Letter: Unfounded charges hinder water repairs

EDITOR,
I read your article on the repair of the water main on Lake Boulevard (“Lompico water project nears a head,” Page 5, March 4), the road on which I live, with dismay. There are several points with which I must take issue:
The repair is contentious only because a handful of people have made it so; it should have been a simple job several years ago, but it has dragged on all this time because of a series of roadblocks. It’s way past time it was finished. The broken main was not repaired; it was capped off, leaving us with the longest dead end in the Lompico County Water District and water which, last time it was tested, did not meet health department standards. This is a matter of health and safety, and we only want our water quality to meet the same standards as the rest of the district.
Years ago, FEMA approved funding for this project. We have gotten extension after extension, but it’s going on five years, and we have no reason to expect another one; they have a right to close their books on this. President Rick Harrington’s proposal to SLV Water District includes that district fronting $30K of the estimated $50K for repair, to be repaid on FEMA reimbursement. That leaves LCWD with more than enough money for repairs to the Lewis treatment plant, our district’s secondary treatment system.
Director Sherwin Gott knew of this proposal, but he seems not to have mentioned it. In fact, Mr. Gott voted to empower President Harrington to make the proposal.
Mr. Gott’s views are definitely heard at meetings; in fact, he yells so often that meetings have become distressingly long, and he is not infrequently ruled out of order because he won’t stop yelling. He doesn’t have to go to the media to be heard. The problem appears to be that other members don’t agree with him; rather than accept the board votes, as he should as a member, he’s pretending to be a victim, making unfounded charges. I’m sorry that you appear to have given those charges credence. I’m hoping that subsequent coverage will be more accurate.
Merrie Schaller, Lompico