BREWER – People were boiling mad and several screamed to get their points across during a gathering Wednesday night to discuss the 15 percent water rate increase imposed by the city.

The event was hosted by residents Theresa and Larry Ayotte at St. Teresa’s Church Community Center.

Allegations that Brewer officials misled residents concerning the water rate increase, and that they pressured two Public Advocate’s Office employees invited to attend to decline the invitation, were two of the many issues discussed.

The Ayottes are the lead petitioners in the PUC’s review of the rate increase that was decided in the city’s favor on May 2, after a nine-month review.

City Councilor Michael Celli was the lone city official at the meeting and was the center of much of the heated discussion.

“I realize I’m walking into the lion’s den,” he said when he got up to speak.

After stating that the water district was operating in the red and that most of the rate increases over the last five years were under the district, Celli indicated that there was corruption within the district, which led to the city taking it over in 2003.

“It was organized crime,” he said. “And for many years, financially, they were raping this community.”

At that point, Bill Hall, a 67-year resident, screamed at Celli saying the city promised it would “rein in the rates.”

Other residents also attacked the city and Celli on various points concerning the increase.

“How many of you think the rate increase is because of the transmission line and standpipe,” Theresa Ayotte asked the 55 or so residents in attendance.

After several raised their hands, she stated that the rate increase was not for the two projects, but instead was because the city “decided they were entitled” to depreciation and contingency allowance that total in excess of $500,000.

Some of the residents wanted to know why Brewer pays more than Bangor and how the depreciation funds would be used.

Pipes installed in the 1880s, 1920s and other times in Brewer have, for the most part, been replaced, causing a higher overall rate than Bangor, John Mills, former water district board member, said.

“In Bangor, most of that is still in the ground,” he said. “They have costs coming in the future that we have already borne here.”

The Ayottes said Deputy Public Advocate Bill Black and Economic Analyst Dr. Ron Norton were invited to attend the informal gathering.

“They received incredible pressure from the city [not to attend the meeting],” Theresa Ayotte said. “They were actually threatened [with losing] their jobs.”

At least one member of the gathering was disappointed in the actions of attendees.

“I’m quite disappointed in this meeting,” resident Wayne Giffard said. “You’re not accomplishing anything by doing this. The problem is not what’s happening now; it’s what happened previously.”

At the end of the meeting, the Ayottes asked attendees if they should continue to pursue the remainder of the PUC review.

After a show of hands, the Ayottes decided to request an end to the review.

“It’s over,” Larry Ayotte told a member of the public at the end of the meeting.