Eastleigh Farm Told To Build A Well Or Pay A Water Bill
Building its own well by Nov. 1 would take Eastleigh Farm off the town’s water supply and relieve the cash-strapped farm from paying water bills.
The town and Eastleigh Farm were able to work out a compromise.
The Framingham Board of Selectmen approved the gist of a plan crafted by Town Manager Bob Halpin that gives Eastleigh Farm until Nov. 1 to install a well and take itself off of the municipal water supply. The proposal would defer payment of town water bills until a well is installed.
Eastleigh Farm has never paid for its water.
Selectman Dennis Giombetti’s motion stipulated that the town would not help with funding or in-kind services for the well but would do whatever it could to expedite any permitting processes that would be necessary.
If Eastleigh Farm owner Doug Stephan fails to put in a well by Nov. 1, the town will bill the farm for consumption of water retroactive to July 1, the beginning of the current fiscal year.
Framingham Selectmen asked Halpin to monitor the progress of the Eastleigh Farm well installation and if some unforeseen situation arises that puts in jeopardy the Nov. 1 completion date, he is to inform the Selectmen.
“This is positive progress,” said a buoyant Stephan after the meeting. “We are moving to a conclusion and a settlement. There’s been a lot of chaffing and raw nerves but now we are moving forward.”
The proposed well would be more than adequate to supply the farm’s needs, said Stephan.
A number of residents spoke in favor of the town billing the farm for water citing fairness to the home and business owners in town who must pay for water.
Stephan has repeatedly indicated that the burden of water bills would most likely force him to give up the farm to developers.
Halpin characterized the Selectmen's action as a compromise.
“There’s a strong sentiment in the community to preserve the farm,” he said after the meeting. “It’s part of the cultural heritage of the town. We have to balance a legitimate effort to bill for the water with preserving the farm.”
“The best solution is for the owner to install a well,” said Giombetti. “The farm would still be connected to town water and the owner understands that if he needs to use town water he would pay the prevailing rate.”
The situation has been simmering since 2010 when the town first installed a water meter at the farm.
For decades, the farm had received free water thanks to handshake agreements that gave the town easements to run pipes across the farm’s pastures.
When the town got around to billing the farm for water this spring it caused a split in the community.
Advocates of preserving the farm took the position that Eastleigh is an asset to the town and should be given some consideration, especially in these dire economic times for all farms. Others contend that everyone who consumes town water should pay.
Cheryl Tully Stoll
8:45 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
This is a very good compromise. It allows the farm to continue operations and doesn't require the ratepayers to subsidise those operations in perpetuity. Nice work everyone.
Cesar
10:14 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Great solution! I am happy with the way this is turning out!!
Leah Graves
1:41 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
I'm glad I attended the meeting last night. I will say that I thought some of the people that spoke against the farm were quite rude. There were also some rude audience members that were making comments while others were speaking (including selectmen). Luckily there were more supporters of the farm in the audience than those standing against the farm.
I don't want to name names but one of the town meeting members in particular (a woman) was very disrespectful. It made me glad she is not representing my precinct. It is not professional to speak over selectmen and others talking during the meeting. This person was constantly telling others to be quiet while exhibiting rude and aggressive behavior the whole time.
I was glad to see Mr. Hanson of Hanson's Farm speak--he did a great job!
Is there going to be a fundraiser for Eastleigh to help cover the cost of the well? Support your local farmer--a New England farm is a valuable thing to have in our community!
Diane Tiger
2:39 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
It's too bad you don't feel comfortable sharing the TMM's name. The people in her district might not be happy that someone like that is representing them either.
Leah Graves
11:31 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Yeah, I don't feel comfortable giving her name. :(
Nicola Cataldo
6:09 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The way this article is written one might think there has been a water bill issued to Eastleigh Farm. But there never has been, not in 2012, not in 2011. Never in fact. Nor were any of the previous owners of the farm billed for water. All the way back to the beginning of the water department.
Those who advocate that the town renege on its agreement to provide free water in exchange for the farm giving the land and pipes 80 years back, providing water supply to all the residents in that part of town, would have you believe that every DPW head just forgot to bill the farm for water. That they - al of them - forgot every year since 1929.
Doug Stephan is generous and gentlemanly to allow this deal to be retracted at this point. There is no map of the infrastructure that the town built under Doug's farm with no legal easements. And if Doug's new water pipe layout runs into one of the many underground pipes that other residents have been benefiting from all these years, will the town pay to reroute it?
Nicola Cataldo
TMM Prct 2
Agricultural Advisory Committee
Papabarn
10:17 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The town made a deal and should stick to it. Consider the water as a "lease payment" for the easements. A deal's a deal. Failing that; by rights the town should remove all of it's pipes from the Eastleigh property at TOWN EXPENSE including restoring the land to it's undisturbed state. Otherwise the town's words or promises aren't worth ANYTHING.
Leah Graves
11:31 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Agreed!