Small Building, Big Problems

by Paul Saulnier 12/23/11

So how do you turn a mole hill of a problem into a mountain of problems?

Unfortunately, the Water Department has figured out a way to do just that.

When last HollistonReporter.com reported on this poor little building, knocked down by the Water Department without permits or approvals ( http://www.hollistonreporter.com/article/6113/Water-Department-Demolishes-Building-Without-Permits.html), we were told that the debris could not be removed until tests on the building materials for asbestos came back.

We checked with Water Superintendent Ron Sharpin on Friday who said that a licensed demolition contractor was hired to remove the debris and would have it in a dumpster by the end of the day. Ron said that no testing was done as the department decided that the roofing was new and would not contain asbestos. Ron said that the Building Inspector required a permit and a licensed contractor to do the work, not the water department employees.

Board of Health member Rich Maccagnano continues to pursue the Water Department over what he considers flagrant disregard for the rules and regulations of the town. "They think they are above the law," Rich said on Friday.

"They knocked down the building without any permits and within feet of Weston Pond. The site was not secured and was a health hazard," Rich said.

"And now we find out that they were lying to us. They said that the debris had to stay in place until the tests came back in two to three weeks. Now we find out that they never took any tests. And the roof shingles were not the real concern. It is the siding on the building," Rich continued.

Rich is concerned that asbestos in the siding would have been released into the air during loading into the dumpster if not properly handled. Rich told HollistonReporter.com that the contractor, Phillip A. Moore, of Foxborough, was directed to consider the debris as containing asbestos and dispose of it accordingly. Moore rented a dumpster from Harvey Industries.

Rich then checked with Harvey Industries who reportedly were unaware of the potential for asbestos in the load and were planning on the lesser expensive disposal methods. Rich said that Harvey Industries told him that they are not licensed to accept asbestos-contaminated waste and would not have allowed their dumpster to be rented to collect such debris. Harvey has sent out a team and has collected samples for testing. In the meantime, the dumpster cannot be moved from the site.

To add to the Water Department's problems, The Board of Health has called Water Department officials to a meeting on January 5, 2012, and the Conservation Commission has issued a Notice of Wetland Violation and Enforcement Order to the Water Department and has asked them to attend an administrative hearing on January 3, 2012.

No matter how you look at this, the Water Depatment messed up. They have turned a simple mistake of knocking down a small building without a permit and turned it into what would appear to a be a total disregard for the regulations that apply to anyone working in Holliston. That attitude has put the town at risk of violating state and federal water and air pollution regulations.

"If they would lie about these tests, what other tests would they lie about? Is our water really save to drink?" Rick asked.

So now you know how to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

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