LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow Select Board voted in favor of supporting a bill that would restructure the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, from which Longmeadow buys its water.
The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission serves 250,000 people from 10 communities in Hampden County. The water is sourced from waterways and reservoirs in nine other area towns. Despite the regional nature of the commission’s operations, Springfield’s mayor appoints the commissioners, with no representation from the other communities.
“For too long, communities that help fund and rely on this critical infrastructure have had no formal seat at the table,” state Rep. Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown) said in a press release. To address this issue, Saunders filed An Act Relevant to Equitable Representation. “This bill corrects that imbalance by giving surrounding municipalities meaningful representation and decision-making. It’s about fairness, equity and transparency,” the legislator said.
The legislation would expand the commission from three members to seven, with at least one member meeting the state’s definition of a “minority person.” No more than four members would live in the same municipality. A regional advisory board representing Ludlow, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Agawam, West Springfield and the Little River watershed towns of Russell, Granville and Blandford would provide oversight regarding budgets and rates. An ombudsperson would advocate for the interests of ratepayers. Finally, the commission would need to adhere to the state’s open meeting and public records laws.
This year, municipalities experienced a significant increase in the cost of water from the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, mostly from capital costs connected to a large water treatment plant project. Due to the nature of the commission and the limited options for alternative water supply, the towns had little choice but to pay for the hike.
After reading the legislation, Town Manager Lyn Simmons said she was in favor of it, noting that it reminded her of the Hampden County Regional Retirement Board reforms Longmeadow has been working toward. She said communities want “a seat at the table.”
If Longmeadow is a part of the advisory board, Select Board Chair Josh Levine said, “We could have a direct voice or a voice in appointing the voice to have a say.”
Reminder Publishing reached out to the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, which had no comment on the legislation.
On another topic, the town is accepting applicants to fill the Planning Board seat left vacant by the resignation of Walter Gunn. Under state law, mid-term vacancies on the Planning Board must be filled by a joint meeting of the Select Board and remaining Planning Board members.
Assistant Town Manager Michael Barbieri suggested leaving the application window open until Aug. 27, with interviews on Sept. 2. However, Levine said that potential applicants may be away all summer on vacation and miss the window to apply. He wanted to wait to begin the process of filling the seat for this reason and said the board can still operate with four members.
Select Board member Vineeth Hemavathi disagreed. He said that people who may be out of town but will still be aware via social media. “I do think that it’s important for the Planning Board to move on and move forward and be fully functioning again,” he said. He noted there would be more than a month for candidates to apply. Levine said Hemavathi had convinced him.
Select Board member Dan Zwirko noted that the appointment would end when the next town elections took place in June 2026, making it “attractive” to people who might not want to serve a full term. “It’s a good way to dip your toe,” agreed Levine.
Applications can be found at tinyurl.com/bdft9x2x and must be submitted, along with a cover letter and resume, to Associate Planner Dean Syed and Select Board/Town Manager Administrative Assistant Margaret Sheldon by Aug. 27 at 4 p.m.
During the resident comment period, Andrea Chasen informed the Select Board of an open house and listening session about the Eversource Western Mass Natural Gas Reliability Project on Aug. 7 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Center at Springfield’s Tower Square. Chasen said the Longmeadow Energy and Sustainability Committee, Springfield Climate Justice Coalition and Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group are “working together to develop strategies” to oppose. She said the groups anticipate that Eversource will submit an “environmental impact statement” to the state to move the project forward after a two-year hiatus.
The pipeline, which Eversource claims is needed as a backup to the infrastructure that feeds Springfield’s Bliss Street regulator station, was first proposed in 2017 before Eversource purchased the infrastructure from Columbia Gas. Eversource began moving forward on the project in 2021, but it was met with intense opposition from local citizen groups in Longmeadow and Springfield. The pipeline would connect to existing infrastructure along Longmeadow’s southern border and pass through the town and into Springfield. In 2023, the state ruled that Eversource needed to provide more information on alternatives to the proposed pipeline.
“The work that Eversource has been doing has been dormant for quite some time. Now, it’s restarting,” said Hemavathi. He urged people to become engaged regarding the pipeline.
