Douglas Water Commission Unanimously Raises Commissioner Stipend to $1,500

DOUGLAS -- April 14, 2026, Douglas Water Commission votes to raise commissioner stipends and restructures budget ahead of state review. The commission unanimously approved increasing the annual per-commissioner stipend from $1,200 to $1,500 at its April 14 meeting, acting on advice from town counsel that a standalone vote was best practice. Commissioner Bob Sullivan reported that the town's finance director had required the water and sewer charges revenue line be reduced to $1.954 million to satisfy Department of Revenue rate-setting rules, with remaining funds shifted to retained earnings. Sullivan also disclosed that the town's sludge disposal contractor, Syntegro of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, will not renew Douglas's existing contract and will shift to month-to-month service at a higher rate, with the facility's closure now tentatively extended to at least 2027. The commission corrected a prior-minutes error that had listed Syntegro's disposal cost at $10.07 per gallon, the correct figure is $0.10 per gallon including trucking.