The Somerset Sentinel (2025)

21/06/2025

Youths can create faux stained glass designs

SOMERSET - Teens and tweens can decorate an eight inch by 10 inch piece of glass with a faux stained glass technique at the Somerset Public Library on July 15, starting at 6 p.m.
Participants are asked to bring in a printed eight inch by 10 inch picture of an image they would like to give a stained glass makeover. Favorite animals, characters, artists, teams and other subjects could be used. The appropriate picture should be printed out in color or black and white and the people running the program will help participants transform them.
Participants are required to register in advance for the program on the library's website. The program is funded by the Friends of the Somerset Public Library. The library is located at 1464 County St. in Somerset.

21/06/2025

Albert appointed to Water Pollution Control Department

SOMERSET - The Somerset Water and Sewer Commission on Wednesday appointed Melissa Albert, of Somerset, to the position of clerk at the Water Pollution Control Department. Water and Sewer Commissioner Joseph Bednarik, Jr. said Albert is a very talented person with a great resume. He said she will be a good addition to the Water Pollution Control Department. The appointment was contingent on a physical and criminal background check that are performed on all employees.

20/06/2025

State will seek public input on Somerset intersection

By GEORGE AUSTIN
SOMERSET - The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is looking to have a public meeting in Somerset to get input on how to make the intersection of Route 6 and Lee's River Avenue safer.
Selectmen Chair Allen Smith said the state agency wanted the selectmen to give them a date for when a meeting with the general public could be held on the issue. The selectmen approved Aug. 19 as the date for the meeting. Town Administrator Mark Ullucci will check with DOT to see if that date works for the state agency. A time was not scheduled for the meeting. Ullucci said it would be in the evening at the Somerset Public Library.
Ullucci said the meeting should be held on its own, rather than being part of a selectmen's meeting, because there will probably be a lot of public input. Selectman Todd Costa wanted the meeting later in the summer because a lot of people take vacations in July.
The state has suggested two options for the intersection which has been called one of the most dangerous in the state. They include putting a rotary at the location or a left-hand-turn lane. At a previous selectmen's meeting that DOT representatives attended, they favored the rotary option, but there were residents who did not think that would be a good idea.
Ann Marie Couture, the chair of the Triad committee that looks out for the safety and quality of life of senior citizens in Somerset, said there are a lot of senior citizens who live on Read Street not far from that intersection.

