said Milanoski will not be able to be considered for the Town Manager’s position because of the various boards he serves upon.
Selectmen will start a search for a new town manager after a hearing is held on March 13 for Mike Coughlin, the town’s suspended town manager, with whom selectmen were unable to communicate.
Selectmen said if it becomes necessary to keep Milanoski beyond the volunteer two-week time period, they will try to find some money to pay him. DeRensis said this would be legal, as the qualifications for the acting or interim town manager are not as stringent as for the Town Manager.
At the beginning of the session, which was not on television, selectmen spoke with Mary Gallagher, the director of finance, Peter Pescatore, chairman of the advisory committee and Milanoski about the status of the budget. All was found to be in good order. Actually, this was the repeat of a meeting the selectmen had with Coughlin before he was suspended with pay.
Note: after the meeting, Town Counsel Paul DeRensis cleared up this blogger’s misinterpretation of the Town Manager Act with regard to the experience the town manager is expected to have.
DeRensis said:
The Town Manager Act says “shall be professionally qualified person especially fitted by… previous full-time experience to perform the duties of the office.” The “previous full-time experience” isn’t stated to be required as previous full time experience “as a town manager”, so he/she doesn’t have to be as a former town manager specifically; he/she has to have previous full time experience of some undefined type that makes him/her fit to be Cohasset’s town manager.
Therefore, I read the language to mean his/her full time experience makes him/her fitted to perform the duties of the office. So for example, in Stoughton, a Judge retired from the judicial bench to become Stoughton’s town manager, I would say the “previous full time experience” as a Judge would make him fit to be Cohasset’s town manager within the meaning of the Cohasset Town Manager Act. Similarly, former President John Quincy Adams returned to Massachusetts and ran for Congress and served as a congressman for a number of years; similarly I would say a former President of the United States would by his “previous full time experience” as President would make him fit to be Cohasset’s town manager within the meaning of the Cohasset Town Manager Act.”
Cohasset Selectmen to meet Today - 4-6
Posted by Tanna K in Cohasset Water, Tanna Kasperowicz on February 17, 2012
The agenda says Cohasset Selectmen will discuss Cohasset’s operational
management and finances from 4-6.
Selectmen could do one of a number of things this afternoon.
- They could appoint an acting town manager, a person such as the town’s director of finance, Mary Gallagher, until assistant town manager Jen Oram comes back from vacation next week. Perfectly fine thing to do.
- It is unlikely selectmen they will appoint a qualified Interim Town Manager tonight, because at least until Coughlin’s public hearing takes place March 13, and selectmen finalize their termination of him and the process is complete, Mike Coughlin is still, legally, Cohasset’s town manager, albeit in suspension. Additionally, as we have reported previously, a qualified interim or full time Town Manager must be experienced. This is all spelled out in the town’s Strong Town Manager Act. Our interim town managers have always been experienced, retired town managers.
Agenda item: the discussion of finances; yes, totally time we discuss finances and how we are going to pay for all the bad decisions we have made about Cat Dam, the Town Manager, etc., the Cohasset Water RFP and all the designer counsels we are using. At some point we are going to owe the suspended town manager a chunk of money. Maybe even more than we know – now that someone on the board of selectmen leaked Coughlin’s medical records to the blogger cohasset townie.
From whence will come the money to pay Coughlin and then pay an Interim, and then go on a world-wide search for another town manager? I think the advisory committee and capital budget will not be level-funding very much of anything this year in anticipation of an exploding legal budget.
Maybe all that will be left for struggling citizens to do is to sell Cohasset Water to Aquarion.
In related news….
Cohasset Water’s RFP continues to be on hold at the inspector general’s office – where Town Counsel Paul DeRensis is defending his position against Cohasset Water’s designer counsel. DeRensis says that the town has joint control of the water company. Designer counsel says naught.
