After attending the Basin Water and Sewer District meeting Oct. 6, I was stunned, as was everyone else that attended.
We were allowed two minutes per person but no questions, only comments. The meeting was on Zoom so we could be muted.
The Board has been asked for documents (that we have not received), presented petitions, which the chairman refused to look at. Most of our questions go unanswered because they don’t know or refuse to answer. One answer is that we are misinformed — how can we be informed if our questions are not answered?
This uproar is due to the project that is costing Basin citizens a lot of money. Over $250,000 to put in meters that three-fourths of the town has signed a petition against.
The Board insists that the meters be installed first so the leaks can be found.
Brian Carver had done research on alternate ways to find the leaks, which would cost less than $5,000 for the equipment. Again, this has fallen on the deaf ears of the Board who dismissed it.
The Board voted to charge residents $12 for each unimproved lot they own without informing them. Some residents aren’t even on the water/sewer system and are being charged. Many people can’t afford the extra expense, just so the Board can prove the town has enough revenue to pay for this project. There are over 100 people that pay and the majority do not want this project to go forward at this time.
They voted against Brian Carver to be a board member, without an interview after he had put in his application before the Sept. 7 deadline. When he questioned why he hadn’t had an interview, he was told they were busy. Brian is more qualified than any of them combined. Brian had been the operator/maintenance a few years earlier. Why was Brian voted down? The people or Brian were not able to ask this question. I believe this is total bias against the people of Basin. Totally a slap in the face.
—Nancy Smallwood, Basin