20/06/2025

The best sports year ever at SBRHS

By GEORGE AUSTIN
SOMERSET - The championships kept coming at Somerset Berkley Regional High School during the past school year. The sports teams won state championships, South Coast Conference championships, individual championships. And more so than ever in the 95 years of varsity sports at Somerset High School and Somerset Berkley Regional High School.
"This is definitely the best year in school history," said Doug Chapman, who is the chair of the Somerset/Somerset Berkley Athletic Hall of Fame.
Chapman said he made that statement based on the number of state championships, conference championships, the quantity of the teams that qualified for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's state tournaments and winning records. As a coach at Somerset High School and Somerset Berkley Regional High School and a student-athlete at Somerset High School, Chapman has been involved with 51 years of the sports history at the high school. As the founder of the Athletic Hall of Fame, he knows the history of sports at the high school better than anyone.
Chapman said the 1950s was "the golden era" in Somerset High School sports, but this school year eclipsed any of those years. He said there were a lot of state championships during that decade, but he said there were only three boys' sports teams, which included football, basketball and baseball, and two girls' sports teams, which included basketball and cheerleading. Other sports started after that time.
During this past school year, the SBRHS field hockey team and boys' basketball team won state championships. For the boys' basketball team, it was the first time in 71 years that the Blue Raiders won the state championship. The last boys' basketball state championship had been in that "golden era." SBRHS student-athlete Nicholas Cavic won two individual state championships in swimming races. Four Somerset Berkley Regional High School students were part of the Bishop Stang High School co-op girls' ice hockey team that made it to the championship game of the Division 1 State Tournament. The baseball team made it to the Final Four of the State Tournament. The football team and girls' soccer team made it to the Elite Eight of the State Tournament.
Bob Slater, who was the head coach of the boys' basketball team and an assistant coach for the baseball team, said a lot of the success had to do with student-athletes being unselfish.
"It just seemed like all the teams were like that," Slater said. "Nobody complained about their role, Everybody accepted their role. I can't speak for the other teams, but the basketball and baseball teams were like that."
Slater said all of the coaches had goals to be competitive, but in the long run, they wanted what was best for the kids.
"I think that goes a long way towards a team's success," Slater said.
Other teams participating in state tournaments or who had individuals who qualified for state competitions included girls' cross country, golf, volleyball, Unified basketball, cheering, boys' indoor track and field, girls' indoor track and field, girls' basketball, the co-op boys' ice hockey team, co-op wrestling, unified outdoor track and field, boys' outdoor track and field, girls' outdoor track and field, softball, boys' tennis and girls' tennis. The girls' tennis team made the state tournament for the first time since 2018. Chapman said the boys' tennis team this year was the best he had coached since 2011 or 2012. Teams have to be in the top 32 teams in their division or have at least a .500 record to qualify for state tournaments. Individuals who qualify for state competitions have to meet certain performance standards.
And there were lots of South Coast Conference championships that were won by the football team, the girls' soccer team, the boys' soccer team, the boys' cross country team, the boys' basketball team, the SBRHS co-op boys' ice hockey team and the baseball team.
"They lived by the idea of team first," SBRHS Athletic Director Joseph Francis said when asked why the teams at SBRHS were so successful during this school year that just ended. "There's a saying that it's amazing what gets accomplished when nobody cares about who gets credit. I think that's what our student-athletes and coaches were buying into and hopefully they will in future years."
The boys' basketball team was a good example of that. In a sport that can be dominated by superstar players much of the time, the Blue Raiders had a starting lineup of players who averaged around the same amount of points each. That formula helped the Blue Raiders to win most of their games by a lot of points.
Jen Crook coached the field hockey team to the State Championship and also had two sons, Alex and Ryan, who played for the basketball and baseball teams.
Coach Crook said that one thing that has helped the teams at the high school to be more successful in recent years was schools being realigned into different divisions with schools that are of similar size. The field hockey team plays in Division 2, which Crook said is the correct division for SBRHS. But she said when the field hockey team played in Division 1, the Blue Raiders were going up against some schools that were twice their size. She said playing against schools of similar size gives SBRHS more of a chance in games. But that was not the only reason for all of the success of the teams this year.
"I think the boys' senior class this year had a lot of talent," coach Crook said. "A lot of good athletes came out of the senior class."
Coach Crook said she also thinks that part of the reason why the field hockey team and boys' basketball team had so much success this school year is because they went deep into the State Tournament during the last school year and brought many of the players back from those teams. Both the field hockey team and the boys' basketball team had made it to the Final Four the year before. Coach Crook said they may not have known they would win state championships, but expected to make deep runs in the State Tournament again. Coach Crook said the success of the baseball team was not as expected, after losing so much pitching from the year before.
"It was a pleasant surprise that they did as well as they did," coach Crook said.
SBRHS Principal Susan Brelsford said that she thinks the success of the sports teams boosted school spirit. She said there were almost daily announcements on the intercom of teams winning.
"You could feel excitement, even at the last baseball game when seniors were coming back after they had already graduated to cheer in the stands," Brelsford said. "It's just nice to see the Raider pride."
The fall sports teams were recognized at a Thanksgiving week rally, as they have been over the years. But Brelsford said some students asked to recognize other teams at a March pep rally. This was the first year that rally has been held.
Coach Crook said she and her family loved all the winning, but they never had a break because the teams were going to the ends of the postseasons in each of the three seasons at the high school.
"It was fun," coach Crook said.
Coach Crook said the field hockey team is bringing back a lot of its players in the fall and the girls' soccer team that made a good run in the State Tournament last fall is also bringing back most of its players. She said the experience of those teams could help them to have successful years again.
"Hopefully, it continues in the fall," coach Crook said.

20/06/2025

Storage business seeking to go on Wilbur Avenue site

By GEORGE AUSTIN
SOMERSET - A business that would store boats and trailers inside a building is seeking to go onto property on Wilbur Avenue that is next to an animal hospital, according to Town Planner Amy Messier.
Messier said the storage facility would have 6,080 square feet. She said the facility would be for long term storage, such as putting a boat into the facility at the end of the boating season and taking it out at the beginning of the next boating season.
Somerset Economic Development Committee Chair Paul Cogley said the storage facility would be a low-impact business. He said people typically store boats for six months in between seasons.
Messier said a low-intensity use is what the property needs because the traffic in the area is already highly congested. She said the Somerset Police Department is OK with the storage business going into the site.
There have been concerns about the traffic at the nearby intersection.
The proposal will be going before the Planning Board which will make a recommendation on a planned development for the project before the proposal then goes to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

