Mobile Home Park's Sewer Connection Still Up in the Air

Who directs a Route 9 mobile home park's town-mandated connection to Westborough's sewer system hinges on the Westborough Board of Health's Nov. 19 meeting.

The board said Tuesday night it will ask Town Counsel Gregory Franks to outline the process for a court-appointed receivership, as an option, for the work at the Wayside Mobile Home Park, 165 Turnpike Road.

The board also asked park resident Paul Dorr to provide Director of Public Health Paul McNulty with two pieces of information within two weeks of that Nov. 19 meeting: a letter from TD Bank about when financing should be secured; and a letter from the Northboro Septic Service stating that company's deadline for committing to the construction.

Dorr has told the health board, most recently Tuesday night, that he is president of the Turnpike Park Cooperative Inc., that governs the mobile home park.

Scott Knox told the health board in September that he was the new president, as the residents recently had an election. Tuesday night, Knox said he was president-elect, but that he felt comfortable with Dorr as the residents' spokesman on the water and sewer project. That's because "the state doesn't recognize" the new leadership board, Knox said.

Health board member Dr. Nathan Walsh said he is leaning toward asking a judge to appoint a receiver to ensure the work gets done.

"I'm not convinced that this project is going to get done," Walsh said.

The park has a failing septic system, but had five years to connect to the Westborough sewer system, McNulty has said. The five-year window closed in May.

In July, the health board gave the park residents until the board's Sept. 24 meeting to secure project financing. The cooperative also had to have its first election in about a year.

Otherwise, McNulty would be directed to seek court-ordered receivership for the park, to accomplish the job.

In July, Dorr presented the board with a signed proposal, dated June 7, from the Northboro Septic Service, estimating the project's cost at $627,275. The work would begin on March 1, 2014 and end by Nov. 1.

Dorr also presented a June 24 letter from the Cooperative Fund, showing support for the project; and a July 2 letter from TD Bank, stating that ROC USA and the Cooperative Fund were doing "due diligence" regarding providing loans.