By Don Simonini
I’d like to respond to Sal Spinosa’s letter in last week’s issue of The Valley Reporter. Mr. Spinosa has slow-walked so many good ideas from the past to satisfy his own somewhat puzzling agenda. Stated simply, Waitsfield is the largest town in Vermont without a municipal wastewater system.
We all have spoken about the need for affordable housing [or lack thereof] in The Valley. Without a well thought out\designed wastewater system (which I believe has been completed by the town and supported by the Mad River Planning District utilizing Josh Swartz’s expertise) we will never achieve a meaningful gain in affordable housing in Waitsfield and Irasville.
A wastewater system will allow Waitsfield to utilize more infill land for affordable development because the current limitations of well heads near to septic fields will be eliminated. Waitsfield, as designated by the state, is identified as a town growth center. Without a wastewater system in place, we will never be able to utilize the limited but available land for development that is currently unavailable because of wellhead and septic restrictions\proximities.
We are also facing uncertain times at the national political level along with the uncertainty of our national economy and the availability of grants and funding in the future. With the current discussion, and concern by many, of our trillion of dollars of national debt, the opportunity to fund a wastewater system with 85% grant funding is something we need take advantage of now. The future is always unknown, and it would be a tragedy if Waitsfield loses this current opportunity, because the future opportunity for grants of this type is very tenuous, at best. And, Waitsfield has already proven that the town knows how to manage a municipal system with the Waitsfield municipal water system.
To allow a delay in this vote until November, and risk, in real terms, the loss of 85% grant funding is insane. There is no logical reason to delay this vote. Mr. Spinosa’s logic that we need more time for the community to learn and understand this proposal is insulting to the Waitsfield voters. I am confident that between now, and June, the Waitsfield electorate can study and make an informed decision on this very important matter that has broader implications for the entire Valley.
If Mr. Spinosa is concerned that a vote before the Presidential Election in November will not bring out enough voter participation, I would suggest the following as a potential solution:
hold the vote on a Saturday in June.
have absentee ballots available before the scheduled in-person voting day.
develop a position paper four to eight weeks before the vote that outlines the reasons for voting yes.
show in real terms what the 15% cost impact will be on individual tax bills now.
explain the potential reduction in property over a 10-year period due to infill development.
Mr. Spinosa, please, for the benefit of our future generations, don’t slow-walk this important vote as you have done in the past when meaningful ideas are presented to the community. Your time should be better spent on your climate mitigation work which also is important for all our futures.
Don Simonini lives in Fayston.