20/06/2025

OBITUARY
Jason E. Medeiros
Somerset resident

Jason E. Medeiros, born on September 24, 1970, in Fall River, Massachusetts, passed away on June 18, 2025, at the age of 54. He was a resident of Somerset, Massachusetts.
Jason was the cherished husband of Linda M. (Cabeceiras) Medeiros. He was the son of the late Edward and Margaret Medeiros, Jr. He was also a devoted brother to Sheri (Medeiros) Brunette and her late husband Al Brunette. Jay was also a loving uncle to Jacob Brunette.
In his personal life, Jay was known for his avid enthusiasm for WWE and movies. He also enjoyed playing on his tablet, hanging out with his friends and loved going to New Hampshire. He had a special place in his heart for his pups, Georgie, Chopper and Hazel. Jay also has three other pups he left behind, Penny, Daisy and Zoey.
Jason will be remembered as a kindhearted, sarcastic and loving person, leaving a legacy of warmth and compassion.
Visitation will be held at Waring-Sullivan Rose E. Sullivan Funeral and Cremation Services, located at 866 County Street, Somerset, MA 02726, on June 24, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The funeral service will take place at the same venue on June 25, 2025, starting at 9 a.m.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St John of God Church, located at 1036 Brayton Ave. in Somerset, on June 25, 2025, at 10 a.m.
Burial will follow at Nathan Slade Cemetery, located on Prospect Street in Somerset on June 25, 2025, at 11 a.m.

20/06/2025

Improving quality of life for Somerset's senior citizens

SOMERSET SENTINEL PHOTO BY GEORGE AUSTIN
Anthony Kucikas, the chair of the board of directors of the Somerset Council On Aging, is pictured holding a certificate recently signed by representatives of the different agencies involved with Somerset Triad, a group that works to protect and improve the quality of life of Somerset's senior citizens. Pictured from left to right are Town Administrator Mark Ullucci, Selectman Todd Costa, Selectmen Chair Allen Smith, Kucikas and Ann Marie Couture, the chair of the Triad committee. Triad is a collaboration of the Somerset Council On Aging, Fire Department, Police Department and Bristol County District Attorney's Office. Couture said that between 30 percent and 40 percent of Somerset's population is senior citizens, which is a large percentage for a town. Couture went over the different programs that Triad offers with the selectmen at their meeting last night. Those programs include the File of Life, which is used to put potential life-saving information on refrigerators for emergency responders to use when responding to homes, Yellow Alert, which is a similar type of information but is put in a car, large fluorescent address signs that make it easy for emergency responders to find the address they are going to, smoke and carbon dioxide monitors and lock boxes for keys to a house that emergency responders can access. Couture said Triad also does free programs on subjects, like driving safety, scams and fire prevention for senior citizens. She said Triad can also help to get wristbands for senior citizens with dementia that can be used to locate them if they wander off. Couture said if senior citizens of Somerset are interested in any of those programs, they can call the COA at 508-646-2833. Couture said Triad is supported by donations and grants. Smith said Triad does great work in partnership with first responders. He said seconds can matter when emergency responders are going to a house and fluorescent signs can impact that timing. Kucikas makes the fluorescent signs for the seniors. Smith said the keys in lock boxes can also help first responders to get into houses quicker, instead of having to break in a door. Costa thanked Couture and the other members of Triad for being such zealous supporters of the town's senior citizens. As a retired police officer, Costa said Triad is close to his heart. He was a police department representative to Triad for many years. Costa said he wants to thank the District Attorney's Office for stepping up to support the program. He said the Bristol County Sheriff's Office left the program and there was no way of continuing it until the DA's Office helped with the resources needed to run the program. Couture said Triad has a really good committee. She said a couple of the members on the committee are the town's health agent, Timothy Turner, and town nurse, Desiree Harding.

