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Outrageous Water Rates

Monica Medeiros is quoted in the Free Press below. She was literally the ONLY alderman to vote against the new tiered system, which actually penalizes those who conserve water and/or who have second water meters. It was a crazy thing that the community basically let happen without anyone except Gerry Mroz coming forward. He presented a brilliant analysis (only to be dismissed and treated rudely) that directly contradicted the "evidence" of the hired hack brought in by Conn (who should have known better and admitted his error instead of digging himself in deeper) and the rest of the committee (who did their usual poor job of looking after the citizens). No one except Monica was even interested. They managed this thing atrociously, and now we have a first class mess on our hands.

Our bill went up hugely, and we get penalized $200 a year ($50/quarter) for our second meter, which is environmentally and consumer-friendly in any other SENSIBLE town, but not in Melrose now. Several of our neighbors were downright shocked when they saw their bills jump in huge increments. Aside from the outrageousness of the bills themselves, this was the aldermen basically allowing another unnamed tax to slide through.

Monica was right and the rest of them were dead wrong. She's also right that many will be forced to think about whether they can afford to keep their homes in Melrose because of this kind of short-sighted ignorant action.

Time for a community-wide heightened awareness about all that is taking place under our noses there at City Hall and in the Aldermanic Chambers room. Time for the citizens to wake up!

"More than any other issue, I hear concerns of residents over our high water and sewer bills," said Medeiros. "As an alderman, I have fought to help stem these increases at the city level, but despite these efforts locally, we must continue to pay the rapidly increasing MWRA assessments."

Melrose is one of 61 communities that rely on the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) to provide wholesale water and/or sewer services.

"Our MWRA assessment – the amount we must pay the MWRA for water and sewer services – plays a huge part in the rates we set," Medeiros continued. "For example, the MWRA assessment alone accounts for about half of all funds collected for our water budget and nearly three quarters of our sewer budget. That means for every dollar you pay toward your sewer bill, about 74 cents will go directly to the MWRA through the assessment."

According to Medeiros, "Greater conservation can help us save money at the household level, and also help reduce what we must pay the MWRA."

She explained that the annual assessment due to the MWRA for our water usage is calculated directly based upon the city’s metered water use from the prior calendar year. The MWRA sewer assessment is based upon a more complicated formula, which reviews sewer flow from the prior three calendar years.

The presentation will include tips on how residents may reduce their daily water usage, test for leaks, and inform them of resources available to aid in conservation.

"Some residents have called me nearly in shock since the new, tiered rate system, which I was the only alderman to vote against, has been implemented," said Medeiros. "They wonder how they will be able to pay the bills. Some wonder whether they will be able to stay in Melrose."

Under the new, tiered rate system, now beginning its second year, ratepayers are charged more quarterly for usage that exceeds a specified amount.

"I am hosting this presentation to help these residents reduce their water usage, and hopefully help them stay in the lowest rate tier," Medeiros said. "If we can reduce our usage citywide in the process, then we will all benefit as well.""

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Democrat (who received letter about charge increase for 2nd meter) who is now voting for Monica for State Senate !
We need her leadership at the State level as well as BOA !

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Make it $400 for a second meter and drive the riff raff out of town.

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

VOTE for Monica
Democrat (who received letter about charge increase for 2nd meter) who is now voting for Monica for State Senate !
We need her leadership at the State level as well as BOA !


Couldn't agree more!

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Leading Indicators
Make it \$400 for a second meter and drive the riff raff out of town.


Do you live on Wyoming Avenue, "Leading Indicators " ?

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Monica is the only one in our corner with any brains! It's high time you idiots realized this.

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Monica is the only one in our corner with any brains! It's high time you idiots realized this.

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

What a farce and a crime and shame on me for not paying attention. This is the end for my family. We simply cannot afford to live in Melrose any longer. Time to move and take advantage of school choice for our children. Thank you to the elected officials for forcing me to take the rose colored glsses off. Are you all showering at the Y?

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Good bye. You won't be missed.

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

When the City put the water and sewer bill collections under an Enterprise Fund, over the years, it has freed up
millions of dollar over the revenue cap imposed by Prop 2/1/2. It also stopped the ability to include water and sewer bills in our property tax for possible deduction.

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Voting yes on the Override to help rescue the abysmal schools my kids go to in this city is now impossible because my water bill with three kids and two adults has doubled ! I can only imagine how people without children will automatically vote "NO" on any new taxes.

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

After a hug from half dressed Morty in the showers at the YMCA you'd gladly pay double for one at home! These Alderman are mostly hatchet men for the Insiders Club. The red alert went off some time ago, brighter than the red in Linda O's bottle job. One can only hope for a typhoon the day of the Victorian Fair so we don't have Morty jollying around on his bicycle and MBMM & GI running around lake Cagney & Lacey looking for free meals, tote bags and other perks (free water from the MWRA after ten years of service?).

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Knowledge
After a hug from half dressed Morty in the showers at the YMCA you'd gladly pay double for one at home! These Alderman are mostly hatchet men for the Insiders Club. The red alert went off some time ago, brighter than the red in Linda O's bottle job. One can only hope for a typhoon the day of the Victorian Fair so we don't have Morty jollying around on his bicycle and MBMM & GI running around lake Cagney & Lacey looking for free meals, tote bags and other perks (free water from the MWRA after ten years of service?).


I always used Tweedledee and Tweedledum for those two, but Cagney and Lacey brought a smile!

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

At least GI doesn't rip off the taxpayers by taking GIC.
MBMM hopefully will go the way of Seaboyer next time around and lose!
It will be interesting to see who will step up to the Mayor and require the delay/implementation of Alcohol law changes until the voters decide by voting "yes or no" during the 2015 election.

Re: Outrageous Water Rates

Those clowns should have been voted out as long ago as Cagney & Lacey. GI meant well enough at one point but became too much of an insider due to MBMM. Free insurance, free Melrose Boot Camp, free rentals, no call no show jobs in Winchester and Melrose. Until the taxpayers demand accountability the Insiders Club the real estate agencies will own the local papers because they take out the majority of advertisements and keep them alive. There is no political news programs on Melrose TV. Those representing the citizens know which citizens interests to represent.