The Main Advantages of Voting “YES

The Main Advantages of Voting “YES” on acquiring Great Barrington Fire District and Housatonic Water Works Company (Housatonic Water below)

1) Provide structure and legal vehicle for Town’s strategic planning and operational guidance for its water resources
2) Maintain identification of its two water divisions (Great Barrington and Housatonic) for revenue and cost attribution
3)  Create the operational vehicle as a water enterprise fund and all its advantages
4)  Add a planning vehicle and an oversight board of water commissioners enhanced by a financial planning arm to restructure costs and financing for both divisions

Additional Advantages

Housatonic Water would gain  

• Access to DWSRF* low-cost loans and government grants
• Lower water usage charges than DPU’s approved settlement rates
• Separate capital expense charges that reflect project plans with most favorable financing* 
• Management oversight of timely project implementation
• Financial transparency

Great Barrington Fire District customers would gain the same under the enterprise fund umbrella. In addition: 

• Would be elevated from its historical anomaly to a true town resource
• Incorporate transparency and oversight, parallel with Housatonic Water’s
• Would have clear billing practices separate from real estate tax bills
• Could include its board as Great Barrington's first town-wide water commissioners

Great Barrington would gain a way forward

• Own its largest water resources, Long Pond 
• Enjoy consistent, most favorable financing terms
• Benefit from comprehensive planning, not fragmented interests
• Guided by true town-wide “water commissioner board” with both long and short term oversight

 
*DWSRF=Drinking Water State Revolving Fund offers 0-2% interest and 20-40 year loans for the upgrade of aged water systems.