19/06/2025

Marine Corps League donates to Wreaths Across America

SOMERSET SENTINEL PHOTO BY GEORGE AUSTIN
Bruce Aldrich (right), commandant of the Lance Corporal John J. Van Gyzen Detachment 1285 of the Marine Corps League, presents a check for $500, to George Andes, Somerset location coordinator for Wreaths Across America. The donation came from the state department of the Marine Corps League. The Wreaths Across America chapter places wreaths on veterans graves in Somerset every December. The wreaths are paid for through donations and fundraisers held by the chapter. The Marine Corps League detachment is located on High Street in Somerset. Aldrich said that the detachment will be making donations of $500 each to nine other military organizations. Selectman Todd Costa said the veterans organizations gave to their country when they were active military members and continue to give back as part of organizations, like the Marine Corps League and Wreaths Across America.

19/06/2025

Pipes being replaced on Sycamore Terrace

By GEORGE AUSTIN
SOMERSET - After about six failures this year and complaints from residents, Christopher Wickman, who is the plant manager and chief operator of the water department, said 1,600 linear feet of water pipe is being replaced on Sycamore Terrace.
Wickman said that all of the material needed to replace the pipe has been obtained and about 300 feet of the pipe was installed yesterday. He said six inch asbestos cement pipe from the 1950s is being replaced with six inch PVC pipe. He said the contractor is committed to getting the work done quickly.
Wickman said asbestos cement pipe was prevalent in the country from just after World War II into the 1970s. He said gravity can damage that type of pipe over time.
Wickman said a majority of the residents on Sycamore Terrace are on the town's list of residences where it is unknown whether there is lead in their service lines. He said the town will be replacing service lines up to the property line, but because it is unknown whether service lines on the property have lead in, those residences will still be getting letters about it being unknown whether there is lead in their service lines. Somerset, as well as towns across the country, are being required to send out those letters. The town is being mandated to determine if service connections have lead in them because there are no records saying what kinds of materials they are made from. Wickman said the town does not have a lead problem with its water.
Wickman said part of the Sycamore Terrace project also involves upgrading fire hydrants.

