CONWAY — Even though there’s a question about a contentions downtown sewer system on Thursday’s annual town election ballot, it doesn’t mean anything because the money was already set aside.
Polls will be open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the town hall.
The election follows Monday’s annual town meeting, where, a request to borrow $130,000 to design a wastewater treatment facility on the town’s Shelburne Falls Road property was reduced to $16,000 — enough to fund the project’s first phase but nothing more.
After voters approved the request to borrow money, another vote passed at the end of the meeting allowing the $16,000 to be spent from the town’s “free cash” – a motion that nulled a prior ballot question asking residents to temporarily raise tax rates in order to pay off the borrowed money.
Thus, while the question wasn’t removed from the ballot, it became inconsequential because the money was set aside at the town meeting.
Proponents of the new sewer system say the town needs it to protect its water supply and prevent 30 downtown homes from losing value.
Preliminary estimates are that the project would cost $1.2 million, borrowed over 30 years. Taxes would be raised townwide about $11 per $1,000 in assessed property value over that time to pay it off. Of the 30 houses, those who decided to connect to the system would be charged a user fee of $818 per year, and a yearly betterment fee of $280.
Opponents argue that because others in town must pay for their own individual systems center district homeowners should do the same.
Elsewhere, there are no contested races for town office positions.
Candidates on the election ballot are as follows: John P. O’Rourke is seeking re election as selectman; Malcolm J. Corse as assessor; William H. McLoughlin for one of two positions on the Board of Health, the other decided through write-in; Phillip Kantor to the local School Committee, with another seat decided through write-in.
Joseph C. Strzegowski, Jr. and Beth Girshman are running for two Planning Board seats; Walter R. Goodridge as tree warden; and Nicholas Filler as moderator.
For more information, visit the town office building or www.townofconway.com.