#rockport-wastewater

Letter to the editor
Rockport Select Board Explains Sewer Project
Fri, 04/12/2024 - 8:00am
Since the start of Rockport’s sewer system in the early 1990s, over half of its wastewater has gone to Camden for treatment (the rest goes to Rockland). In 2020, the treatment agreement between the 2 towns expired. Since then, we have been unable to reach an agreement with Camden that sets a fair rate for Rockport users and allows Rockport to expand its sewer system. In fact, Camden asked Rockport in 2022 to leave their system and repeated that in court mediation in 2023. As a result, Rockport...
Rockport considers two-track approach to resolve sewer issues: going it alone, with attempt to maintain Camden connection
Fri, 04/12/2024 - 7:45am

ROCKPORT — Nothing has to be decided in the near term, and there is room to adjust course; but either way, Rockport has to make progress resolving its sewer issues. With that in mind, the Rockport voter will consider two ballot questions June 11 at the polls, and they don’t have to mutually exclusive. Over the past two months, a debate has strengthened in Rockport: Should the town pursue building a $33 million-plus ($52 million with costs and interest) sewage treatment plant at Pen Bay Medical...
Letter to the editor
Rockport voter petition underway to place sewer question on June ballot
Sun, 03/24/2024 - 10:00pm
Dear Rockport Voter, Since 1990, Rockport property owners who are connected to the sewer system have had their wastewater treated by the plant in Camden. Shortly after the 30-year agreement between Camden and Rockport ended in 2020, Camden raised Rockport user fees to help finance necessary improvements. Communications between the towns deteriorated, a lawsuit was filed, and mediation has stalled. In 2023, the Rockport Select Board appointed a task force, which has recommended a $22-$38 million...
List of possible locations, preferred is Cramer Park
Rockport moves ahead with planning, seeking funding for new sewage facility
Sun, 02/12/2023 - 7:30pm

ROCKPORT — Monday evening, Feb. 13, the Rockport Select Board will vote on whether to ask the Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection to reallocate $1 million that was awarded to the town through the American Rescue Plan Act for a recently completed Route 1 sewer extension project. The town is hoping that $1 million can instead be put toward a new $18 million water resource recover facility. Formerly described as a sewage treatment plant, a water resource recover facility represents new...
Monday, 6 p.m., Town Office
Rockport Select Board to convene Monday: Wastewater system, Route 90 sewer extension, plus two executive sessions
Sun, 01/29/2023 - 10:15am

ROCKPORT – The Rockport Select Board will meet Monday evening, 6 p.m., at the Town Office, for a one-hour workshop to address wastewater infrastructure investments, a water resource recovery facility, and the plan to extend a sewer line out Route 90. Two closed-door sessions will follow at 7 p.m.: Labor contracts and a real estate contract. The workshop will neither be streamed nor taped, being held in the Richardson Room at the Town Office. On Nov. 8, Rockport voters approved the creation of a...
Voters sort through Rockport’s complicated town ballot, approving all articles
Tue, 11/08/2022 - 9:00pm

ROCKPORT — In addition to the Maine Senate, House and Gubernatorial races, Rockport voters were also picking a U.S. Congressional candidate, clearing up a procedural issue with a school budget article left over from June, and nine municipal warrant articles, some of them long and complicated. In total, 2,170 voters cast their ballots, in person and via absentee ballots. Some municipal warrant articles were left blank. Governor’s race Hunkler: 31 LePage: 629 Mills: 1,487...
Size of boats on inner harbor moorings, parking studies, hotel rooms in Village
Rockport to consider ambitious Route 90 sewer/ economic development plan, ordinance and charter amendments
Mon, 10/10/2022 - 7:15pm

ROCKPORT — The Rockport Select Board has a lengthy agenda in front of it Tuesday, Oct. 11, including several public hearings on proposed changes to to the town’s land use, harbor and general assistance ordinances, its governing charter, and the creation of a new tax increment financing district along Route 90 to help fund the town’s Economic Development Project, and extend the life of the existing Downtown TIF in Rockport Village. If all are approved at the Oct. 11 public hearings, they will...
Camden files court complaint against its neighbor, Rockport; wants $201,590
Fri, 06/24/2022 - 1:15pm

CAMDEN — Two years ago, Rockport filed suit in Knox County Superior Court against Camden over public school payments . Now, Camden has filed suit against Rockport for nonpayment of sewer bills. The complaint is dated June 13, and was filed by Camden Attorney Bill Kelly. See attached PDF for full complaint In it, Kelly wrote that the balance due is $201,590.06. Kelly included in the documentation all charges and payments received from Rockport from...
‘RE: underpayment for the first quarter of FY22 wastewater treatment fees
Camden sets May 2 deadline for Rockport sewer payment, cites pipe shutoff; Maine DEP warns Camden
Tue, 04/12/2022 - 3:30pm

ROCKPORT — Camden is demanding $146,452.72 in sewer bill payments from Rockport, with a deadline of May 2. If that is not met, Camden said it will file a claim of unjust enrichment in the Knox County District Court. The letter spelling out the terms was sent March 28 by Camden Town Manager Audra Caler to Rockport Town Manager Jon Duke, two miles away. The letter was a follow-up to decisions made March 22 by the Camden Select Board to recover payment from Rockport. See attached...
Rockport hopes for response from Camden to meet, talk about the sewer
Mon, 03/28/2022 - 11:15am