19/06/2025

McDonald, Carr honored as best senior athletes at SBRHS

By GEORGE AUSTIN
SOMERSET - At the annual sports awards night held on Monday, Brendan McDonald and Emily Carr received the Wellington-King Awards as the best senior athletes at Somerset Berkley Regional High School during this past school year.
McDonald was the point guard for the SBRHS boys' basketball team that won the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 State Championship during the winter and was the quarterback of the SBRHS football team that made it to the Elite Eight in the State Tournament last fall. He was a South Coast Conference All-Star in both sports. In basketball, McDonald averaged 14.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game. During this past season, McDonald went over the 1,000-point mark for his career, a milestone for high school basketball players. McDonald has been an SCC All-Star in basketball three times. For the football team, McDonald rushed for 1,631 yards from the quarterback position. He had a just under 9.5 yards per carry average. McDonald scored 25 rushing touchdowns. He was chosen for the prestigious Shriners All-Star Football Classic which is for the best players from Eastern Massachusetts. McDonald also competed for the high school's outdoor track and field team this spring.
"He's a student of every game that he plays," said Bob Slater who was McDonald's basketball coach at the high school. "He's highly intelligent in football and basketball. He gets everyone involved. He's just an impressive young man, athletically."
Carr scored 28 goals and nine assists in being one of the key contributors to the Somerset Berkley Regional High School field hockey team that won the Division 2 State Championship last fall. She was a South Coast Conference All-Star and captain of the field hockey team. Carr also was a South Coast Conference All-Star for the girls' indoor track and field team. She took sixth place in the 55 meter hurdles race at the SCC Championships. She was also an honorable mention in outdoor track and field this spring. Carr had a personal best time of 18.7 seconds in the 100 meter high hurdles race and a personal best performance of 31 feet and 4 1/2 inches in the triple jump event. Carr also received an award at the MIAA's Girls and Women in Sport Day celebration that was held this spring.
"She was so fast," SBRHS field hockey coach Jen Crook said. "That's why we had her play the right wing for the past few years, because she's so fast."
Crook said Carr is also a very nice person. She said she was very coachable and always worked hard to get better at field hockey.
The coaches of all of the sports teams at the high school voted on who should get the Wellington-King Awards.
The Wellington-King Awards were two of many awards that were given out at SBRHS on Monday night in the Dr. Robert Perry Performing Arts Center. The awards night was run by SBRHS Athletic Director Joseph Francis. He thanked all the coaches for their work behind the scenes and the parents for getting their children to practices and supporting the programs. He also thanked the seniors and said he hoped they enjoyed their sports experiences at the high school.
The Babe Ruth Awards which go to one male and one female for being the best athletes who show the highest level of sportsmanship went to Alex Crook and Sophia Valcourt. Crook played golf, basketball and baseball during this school year and was a captain of all three of those teams. Valcourt was a South Coast Conference All-Star goalie in both field hockey and lacrosse. She was recognized at the MIAA's Girls and Women in Sport Day celebration.
The James Sullivan Award, which is presented to the highest academically ranked student-athlete who competed in sports each season of his or her career went to Deanna DeStefano. The award is named after a legendary baseball and football coach and science teacher at Somerset High School who coached Major Leaguers Jerry Remy and Greg Gagne. DeStefano was the number eight ranked student in the SBRHS Class of 2025.
Plaques with photographs of them playing in the sports were presented to five student-athletes who played three sports during each of their four years at the high school. Those plaques were presented to Emily Carr, who played field hockey and lacrosse and competed in indoor and outdoor track and field, DeAnna DeStefano, who played volleyball and competed in indoor and outdoor track and field, Alex Crook, who played golf, football, basketball and baseball, Jacob Faria, who competed for the cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams, and Nick Scanlon, who played soccer and competed in indoor and outdoor track and field.
Scholar Pins were awarded to student-athletes who competed in at least two sports seasons in each of their junior and senior years and who maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or better during those years. SBRHS student-athletes who received those pins included Ava Aguiar, Finn Bjork, Savannah Bl**er, Josephine Borden, Brady Carpenter, Emily Carr, Alex Crook, Deanna DeStefano, Paige DeStefano, Kaven Dos Santos, Jacob Faria, Lexie Filipe, Angel Gonzales, Garmel Guilloteau, Max Hansen, Andrew Heroux, Zachary King, Christina Logakis, Brendan McDonald, Nathaniel Melo, Aaron Preston, Samuel Rapoza, Sophia Rocha, Nicolas Scanlon, Alana Sousa, Mason Sullivan, Hayden Teasdale, Kaden Thomas, Luke Thornton, Jasper Troutman, Sophia Valcourt and Savana Vieira.
Deanna DeStefano, Luke Thornton and Julia Costa received certificates for being the high school's student ambassadors to the MIAA.
The Somerset/Somerset Berkley Athletic Hall of Fame Scholarships were presented to Deanna DeStefano and Brendan McDonald. Doug Chapman, chair of the Athletic Hall of Fame, presented the scholarships. He said McDonald has relatives who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Somerset Berkley Athletic Boosters Club scholarships were awarded to Haley Lee, Hayden Teasdale, Zachary King, Brendan McDonald and Alex Crook. Funding for those scholarships is provided by Gerry Morris, a former Somerset High School student-athlete who went on to become a chief executive officer at three different Fortune 500 companies. Chapman said Morris believes that athletics and academics can go together and when combined, can make a person successful.
The Crosby & Couto Scholarships, which are presented to one golfer and one basketball player each year in memory of Devyn Crosby and Christian Couto, who were killed in a car accident, went to Alex Crook for golf and Kaven Dos Santos for basketball. The awards were presented by Bob Slater, who coached the boys' basketball team this past season. Slater said Crosby and Couto were great kids who were adored by coaches, teammates, faculty and administrators at the high school. He said their families started the scholarships and will be having a golf tournament in July to help fund them. Slater said there are still foursomes available in the tournament.
Plaques were also handed out to South Coast Conference All-Stars, Honorable Mentions and Sportsmanship Award winners.
SCC All-Star plaques were awarded to Mason Denault, Davi Lima, Nate Oliveira and Nicolas Scanlon for boys' soccer, Emily Fernandes, Makenzie Pires and Aryanna Secia for girls' soccer, Emily Carr, Ryan Crook, Maura Kennedy and Addie Finlaw for field hockey, Finn Bjork, Kaven Dos Santos, Brendan McDonald and Hayden Teasdale for football, Alex Crook for golf, Lauren Kanuse and Kori Tickel for volleyball, Matthew Barboza and Logan Cabral for boys' cross country, Finn Bjork, Brendan McDonald, Colten Pacheco and Dominic Taylor for boys' basketball, Brooke Fisher for girls' basketball, Mason Sullivan, Evan Barbosa, Adam Bastis and Nate Melo for the boys' co-op ice hockey team, Matthew Barboza, Jayden Cruz, Andrew Heroux and David Perry for the boys' indoor track and field team, Emily Carr for the girls' indoor track and field team, Julia Costa and Tatum Swanson for the softball team, Alex Crook, Jayden Cruz and Kyle Sherman, Jr. for the baseball team, Sophia Valcourt for the girls' lacrosse team, Gavin Rodrigues for the boys' lacrosse team, Ava Aguiar for the girls' tennis team, Brayden Dorego, Ian Foulds, Max Petit and Jackson Souza for the boys' tennis team, Madelyn Willis for the girls' outdoor track and field team and Matthew Barboza, Andrew Heroux and David Perry for the boys' outdoor track and field team.
SCC Honorable Mention plaques were awarded to Shai Berman and Luke Thornton in boys' soccer, Noa Beaudry and Layla Venancio in girls' soccer, Karis Botelho and Julie Pacheco in field hockey, Paul Castonguay and Kyle Hamblett in football, Nate Huer and Cole Souza in golf, Cameryn Casey and Addison Parent in volleyball, Grace Kayata and Peyton Morosco in girls' cross country, Jacob Faria and Jacob Stephens in boys' cross country, Alex Crook and Max Finlaw in boys' basketball, Sarah Costa and Makenzie Pires in girls' basketball, Cam McKenna and Brett Axon in boys' ice hockey, Logan Cabral and Luke Thornton in boys' indoor track and field, Evelyn Adey and Sophia Thornton in girls' indoor track and field, Emma Javier and Sophia Thornton in softball, Evan Isidorio and Luke Thornton in baseball, Addie Finlaw and Julie Pacheco in girls' lacrosse, Elliot Lindberg and Kalani Mari in boys' lacrosse, Sarah Costa and Audrey McNally in girls' tennis, Ryan Charest and Nate Melo in boys' tennis, Emily Carr and Lauren Kanuse in girls' outdoor track and field and Nick Scanlon and Jacob Stephens in boys' outdoor track and field.
Sportsmanship Award plaques were awarded to Christian Sousa in boys' soccer, Julia Costa in girls' soccer, Scarlett Isidoro in field hockey, Jacky Wang in football, Haley Lee in fall cheering, Mike Cabral in golf, Ava Caruso in volleyball, Miles Medeiros in boys' cross country, Maya Sousa in girls' cross country, Kabir Bhagat in Unified basketball, Jacob Louro in boys' basketball, Lexie Filipe in girls' basketball, Aaron Preston in boys' ice hockey, Grace Griffin in gymnastics, Anthony Celio in wrestling, Jonathan Walker in boys' indoor track and field, Isabelle Vincent in girls' indoor track and field, Julia Costa in softball, Hayden Teasdale in baseball, Savannah Bl**er in girls' lacrosse, Caius Mari in boys' lacrosse, Kaden Thomas in boys' outdoor track and field, Addison Paiva in girls' track, Jasper Troutman in boys' tennis, Maya Goode in girls' tennis and Kyle Pacheco in Unified track.

