Southbridge Town Council Meeting - June 22, 2015

Council Kills Casella Contract Amendment

Ken O’Brien

By a vote of 7 to 2 the Southbridge Town Council voted down a proposed amendment to the contract with Casella.

I have listened with interest to the debate regarding this amendment.

After listening to tonight’s discussion I have come to the conclusion that the Council has made a serious mistake. 

Southbridge Resident Speaks Out On Casella Amendment

Zachary Tucker

Dear Members of the Southbridge Town Council,

My name is Zachary Tucker, and I am a proud resident of Southbridge. It has come to my attention that on June 22, 2015, The Council will be voting on the first amendment of the Casella Extension Agreement.  I firmly urge the Council to vote no. There are several facets to this contract which I feel deserve much more thorough examination, and once given I have no doubt the Council will find a NO vote is the only responsible option at this time. 

Contact Your Town Councilors About Casella's Amendment

Those wishing to contact Town Councilors on the Casella matter can reach them at the following phone numbers and/or email addresses.

                                                                   Phone                                     email                 .

Shaun M. Moriarty                           774-230-6870  smoriarty@southbridgemass.org

Amelia L. Peloquin                           413-695-5289  apeloquin@southbridgemass.org

Denise Clemence                               508-764-7642  dbclemence@hotmail.com

Esteban Carrasco, Jr.                       774-230-8542  carrascotowncouncil@gmail.com

Conrad L. Vandal                             508-764-4831  cvandal@charter.net

Monique S. Manna                           774-230-0156  mmanna@southbridgemass.org

George P. Steeves                              508-764-8042  councilorgus@gmail.com

Albert D. Vecchia, Jr.                       508-764-1484  vecchiaa@aol.com

Miguel Estrada                                  508-909-6943  estradacouncilor@gmail.com

Auclair Speaks Out On Casella Amendment

Kristen Auclair

I am writing to the members of the Town Council as I will not be in attendance at Monday night’s meeting. 

I am writing about the final agenda item, item 34, the motion to accept the first amendment to the Casella contract.  In subcommittee there were a lot of agreed upon terms to include in the contract, and I’m confident that a lot will be added without any outside input.  However, I implore you all to take the following into consideration when voting on this item.

1.      The money allotted to the proposed pre-treatment facility:  How is this money being utilized?  What kind of facility will $2.5 million build?  Where are the designs that constitute this money and how do we know that more money will not actually be needed to complete this venture?  To my knowledge, no preliminary engineering plans have been presented to represent this estimate.  There needs to be some kind of justification for this specific amount. 

Councilor Steeves Speaks Out On Casella Amendment

Today’s Southbridge News carries an article by Town Councilor Gus Steeves expressing his views on the proposed amendment to the Casella contract.

A ‘First Amendment’ we should not invoke

by Gus Steeves

“The devil’s in the details” is a common cliché, but in some documents, it’s really an understatement.

Multiple demons jump out of the newly proposed “First Amendment” to the landfill site assignment, which is currently being considered by the Council. General Government talked about it Wednesday and I expect it to be on Monday’s full council agenda, but both were after this column’s deadline. 

Subcommittee To Review Amendment To Casella Agreement

Ken O’Brien

Tonight at 6:30 the General Government subcommittee will meet in the Rice Conference Room in the Town Hall. On the agenda is the following item:

Discuss First Amendment to the Extension Agreement for the Operation of the Barefoot Road Sanitary Landfill, and Refuse and Recyclables Collection and entertain a motion to submit to the Council for ratification.

What does this amendment contain? 

Southbridge - Mayor Maybe? (Vote in our poll)

Ken O’Brien

With the imminent departure of Town Manager Christopher Clark I believe that it is time to resurrect a proposal that I have put forward in the past. I have been encouraged as well by several people asking me to create a poll gauging public interest in such a proposal.

The issue in question is the proposition that Southbridge switch from its current town manager/council form of government to a mayor/council format.