A group of unhappy prospective sewer users are expected to converge on the Pilgrim Senior Center tomorrow night at 7 to ask questions and air complaints about the ongoing Governor Francis Farms Phase II sewer installation project.

The meeting, scheduled by the Warwick Sewer Authority (WSA), was called at the request of the property owners in Governor Francis Farms Phase II who are concerned with assessment costs that will likely dwarf what previous homeowners were charged as well as the mandatory tie-in requirement. Those residents have recently circulated a petition with over 120 signatures at this point.

“I’m going to address the homeowners briefly and explain how we come up with an [assessment] rate and the reasoning behind the mandatory connection requirement from the state,” said Janine Burke.

Burke, the WSA’s executive director, said she will begin the meeting by answering any questions related to the construction aspect of the project—such as when they can expect the crews to arrive at their property. Once those easier questions are settled, she will move on to the more difficult issues of cost and mandatory connection requirement.

Roy Dempsey, a Killdeer Road resident serving as a de facto leader of the protest group, started collecting signatures on May 12 to oppose the assessment rate hikes and mandatory connection requirements.

According to Dempsey and others interviewed, their complaints come down to the basic issue of fairness and equity.

WSA officials are estimating the assessment costs for the project to be at least $82 a linear foot—most likely more. Compared to the Governor Francis Farms I project completed less than two years ago and carrying assessment rates of $52 a foot, the costs seem exorbitant.

The costs for each project are lumped together and spread out amongst all those in a particular area.

The reason the assessment costs remain a mystery is because there are cost escalators built into the contracts with the construction company (D’Ambra). That means if the price of raw materials like oil and steel spike, the cost to the homeowner will also rise. That’s an unwise move if you’re looking to protect homeowners, said Dempsey.

“All of the risk is going to be assumed by the homeowners,” said Dempsey. “Why isn’t any of the risk shared with the contractor?”

Dempsey, who said costs also go down, suggested putting both a floor and a ceiling on the costs for raw materials. The move, he said, would protect the homeowners and the contractors—exposing both to certain amounts of risk.

Burke wondered if it would be difficult to find bidders under Dempsey’s criteria but said it was an idea worth considering down the line. She said she found it interesting, but defended the current process.

“We followed all Department of Transportation standards,” said Burke.

Dempsey’s group circulated a notice saying that Farms II homeowners could be paying $8,500 or more for assessments than their neighbors in addition to facing $3,000 for mandatory connections and possible penalties for non-compliance. The city council currently has an ordinance docketed that would allow the WSA to issue fines for non-compliance.

Dempsey fears the cost of installing sewers in Governor Francis Farms Phase II will be so expensive that it would have made more sense to simply require homeowners to have their systems pumped twice yearly.

There will also be a mandatory connection requirement mandated by the state.

Eugene Nadeau, who also lives in the neighborhood and will subsequently be forced to tie into the sewer line, said the mandatory tie-in is more of a money grab by the WSA than a strategy to protect the environment.

“Whatever is coming out of Francis Farms is not polluting the Bay. I’ve never seen a study showing that, as it’s not the case,” said Nadeau. “To impose fees on us is just not fair.”

Nadeau also said that if anyone is to blame for pollution, it’s the WSA.

“The WSA plant empties 5 million gallons of scourge into the Pawtuxet River every year,” he said.

Nadeau also said that the costs being bandied about would cripple the finances of area seniors like him. If Nadeau were to borrow $10,000 to pay for the sewer installation and assessment, it would take him 20 years to pay off, and cost $17,000.

“And I’d be 78 years old before I’d have this paid off,” said Nadeau.