ROCKPORT — Last week, the four members of the Camden Select Board approved a motion to file in court a demand that Rockport reimburse Camden for back payments relating to sewer charges. As well, the board voted that Rockport must produce within 90 days a plan that outlines how Rockport will withdraw its dependence on the Camden sewer system. Rockport responds to Camden: ‘Doesn’t sound like cooperation between communities, it sounds like extortion’ Camden demands...
Rockport’s wastewater fees highest in area
Rockport officials consider wastewater options, new treatment facility
Mon, 05/03/2021 - 8:00pm

Members of the Rockport Select Board were recently presented with a number of options for how and where the municipality’s wastewater is processed in the future, ranging from maintaining existing intermunicipal agreements with neighboring communities to building two new wastewater treatment facilities in town. Nate McLaughlin, a principal at Saco-based firm Woodard & Curran (W&C) outlined five options for the board at its April 26 meeting. W&C had been hired by the Select Board in...
Concerts would be held Sunday, free to the public
Approval given to small summer concerts in Rockport Village Mary Lea Park
Tue, 04/27/2021 - 8:45am

ROCKPORT — On April 16 the Rockport Select Board unanimously approved a proposal which would allow small musical concerts to be held in Mary Lea Park over the coming summer. The idea was brought before the board by members of the town’s Parks and Beautification Committee, represented at the meeting by committee member Doug Cole. Cole said the Parks Committee had been considering using Mary Lea Park on Central Street as a possible concert venue for some time, and through talking to other...
Authorize financing plan for new plow truck
Rockport officials approve $5.8 million sewer extension
Mon, 02/22/2021 - 8:30pm

Members of the Rockport Select Board voted Feb. 22 to approve a $5.8 million sewer extension project which would extend the town’s sewer line from Sea Light Lane to South Street. The town received three bids for the project, and selected low bidder Nitram Excavation and General Contractor, Inc. of Benton, to perform the work for $5,846,748. At the meeting the Select Board also approved a financing plan from Androscoggin Bank to purchase a $202,730 Daigle & Houghton Western Star 4700SF plow...
Select Board meeting Feb. 22
Rockport to consider $5.8 million sewer extension contract, financing a $128,950 plow truck
Sun, 02/21/2021 - 5:00pm

ROCKPORT — The Select Board in Rockport will convene Monday evening, Feb . 22, at 5:30 p.m., via Zoom to review three bids to extend the sewer along Route 1 from the existing line terminus near Sea Light Lane to South Street. The board will also consider how it will finance the town’s purchase of a Daigle & Houghton Western Star 4700SF plow truck for the Public Works Department. The board approved the purchase at its Jan. 11 meeting, and Town Manager William Post is suggesting the town...
‘Maine Water does not operate the town wastewater systems, nor do we determine what you must pay for those services’
Maine Water Co. responds to Rockport sewer system billing concerns
Thu, 12/24/2020 - 12:00pm

A reader in Rockport recently wrote a letter to the editor of the PenBay Pilot and mentioned “the exorbitant increase in my sewer bill.” Maine Water would like to take the opportunity to explain to customers in Camden and Rockport the relationship between your water usage, your water bill, your sewer service and your sewer bill. The simplest explanation is that water and sewer are two separate services. Maine Water delivers fresh, clean drinking water. We bill you for that water based in part...
Commission comprehensive wastewater study
Rockport officials discuss building new wastewater facility for the town
Tue, 11/24/2020 - 5:45pm

ROCKPORT — Acting in their as Wastewater Commissioners, members of the Rockport Select Board voted unanimously Nov. 23 to approve a comprehensive study that is to examine the town’s current wastewater treatment plan, as well as explore options including building a new treatment plant. The study will cost $10,000 and will be completed by Woodard & Curran, the company that has held a contract with the town to oversee Rockport’s wastewater treatment and disposal facilities since 1993. Town...
Water usage, municipal system cost increases create financial headwinds for customers
Rockport to address skyrocketing wastewater bills, consider adjustments Monday evening
Sun, 08/09/2020 - 12:15pm

ROCKPORT — Armed with reports from staff, the Rockport Select Board, acting as the town’s Wastewater Commissioners, will address the issue of July wastewater bills that have distressed ratepayers, some of whom are staring down invoices three to four times what they’ve paid in the past. The Select Board will also consider mitigating the bills’ financial impact with suggestions outlined by Rockport Finance Director Megan Brackett. “As most are now aware, we have uncovered some possible billing...
Town staff is ‘getting to the bottom of it,’ per Select Board Chairwoman
Rockport residents aghast at 50 to 300 percent increase in wastewater bills
Thu, 07/30/2020 - 2:30pm

ROCKPORT — One Rockport Village homeowner opened a $1,600 quarterly water and wastewater bill July 29. Another received a $700 bill for the last quarter, when a year ago it was $300 for the same time period. Another resident reported that he was charged $19.25 per 100 cubic feet of sewage, while Camden resident are getting charged $6.23 per cubic foot. Still another received a $425 quarterly sewer bill when the total is usually $225. The Rockport Town Office has been inundated with calls from...
‘Town is transitioning from quarterly billing to monthly billing because many residents were not paying their sewer bills in a timely manner’
Rockport cites pandemic sequestering, higher administrative costs, watering as reasons for high wastewater, water bills
Wed, 07/29/2020 - 4:30pm
Rockport residents on sewer and water lines inundated the Rockport Town Office July 28 with queries as to why their latest bills skyrocketed. In response, Town Manager William Post issued the following release July 29: “Rockport residents that are connected to the wastewater system recently received their quarterly bill for the months of April, May and June and may have noticed an increase. “There are several factors that play into an increase. The major factor being that residents...