When I joined the commission in 2020, we were talking about the aging waterlines, constant water main breaks and the rising cost to Ocean Ridge of owning the waterlines.
A comprehensive plan was discussed to:
A) Get money from Boynton Beach to address water main repairs, since we are paying the same exact rate Boynton Beach residents do while Boynton Beach maintains the waterlines at that same price. We basically pay more for the water although on paper it is the same.
B) Find a long-term solution where Boynton Beach either takes over our waterlines as part of its service — or, what really was the proper way — to discuss sewer service along with water service from Boynton Beach.
The problem was that the very people who were trying to negotiate with Boynton Beach and discuss the greater picture were rudely cut off by the current seated commission and all discussions ended.
In fact, Ocean Ridge does not have a current contract with Boynton Beach for water service; the expired contract is simply being extended automatically month after month.
Taking money from the reserves for capital projects like this leaves the town vulnerable to emergency needs. The $2 million should have been funded a long time ago through added property taxes specifically for a water/sewer fund.
This commission, however, is incapable of looking at long-term solutions and would rather use fix-a-flat instead of replacing a tire that has no tread left!
Not properly budgeting for the improvements you need to make is about the same stupidity as cutting Medicare and Medicaid from 40 million people so 500 billionaires enjoy tax cuts.
Ocean Ridge enjoyed low taxes for decades and did not budget for 70- to 80-year-old waterlines we all knew were failing soon. Time to pay the piper.
The residents of Ocean Ridge deserve better from their government.
— Martin Wiescholek,
former town commissioner,
Ocean Ridge
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