In spite of the fact that Cohasset Water’s RFP is on hold with the inspector general, Peter DeCaprio, chairman of the water commission is out haulking the Cohasset Water RFP at luncheon engagements, saying it will be issued on Feb. 28th. Is this even legal? Isn’t the RFP supposed to be under wraps until such time as it is issued?
Has DeCaprio presented the Water RFP to selectmen? Have they reviewed it? Not at any public session we’re aware of.
There is something incredibly wrong with all of this.
It would be a good thing if the selectmen put a stop to this, now. It’s their warrant.
They should NEVER allow something this soiled to go to town meeting.
It used to be fun to write my blog. Now it is scary.
Mike Coughlin thanks the town for support
Posted by Tanna K in Uncategorized on February 16, 2012
My wife and I would like to thank all who showed up last night to express their support. We would also like to thank the many other members of the community who are standing by our side during this difficult period. It is perhaps the best evidence as to why I should be allowed to keep my job.
During the last six months, we have accomplished a lot for Cohasset. We have turned the Finance Department around and improved the town’s reputation with the Department of Revenue by setting the tax rate– a task that most observers believed impossible. We have made important improvements to public safety such as modifying the command structure of both the Police and Fire Departments, launching new programs such as the K-9 unit, acquiring high mobility vehicles at no cost to the town, securing a voice in the supervision of the new emergency communications center and securing commitments to make long overdue renovations to our Police/Fire Station. Almost from scratch, we have established a new Operations Department to supervise our public works functions and to help oversee both water and sewer– a reform which was one of the foremost recommendations from the audit by Melanson and Heath. We have restored certification to our library, negotiated a memorandum of understanding to construct a new senior center and sought to expand the recreational programs available to our youth.
We have also strived to forge an environment where our employees can do their jobs without undue influence and insisted on the highest of ethical standards. This has not been easy and on many occasions we have had to fight this battle alone. Nowhere has this been more evident than in trying to get a handle on the issues of the water department. Even before I started on August 1, the Water Commissioners pushed the concept of a 20 year concession agreement based upon a contract that Aquarion Water had with the City of Elizabeth, New Jersey. I was initially optimistic that I could protect the interests of the taxpayers using the vote at the June 14, 2010 Special Town Meeting which established joint management. From the get go, this was resisted. Despite opinions from the Town Attorney, day by day it become evident that the town has heading on a collision course to make a possibly disastrous mistake which would effect the town for the next two decades.
On Tuesday, in perhaps one of my last actions as Town Manager, I filed a complaint with the Inspector General, the State Ethics Commttee and the Public Integrity Division of the Attorney General’s Office. The issues surrounding developent of the RFP, the contacts that certain town officials have had with Aquarion Water and wisdom of entering into a long term contract on one of the most valuable town resources- water, needs to be looked into.
In their resolution, the Board of Selectmen claim that they do not share in common the same views as to how important matters should be handled or communicated. Well– when you encounter a bad deal such as this concession agreement– the way you handle it is easy– you just say no and what must be communicated is that Cohasset insists for no less than the highest standards of ethical conduct and adherence to the law. I look forward to making this case to the Board of Selectmen on March 13th. With your help, we will continue the progress we have made over the past six months.
Sincerely,
Mike Coughin
Cohasset Town Manager
Cohasset Selectmen vote to suspend Coughlin with pay
Posted by Tanna K in Cohasset Water, Tanna Kasperowicz on February 15, 2012
Cohasset Town Counsel read the selectmen’s resolution to a packed meeting room, with some residents from Westport in attendance. The printed resolution stated that Town Manager Mike Coughlin’s communications with the board demonstrate that the board and the town manager do not share in common the same views as to how important matters should be communicated.
Selectmen voted 5-0 to suspend Coughlin with pay adding that it is proceeding to exercise its contract right for removal without cause.
A public hearing will be held, at Coughlin’s request, on Tuesday, March 13.
Selectmen will meet this Friday at 1PM to discuss and/or possibly appoint an interim town manager.
