ROCKPORT — While there have been no official talks with Camden, yet, about creating a bilateral effort to work together on sewer issues, Rockport has been heeding the will of the voters and at a July 8 regularly scheduled meeting, the town’s Select Board unanimously approved the mission for its new Wastewater Exploratory Task Force.

That move came a month after the June 11 annual town meeting when Rockport citizens overwhelmingly approved Article 15, which was to appoint an advisory committee to study the costs and benefits of a collaborative approach for improving wastewater treatment systems in the towns of Rockport and Camden. That article passed by a vote of 663 yes to 306.

A related Article 3 on the town’s June 11 warrant asking for approval of a proposed $33.7 million wastewater treatment facility and Route 90 sewer extension failed. Article 3 received 428 yes votes and 612 no votes.

“As the Select Board said all along, we were not opposed to the Article 15 citizens’ initiative. We did not campaign against it. We left that decision up to our voters,” said Board Chair Denise Munger, at the July 8 meeting, reading a prepared statement at the start of the discussion about moving ahead with the intent of Article 15.

She added: “We are absolutely committed to implementing the choice of our voters….”

The Select Board had first discussed the process of creating the new committee at an unrecorded workshop in June. At the July 8 meeting, the board agreed to decide July 23 who would be on the committee, now labeled a task force to comply with procedure outlined in the municipal charter (because it will be a committee with designated life span of less than one year, it is referenced as a task force) and with town policy.

Four residents – Taylor Allen, Sally Cook, Sam Temple and Scott Gazelle — had submitted applications to serve on the five-member task force, and the application deadline had been set for July 8. That deadline now is extended to July 17 and interested citizens are invited to submit applications.

“We want to take the time to do this right and give it the greatest chance of success,” said Munger.

The July 23 special Select Board meeting will begin at 5 p.m.

“And that’s where we will appoint members of that task force,” she said.

“Consistent with its Committee Policy, the Select Board shall choose the members of the Task Force,” according to a memo concerning the creation of the task force, which is included in the July 8 Select Board packet. “For optimum efficiency and operation, a membership of five members should be considered. While the Select Board will choose the members, it welcomes recommendations and volunteers with interest and expertise in the matter at hand. The Select Board believes that balanced views and an open mind on the issues to be considered by the Task Force will be important. A Select Board liaison will also be assigned to the Task Force to provide information and assistance from the Select Board that the Task Force requests, as well a Town staff liaison.”

The task force, when appointed, will determine its schedule, and elect a chair. It will be required to submit periodic reports to the Select Board, and present a final report by March 10. Its bylaws will be based on existing municipal policy that governs committees.

Select Board member Michael Thompson said July 8 that he was satisfied that progress was under way to establish the task force. He said he had, “been approached a few times,” by residents asking if the, “Select Board is really going to do something about this or push it down the road.”

Select Board member Michelle Hannan said she supported the effort for residents to explore other options, and encouraged the task force, “to be as creative as possible.”

The Select Board was urged by several citizens who spoke July 8 to not hurry the work of the task force, nor set expectations for the negotiating terms between Camden and Rockport.

“I am encouraged to hear Denise and all of you to say you are going to heed the will of the voters on this wastewater issue and I think you are sincere in that,” said Rockport resident Martha White.

She said the negative vote on Article 3 was a reflection of the voters’ assessment that building a new sewer plant and extending the sewer along Route 90, with a cost of $52 million, was a proposal too soon to approve.

“The vote was saying that these things take time, and the voters weren’t ready to made decision then [June 11],” said White. “It’s not an us versus them but a ‘we’re not ready, yet.’”

She continued: “The best thing we can do is to let this advisory committee to run as unfettered and free from constraints as we can possibly do. Let it cast a wide net. Get as much information as it can.”

She emphasized the need for a transparent process, “to let the town know.”

The Select Board approved the task force mission July 8. It follows:

....“to study costs and benefits of a collaborative approach for improving waste water treatment systems in the towns of Rockport and Camden, including a municipal utility district, and the tax force shall report its findings to the Select Board prior to the 2025 Rockport Town Meeting such that any recommendations that need voter approval can be placed on the 2025 town meeting ballot. The Task Force work shall be governed by the following guiding principles: 

“Fair price: Sewage treatment must be available for a fair price for all residents who use the sewer system in Rockport. 

“Sufficient treatment plant capacity: Additional wastewater treatment capacity must be available thus preserving or expanding Rockport’s ability to pursue economic development; for example, workforce housing or commercial business expansion. 

“Business model innovation: Look for innovative ways to develop a business structure and financial solutions consistent with these guiding principles that shall include the concept of a municipal utility district for both towns and perhaps include Rockland, or having a new plant in Rockport accept flows currently sent to Camden; for example, the landfill, to relieve stress on their plant.

“Nothing should be eliminated from consideration.”

Meanwhile, in Camden the most recent discussions regarding its sewer issues took place July 2 at a regular scheduled Camden Select Board meeting when Town Manager Audra Caler reported that she and the Rockland City Manager talked about jointly pursuing federal funding to address infiltration and failing stormwater system issues.

Applying together as a region might elevate success in attaining funding, said Caler.

“That is something we are going to start working on with Rockland,” she said.

Additionally, she remarked on the implementation of Camden’s June 11 voter-approved $12.5 million bond, which will be used, in part, to fund the Molyneaux Road sewer extension project. That involves running a sewer line to Mountainside Park, a residential development off of Route 52.

Other sewer-related work initially to be funded by the bond includes sewer and stormwater camera work to assess the condition of the sewer lines in Camden.

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657