HAMDPEN – Four of the five people who testified at a public hearing Wednesday night complained about the proposed water district rate hike and questioned the general manager’s wages and expenses.

The hearing, held at the Reeds Brook Middle School and attended by about 25 people, was one of the first steps taken by the state’s Public Utilities Commission to determine whether a proposed 18.26 percent rate hike should take effect. Resident water users petitioned against the increase and the PUC must issue a decision by late summer.

“I suggest that a review by a forensic accountant investigate the charges being made that may be out of line and leading to inappropriate increases,” said resident Edwin Bruno.

All of the speakers provided sworn testimony during the hearing that commissioners said they would consider when reaching a decision. After Wednesday’s hearing, staffers from the Hampden Water District are expected to meet today with PUC staff at a technical conference.

In October, water district trustees voted to forward a rate structure change and increase to the PUC. Customers now using 1,200 cubic feet of water or less are charged $70 a quarter. If commissioners approve the rate hike, customers using less than 900 cubic feet of water a quarter will be charged $70.01, but anyone using more will be charged an additional $4.26 per 100 cubic feet.

Two residents, Robert Stubbs and Walter Whitney, said they disagreed with the shift from a working superintendent to the more administrative role taken on by current General Manager Cameron Torrey. Stubbs also mentioned that the number of contracted jobs increased significantly from 2005 to 2006, which resulted in greater costs.

“Hampden Water District is primarily a water distributor, and a working superintendent could eliminate needs for additional staff,” Stubbs said.

Town Manager Susan Lessard asked the PUC to consider whether Torrey is an hourly or salaried employee. Payroll sheets that Lessard acquired showed Torrey making $37.41 an hour in 2006 and receiving 245.5 hours of compensation time for working more than 40 hours in a week.

“Sometimes the devil really is in the details,” Lessard said, prefacing her next point. The district paid for Torrey’s district-provided truck to be washed 17 times in 2006. During his testimony, Bruno added that the district footed the bill for Torrey’s meals and alcohol while he attended meetings in Portland. Hams and turkeys distributed to employees also were listed as expenses, Bruno said.

“They are out to beat me to death,” Torrey said in an interview after the meeting. He said the town has grown a lot in the past five years, and new subdivisions only create more time and work for him.

Mike Riley, who was the engineer of record when the water district wrote its comprehensive plan, spoke in favor of Torrey and his staff’s efforts. He said the rate increases were justified to deliver high-quality water to town residents and to keep the infrastructure in sound condition.

“[Torrey] inherited a system that has a number of challenges and in my opinion, as the engineer of record, was in disrepair,” Riley said. “They had significant problems maintaining water quality and Cam took those problems head-on and the rate increases have resulted because of that. They are justified and he should be commended for delivering the quality of water that he does.”

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