19/06/2025

Water and sewer rates increased

By GEORGE AUSTIN
SOMERSET - The Water and Sewer Commission at its meeting yesterday voted to increase the water rate by 11 cents and the sewer rate by 40 cents.
The water rate will now be $6.33 per 1,000 gallons of water. The sewer rate will be $7.10 per 1,000 gallons.
Water and Sewer Commissioner Robert Lima said those increases are based on the increases in the budgets for the water and sewer departments that were approved at the Annual Town Meeting. The water department budget that was approved was $4,396,810. The water pollution control department budget that was approved was $4,207,173. The water budget was increased by 1.8 percent while the sewer budget was increased by 7.74 percent. The budgets are paid for through the enterprise account that is generated through water rates.
Christopher Wickman, who is the plant manager and chief operator of the water department, said the average person in Somerset uses 52 gallons of water per day at their home.
Lima said he used about 6,000 gallons of water per quarter at his house where two people live, which with the rate increases, will mean an increase of $4.23 per quarter for him.
The Water and Sewer Commission is also having a rate study done that will analyze how complying to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements will affect the sewer rate and what a fair rate would be to charge Swansea for buying Somerset water. The commission will be making a decision on whether to upgrade the Somerset water pollution control facility or to tie into the Fall River sewer plant to comply with the EPA requirements. Water and Sewer Commission Chair Steve Cadorette said that comments that have been submitted about that topic are being looked at by a consultant. He said that a decision could be made in August.

The Somerset Sentinel

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