Coughlin’s attorney Douglas Louison complained that someone from the selectmen’s office had leaked Couglin’s medical records to the press and had reported the same on a Patriot Ledger blog. The handle used was cohasset townie. She also writes to the Gazette on occasion. Has a lot of time on her hands.
After selectmen adjourned, Carr took questions and comments from a crowd of approximately 50 or 60 supporters.
Carr said Town Counsel and Cohasset Water’s attorney were talking with the attorney general about the Cohasset Water RFP. On Feb. 14 Coughlin filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Inspector General asking him to block the Water Department’s RFP which was scheduled to be released Feb. 16. When and if the attorney general blesses the Water RFP, town counsel will review the same and water commissioners will proceed with obtaining proposals for a concession contract.
Carr said the concession contract will not be the only thing on the menu for the May Annual Town Meeting. Other water selections will be available.
Attendees took some shots at selectmen.
Agnus McCann said: “You already voted, why are we here? Is this your attempt at making people feel they matter?”
Russ Bonetti wondered if the town was going to use the same consultant for a new search. He thought the town should find someone else.
Karen Quigley told Carr there was a lack of leadership on the board and that they were totally responsible for what had happened to the town manager. “How will any of us ever know if the search comitttee for a town manager did a good job or not?” she said, adding that Coughlin had not had enough time to prove himself.
Adrianne McCarthy said she she watches the selectmen’s meetings regularly and noticed a total lack of respect from town boards and committees to the newly hired town manager. “We have too many chiefs at town hall, and not enough Indians.”
Late Wednesday afternoon Carr reportedly held a phone conference with department heads telling them to ‘can’ the negativity. Too bad he didn’t do that 6 months ago. And in a statement she read at the selectmen’s meeting earlier, selectman Diane Kennedy said it was not true that town counsel was being fired and the that interests of the town and citizens were being protected.
Selectmen say citizens are not to worry, that they are protecting us.
But I don’t know. It seems Coughlin was the guy looking out for us.
Cohasset Town Manager turns in water commission to authorities
Posted by Tanna K in Cohasset Water, Tanna Kasperowicz on February 14, 2012
On Valentine’s Day 2012 Cohasset Town Manager Mike Coughlin filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Inspector General Gregory Sullivan asking him to block the Water Department’s RFP which is scheduled to be released Thursday, February 16. Coughlin is scheduled to be fired Wed., February 15.
Accordingly, Coughlin said he would issue local directives to the Water Commission on Feb. 15th advising them of his action. Copies of his complaint were also sent to State Ethics and the Public Integrity Division of the AG’s office.
Coughlin’s complaint has all the ingredients of a national news story: big time hedge fund goes after tiny town water supply - local board of selectmen, capital budget and water commission complicit in the heist. Just throwing out some cute headlines for the national press. We wouldn’t be surprised to see Bill O’Reilly show up from Fox News at tonight’s hearing on Coughlin…if it takes place at all. Do selectmen dare fire their whistleblower in public when they now know he has damming information about their role in this matter? I think the selectmen’s room will not be large enough for tonight’s hearing. It should be moved to the high school auditorium. I’m sure CNN would appreciate the space. Too bad the Music Circus Tent isn’t up. Enough of my hype.
Coughlin said:
My complaint is two fold. First, the office of the Town Manager has been frustrated in its ability to oversee the development of the RFP. Public Works Operations Director Mark Brennan has been routinely left out of important meetings regarding development of the RFP. Moreover, efforts to exercise my authority as Chief Procurement Officer have been compromised. I have expressed this on numerous occasions to local officials. To that end, I enclose e-mails to the Chairman of the BOS dated January 18 and January 28 (Attachment 3). Consequently, since I have not been allowed to effectively oversee the development of the solicitation it my conclusion that it is defective under M.G.L. Chapter 30B.
