The Artesian contract for the water and sewage takeover, less Seneca Point, required public support by the county commissioners. Commissioner (at the time) Broomell violated the contract by testifying against it at a Public Service Commission hearing. And as well she contacted a lawyer, without the Board of Commissioner’s authorization, to review the contract. The cost to the tax payers was in excess of $1200. Artesian later withdrew from the sewage system purchase. Because of that withdrawal, the county now has an estimated $62 million worth of costs, including continued bond debt, to contend with in the future in West Cecil. That burden would have been born by Artesian and in part by rate payers. Will the county tax payers and rate payers now foot the bill or just the rate payers for the $62 million.

While I don’t know any of the enter workings of the negotiations with Artesian, it would seem that Artesian was purchasing a package. It took the sewage system, excluding the Seneca Point facility, possibly to get the water system it wanted. Commissioner Broomell’s actions gave Artesian an opportunity to rid itself of a burden it might not have wanted. If that is the case, Commissioner Broomell was too smart by half.

So now County Councilor Broomell says she is thinking of the costs to the county and rate payers with the Seneca Point improvements mandated by the state, but when she had executive powers and a majority of commissioners on her side to evaluate the Artesian contract, what was she thinking.

Director Flanigan suggested during his presentation that if Seneca Point’s improvements are not sufficient in the future, a closed for business sign may have to be hung out at the entries to Cecil County. That might just suit County Councilor Broomell. Such a situation would certainly fit into County Councilor Broomell’s history of belonging to and advocating for the positions of organizations that some would say have a no growth ideology.

Seneca Point was to have handled Bainbridge. Stopping the Seneca Point expansion effectively stops Bainbridge. Broomell is still working for the “anti-growth” special interests. Transparency? NOT!