Scituate Approves $14,000 Water Connection Fee Per Unit, Considers New Naming Policy

Select Board aims to close loophole in multi-unit building charges, discusses criteria for naming town properties

SCITUATE, MA - August 20 - The Select Board voted Tuesday to change the town's water connection fee policy, requiring each unit in multi-unit buildings to pay $14,000. The decision aims to close a loophole that allowed multi-unit buildings to pay less per unit than single-family homes.

"We're going back to the way we used to do things," said one board member. "Anybody that builds one house, because when we change other things, it's moving out of the middle."

The change comes as the town ensures equitable charges for water infrastructure across all types of housing. Previously, multi-unit buildings could pay a single connection fee for the entire structure, resulting in lower costs per unit compared to individual homes.

"There are six buildings, it'd be 24. And they're all charged $14,000. It's just the building," explained a board member, illustrating the previous policy's shortcomings.

The board also discussed developing a more comprehensive policy for naming town properties and facilities. The conversation revealed considerations including historical significance, equity, and potential rescinding procedures for future naming decisions.

Current naming practices were described as "willy nilly" by one board member, highlighting the need for a more structured approach.

Several board members expressed caution about naming things after people, given recent trends of removing names from buildings and statues. "People are starting to take statutes down. They're starting to not name things," noted one member.

To address these concerns, suggestions included implementing a "cooling off" period before naming something after a recently deceased person and creating a scoring system to evaluate naming proposals.

"Does this represent a minority group or a group that have not been honored yet?" proposed one member as a potential criterion.

The board also discussed gathering input from various town boards on potential dedication opportunities, such as benches, trees, and other public amenities. This approach could provide alternative ways to recognize individuals without naming entire buildings or facilities.

In addition to the naming policy discussion, the board touched on financial policies and potential updates to achieve an "excellent" rating from Standard & Poor's. The town's current financial management rating is "good," but improvements to financial policies could elevate it to "excellent."

*editor’s note: SCTV’s wide camera shot made AI speaker identification unreliable