Secondly, I am concerned that the procurement process has been tainted as a consequence of contacts between the Chairman of the Water Commission and the President and other representatives of Aquarion Water. I have been informed that a 20-year concession agreement is novel to Massachusetts. According to the Chair of the Water Commission, the RFP is based principally upon the contract that Aquarion presently operates for the City of Elizabeth New Jersey. I became particularly concerned about the Aquarion connection when a number of towns in Massachusetts recently initiated efforts to “buy back” the operation of their water departments from Aquarion- including our neighboring communities of Hingham and Hull. I also brought my concerns to the Chairman of the Board warning that the project was being “hotwired” to Aquarion.
I also raised questions about Aquarion’s present operation in North Cohasset along with the Town Administrator of Hingham and the Town Manager of Hull to area newspapers including the Boston Globe (Attachment 5) These comments in both the Globe and subsequently to the Cohasset Mariner triggered two extremely troubling e-mails-one from the Chairman of the Water Commissioner-the other from the President of Aquarion Water.
In the first the Chairman from the Water Commission threatens that “I am about to forward an e-mail from the head of Aquarion that points out how damaging and dangerous your approach to be…But if your actions jeopardize our plans, I will personally lead your removal from office.”
This threat was apparently prompted as a consequence of an e-mail that the Chairman of the Water Commission received from the President of Aquarion Water taking issue with my right to ask questions and seek answers on behalf of the taxpayers.
In this e-mail, the President of Aquarion concedes that there has been significant contact and collaboration on the Cohasset RFP. The President of Aquarion concedes that the template contract which is the basis of the RFP was directly supplied by Aquarion representatives. The President’s e-mails although cryptic indicate contact on more than one occasion carefully coaching the number as a “few” but nevertheless admitting that the company offered their “views” on the matter. The president of Aquarion also references “my Macquarie colleagues.” Macquarie is a large Australian investment bank which owns Aquarion.
As such, It is important to note that the Chairman of the Water Commissioners operates Crow Point Partners – a hedge fund with offices in Scituate Massachusetts. It received a close to $15 Million investment from Macquarie. The Chairman of the Water Commissioners acknowledged the investment of $15 Million in a recent article in the Boston Globe. While the Chairman of the Water Commission tries to spin the $15M investment as being minimal to the overall assets of Macquarie, it was still a significant investment to Crow Point Partners.
The Water Commissioners time frame is also of concern. According to the Globe, Crow Point Partners became privately owned in early 2011. The Chairman launched the idea of a concession agreement in the spring of 2011. He formerly presented the idea to the Cohasset Advisory Committee-referencing the Aquarion contract in Elizabeth New Jersey in July of 2011. I was appointed on August 1, and became first concerned about the procurement process-namely the selection of an engineering consultant to assist the Town in the development of the RFP. I was particularly concerned that the Chair of the Water Commission did not want the consulting engineer to assist in the evaluations of the proposals. While admitting that Aquarion would be a likely bidder, he insisted that the “scoring” be done by the Water Commission. It is a three-member board-with the wife of one of the selectmen being a member.
All said, my ability to exercise my authority as Chief Procurement Officer continues to be frustrated. At the February 7 meeting of the Board of Selectmen, I outlined my concerns about the proposed RFP including compromise options to go forward. Nevertheless, in that memorandum, I also advised the Board of Selectmen that I was still prepared to take appropriate action under M.G.L 30B to protect the Town.
Later that evening, in a surprise move, the Board of Selectmen met in Executive Session to discuss my removal from office. A meeting is scheduled for February 15 (Attachment 10). The RFP is scheduled to go out on February 16th. While it may be mere coincidence that some members of the BOS are seeking my removal a mere week after the Chair of the Water Commission issued his threat and a day before the RFP is issued, the timing is troublesome.
Perhaps not surprisingly, this past week, I have been left out of the loop as the RFP is finalized. No drafts have been forwarded and numerous meetings have been held without my input or that of the Public Works Operations Director. Last week, I spoke to Helen on the 30B “hotline” seeking general guidance on this matters. Consequently, I have apprised both the Town Attorney and the Attorney for the Water Commission about my continued concerns. I also share with you an e-mail where it was suggested that I delegate my procurement authority to the Chair of the Water Commission. The another has a cryptic reference to the BOS selecting another Chief Procurement Officer. Under the Town Manager Act, the Town Manager is the Chief Procurement Office so the timing of the February 15th removal raises questions.
