Sisk praised for long service to Stonington WPCA
Stonington — Longtime Water Pollution Control Authority Chairman James Sisk was praised and applauded for his dedication to the town after his letter of retirement was read at Wednesday night’s Board of Selectmen meeting.
Sisk stepped down this week after 20 years on the authority.
In his letter, Sisk said he was retiring rather than resigning.
“No one ever resigns from public service. The obligation and responsibilities of citizenship are always present and one should not resign from them but embrace the opportunities,” he wrote.
“That’s a wonderful philosophy,” commented Selectmen Rob Simmons, who said he received his introduction to politics when Sisk “kicked my butt” in a race for selectman but then made the motion to appoint Simmons to the Board of Police Commissioners.
Sisk wrote that he takes great pride in what the authority, as a group, has accomplished.
These include privatizing the operation of the wastewater treatment system, saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars each year; never losing service despite blizzards and hurricanes and completing a $2 million odor control project and a 20-year facilities plan that resulted in an $18.3 million system upgrade, both of which were completed on time and under budget.
In addition, he said the authority has not had a rate increase in seven years due to “diligence and careful budgeting.”
Sisk said all of these accomplishments would not have been possible without the “loyalty and support” of his talented fellow authority members, as well as the “invaluable guidance and counsel” of former Director Hal Storrs and current Director Tom Gilligan.
j.wojtas@theday.com
Twitter: @joewojtas
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