Medfield Commons Owes $90k in Back Water and Sewer Charges, Cannot Sell Alcohol

UPDATE: Town officials report that, on Jan. 17, Medfield Commons paid $45,000 for the water charges it owes to the town, and was expected to pay the back real estate taxes on Jan. 18. The company's appeal of the remaining $45,000 sewer charge will be heard in court on Jan. 28. 

Original story ran Jan. 7, 2013

Medfield Commons owes the town $90,000 in back water and sewer charges.

Medfield Commons currently combines gasoline sales, a convenience store, car wash, and Dunkin’ Donuts at its 270 Main St. location.

The business is owned by Gulf Resources, according to the wine and malt application filed in 2011, and managed by John Carrigg who did not return Patch's phone calls regarding the outstanding charges. 

In addition, the store's wine and malt license was not renewed on Jan. 1.

Town Administrator Michael Sullivan explained that Medfield Commons did not file its renewal application by the Dec. 1 deadline and noted that, even if it had, the renewal would not have been approved if there were outstanding monies owed to the town.

Alcohol is noticeably missing from the convenience store.

"Not at the moment," a clerk said when asked if the store was still selling alcohol.

Sullivan explained, "They've acknowledged that they've used the water but they said that not all of it went into the sewer system so they don't want to pay all of the sewer bill...They've appealed their sewer [charges] to the Appellate Tax Board." 

In Medfield, as in many communities, a commercial business sewer charge is 100 percent of its water consumption so, in this case, Medfield Commons used $45,000 in water so it was likewise charged $45,000 in sewer charges.

Once the Appellate Tax Board makes its decision and Medfield Commons pays its outstanding debt (whatever the amount) to the town, the company would have to start a completely new application for a wine and malt license because it let the last one lapse.