As Chief Procurement Officer of the Town of Cohasset, under the provisions of M.G.L Chapter= 30B, I respectfully ask your office to take appropriate action to protect the taxpayers of Cohasset from an RFP which clearly violates M.G.l. 30B and is not in the public’s best interests.
Questions DeCaprio should be able to answer
Posted by Tanna K in Cohasset Water on February 14, 2012
Please note. Tinytown Unleashed contacted someone in the industry with regard to the questions below. They said these are the kinds of questions townspeople need answered. They also stated that any concession contract such as being proposed requires a lot more than just town counsel review.
The selectmen’s procurement officer will receive Cohasset Water’s RFP sometime Thursday, Feb. 16. We think. We have no idea at this point who the procurement officer will be. If it’s Town Manger Mike Coughlin here are some questions of concern he may have:
1. What is the avoided cost to Aquarion, both current and future projected, based on an assumed rate of inflation, that the company will achieve by substituting Cohasset water for MWRA water?
2. What is the discount rate being used to determine present value savings for Aquarion to be realized over the term of the proposed contract for purchase of capacity from Cohasset, assuming that such an evaluation has been made as part of the process of negotiating a price for the water?
3. Does the proposed contact with Aquarion involve a transfer of assets that would impact the ability of the Cohasset water system to obtain grants from the federal government and/or the Commonwealth? (principal reason why Hyannis recently municipalized a privately-owned water system.)
4. What does the capital improvement plan (CIP) of Cohasset water look like in terms of projects, timing and projected costs?
5. What are the amounts and timing of planned capital outlays of or for the Cohasset water system that are projected to require funding out of proceeds of borrowed funds or grants?
6. What is the projected delta (difference) between the cost of funds to a PPP among Cohasset and Aquarion or Aquarion directly and cost to Cohasset directly as a public-purpose municipal borrower and/or grant applicant/recipient?
7. What will the rate-setting mechanism for Cohasset water customs look like after the proposed arrangement with Aquarion is consummated?
8. Will recovery of Aquarion’s blended costs of operations and capital covenants be included in rates for water service in Cohasset?
9. If the answer to question #3 is “yes” will there be an impact on the tax status of Cohasset’s outstanding water-related debt?
10.If the answer to question #10 is “yes,” “maybe,” or “we don’t know,” has tax counsel been consulted as to the likely financial impact or the Town’s potential liability if the IRS imposes penalties and investors sue over their resulting losses?
11. Has anyone looked at the delta between Cohasset’s net return on contracting for water volume over time, with inflation-based escalators and based on a demand forecast and/or a volume-based take-or-pay provision versus? Should the town borrow $5 million to replace the proposed $5 million up-front payment at its borrowing cost and taking the proposed deal from Aquarion, as presently configured?
12. Has anyone looked at what pricing to Aquarion and revenues to Cohasset would look like if a “qualified management contract” under Rev. Proc. 97-13 and a water supply agreement as introduced in question # 11 above are negotiated with Aquarion to obtain efficient services for the Cohasset water system and revenues for water supply, exclusive of asset transfers (under lease, license or outright by title) and/or transfer of governance?
There are a lot of additional questions that we should be asking. If Revere could sue itself from insolvency, receivership (threatened in the early 90s and avoid the fate of Brockton (receivership for the City and jail time for public officials) by turning a page and dealing rationally with its water system, so can Cohasset.
New rules for blogging...
Posted by Tanna K in Uncategorized on February 14, 2012
Nobody gets to respond to anything without using their real name, which must be part of their e-mail address.
I am not going to spend the rest of my blogging life reading taunts. Anonymous gets put into
spam which I empty in one pail once a day. Never have to read your sick stuff.
What You’re Saying