Milford Selectmen Question Process for Reviewing Casino

Milford selectmen expressed disappointment Monday in aspects of the process for reviewing the Foxwoods Massachusetts casino application, particularly chairman William Buckley, who said he was not aware that the town's consultants would not be conducting their own studies of impacts including traffic and water consumption.

meaning they will be independently verifying data that is provided by consultants hired by the developer.

And the water impact report will be based on a model established by the Milford Water Company, an independent utility that has had a strained relationsip with the town, over water rates and quality issues. The town's consultant will be reviewing the Water Company's data, but the model for water use at the casino will be provided by the company.

"That model we are told cannot be done by anyone other than the Water Company," said Cid Froelich, partner in the Chicago-based law firm.

He emphasized Monday, in a meeting with Milford Selectmen, that the town's consultants will be verifying data, so the reports are considered independent.

"Nobody in their right mind would hire all of these consultants and then go say ... rely on the other guy," Froelich said.

As he questioned the process for consultants to review the development, Buckley said he was skeptical of including information on traffic and sewer impacts.

Of the Water Company involvement in the report on water use: "We need as much independence from the Water Company as we can possibly get," Buckley said.

Selectman Dino DeBartolomeis said traffic and water use are the two critical issues in the casino development. Of the Water Company's data, he said: "I don't know that we can trust what they say."

Selectman Brian Murray, meanwhile, said he was disappointed in the format of the June 3 meeting, which featured a lengthy question-and-answer sequence for the audience, but no opportunity for selectmen to ask specific, critical questions.

Murray said he remains undecided about the project, because he is no position to verify the information presented to the town. "I don't have the level of information to make a decision," he said.

He emphasized that to him, the statistics presented by Foxwoods were "projections," rather than hard data.

"That's what I'm looking for from the consultants — what is right? What is probable?" Murray said.

What will take place in the future, partly as a result of the selectmen's concerns, is a series of public presentations that are focused on topics, including traffic, water and sewer. In these sessions, the consultants and relevant town department heads will go over the development information, and give town officials an opportunity to ask questions or critique the data, Froelich said.