I’m proud of the town of New Gloucester and of the voters who voted down funding for the new water district that included new costs and mandates, then came back to discuss the matter more at the special hearings that followed only days later.

I’m proud of the town and water district officers and town planner who very quickly made important changes to their proposal to address the public’s concerns.

At the meeting held Jan. 26, the town and water district officers came back with exceptionally clear information about the need and the finances. Townspeople asked probing questions, and between the important revisions and the additional information, they were willing to change their minds.

I have always thought that the collective resources of New Gloucester residents should be used to help those in the Upper Village who, through no fault of their own, have been held captive on property with diminished value and dirty water.

The revised approach seems fair. But the most convincing argument came from Jim Fitch when he explained that the current osmosis treatment being used on some of these wells now, ironically, pours 40 pounds more salt into the ground per month per well in the process — ensuring that the water will only get worse, and threatening wells not yet polluted.

We can’t not fix the problem, and thanks to the whole town for coming together around a plan that will do it.

Penny Hilton, New Gloucester

Copy the Story Link