Camden hopes other towns will help fight rate hike

CAMDEN — The Camden selectmen have agreed to fight a 71 percent increase in water rates proposed by the Camden-Rockland Water Co., provided the four other affected communities become its comrades in arms.

The board voted Tuesday night to intervene in the coming rate hearing before the Public Utilities Commission, with the condition that the other water company customers — Rockland, Rockport, Warren and Thomaston — also participate. Rockport and Rockland already have registered their opposition to the increase.

That Camden board voted to appropriate $3,235.55 as the town’s share of a legal fund, which is not to exceed $14,000. The funding formula proposed by Rockport Town Attorney Paul Gibbons calls for municipal shares based on the percentage of each community’s hydrant rental costs to the total of all five.

Under that formula, Rockland would contribute $5,891.89, Warren $620.23, Thomaston $2,090.47 and Rockport $2,161.86.

In addition to the rate increase, the water company also has petitioned the PUC to allow the company to merge with the Maine Water Co. amd the Wanakah Water Co. Water company officials say the rate increase, which would be its first since 1991, is necessary for the utility to comply with federal drinking water laws.

The selectmen also made the following appointments to town boards: Jim Carroll, Debbie Dodge and Sonny Goodwin to the Planning Board; Mark Ingraham, Brian Keefe, Donny Smith and Sharon Gilbert to the Zoning Board of Appeals; Peter Simmons to the Harbor Committee with Emil Winter as an alternate; Meg Quijano and Lucy Goulet to the Parking Committee, with Ann Bex and David Grant as alternates; and Maureen Kirk and Melissa MacCoole to the Parks and Recreation Committee, with David Cook and Bob Perkins as alternates.