[Vision2020] Moscow & Water continued

Fri, 12 Dec 2003 17:40:54 -0800

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My thanks to everyone who has privately or publicly(on Vision2020) =
responded to my recent comments and questions regarding the upcoming =
meeting Monday evening. Again, I continue to try and understand the =
amount of support behind the water coalition petition. In that vein, I =
want to thank Lois Blackburn of the Moscow Civic Association for =
responding to me. She is the only representative of the five petition =
signer groups to answer any of my queries. Lois advises that the MCA has =
about 160 members. They were not consulted before the board decided to =
endorse the petition. =20

=20

As a City Council person, I feel it is my responsibility to understand =
who and how many people are behind these petitions. I do not understand =
why coalition members have failed to respond.=20

=20

Now back to water- my belief is that this is a local problem and that we =
should have done everything in our power to solve it before seeking =
outside assistance. I respect the rights of the members of the coalition =
to file the petition but believe that we had many further steps =
available to stabilize our water supply before needing help. These =
include but are certainly not limited to:

  1.. Further water conservation steps including more limited watering =
options.=20
  2.. Installation of a tiered rate system in both Moscow & Pullman.=20
  3.. WSU's planned use of gray water for irrigation.=20
  4.. Encourage our friends in Pullman to take further steps toward =
conservation.=20
  5.. Receive & implement recommendations from the recently hired City =
of Moscow water consultant.=20
  6.. Conduct water studies that help us understand how much water we =
have and whether or not Naylor Farms claim of another aquifer/water =
source is true.
  7.. Utilization of our surface water by development of a reservoir or =
storage facilities

It's too bad that our most recent measuring stick on water use was the =
hottest and driest summer we have experienced in a decade. Were it not =
for that, we might have shown a much more favorable water consumption =
number than the 13% increase we experienced.

Still having a process and tools available to solve this problem =
locally, I believe it was premature to involve the State. The ongoing =
discussion about moratoriums does nothing to help the business climate =
in Moscow. Back in June the coalition clearly did request a moratorium =
on new water hookups. The Daily News cover story dated June 9 states =
"One action the coalition requests is for the City to stop providing =
water hookups for new subdivisions until a conservation plan is in =
place". My recent reference to hookups was in relation to current =
applications for new wells. City Public Works Director Les MacDonald =
advises that he knows of at least two applications already that could be =
impacted by the petition. The idea of imposing any kind of moratorium =
seems like a knee jerk reaction.

Why should we have kept it local?

  1.. I believe that is what the majority of the community would have =
preferred. As best as I can tell, the coalition is small in number.=20
  2.. Using the example of local water expert Jim Osiensky, we are =
having no problem with our wells reaching water at depths of 1200 feet. =
If we are losing 1 1/2 feet per year, and if the area below the Palouse =
is consistent, we have 800 years of water without even harnessing any of =
our surface water. Let's assume that this oversimplification isn't =
accurate. Let's further assume we only have 1/4 that amount because I =
want to be  conservative. That still gives us a couple hundred years of =
water. I don't think it would have been unreasonable to use another 5 =
years to refine the water supply management system. If we haven't =
reached a satisfactory conclusion, the State will be available to =
provide assistance.
  3.. The way the petition process is working it is taking the decision =
making process out of the hands of the majority and into the hands of a =
highly vocal minority. =20
When I leave the council in 3 weeks I will be satisfied that we took =
major steps forward. I anticipate that the next council will continue =
this good effort and certainly encourage them to do so.

Jon Kimberling

Moscow City Council=20

=20

=20

=20

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<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">My thanks to everyone who =
has=20
privately or publicly(on Vision2020) responded to my recent comments and =

questions regarding the upcoming meeting Monday evening. Again, I =
continue to=20
try and understand the amount of support behind the water coalition =
petition. In=20
that vein, I want to thank Lois Blackburn of the Moscow Civic =
Association for=20
responding to me. She is the only representative of the five petition =
signer=20
groups to answer any of my queries. Lois advises that the MCA has about =
160=20
members. They were not consulted before the board decided to endorse the =

petition. &nbsp;<?xml:namespace =
prefix =3D=20
o ns =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
/><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">As a City Council person, =
I feel it=20
is my responsibility to understand who and how many people are behind =
these=20
petitions. I do not understand why coalition members have failed to =
respond.=20
<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Now back to water- my =
belief is that=20
this is a local problem and that we should have done everything in our =
power to=20
solve it before seeking outside assistance. I respect the rights of the =
members=20
of the coalition to file the petition but believe that we had many =
further steps=20
available to stabilize our water supply before needing help. These =
include but=20
are certainly not limited to:
&nbsp;
<OL type=3D1>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Further water =
conservation steps=20
 including more limited watering options. </LI>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Installation of a tiered =
rate=20
 system in both <?xml:namespace prefix =3D st1 ns =3D=20
 "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" =
/><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> &amp;=20
 <st1:City><st1:place><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Pullman</st1:place></st1:City><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">. </LI>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">WSU's planned use of =
gray water=20
 for irrigation. </LI>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Encourage our friends in =

<st1:City><st1:place><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Pullman</st1:place></st1:City><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> to take further steps =
toward=20
 conservation. </LI>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Receive &amp; implement=20
 recommendations from the recently hired City of=20
 <st1:City><st1:place><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">&nbsp;water =
consultant.=20
 </LI>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Conduct water studies =
that help us=20
 understand how much water we have and whether or not Naylor Farms =
claim of=20
 another aquifer/water source is true.</LI>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Utilization of our =
surface water=20
 by development of a reservoir or storage facilities</LI></OL>
&nbsp;
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It's too bad that our most =
recent=20
measuring stick on water use was the hottest and driest summer we have=20
experienced in a decade. Were it not for that, we might have shown a =
much more=20
favorable water consumption number than the 13% increase we=20
experienced.<o:p></o:p>
&nbsp;
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Still having a process and =
tools=20
available to solve this problem locally, I believe it was premature to =
involve=20
the State. The ongoing discussion about moratoriums does nothing to help =
the=20
business climate in <st1:City><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">. Back in June the =
coalition clearly=20
did request a moratorium on new water hookups. The Daily News cover =
story dated=20
June 9 states "One action the coalition requests is for the City to stop =

providing water hookups for new subdivisions until a conservation plan =
is in=20
place". My recent reference to hookups was in relation to current =
applications=20
for new wells. City Public Works Director Les MacDonald advises that he =
knows of=20
at least two applications already that could be impacted by the =
petition. The=20
idea of imposing any kind of moratorium seems like a knee jerk=20
reaction.
&nbsp;
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Why&nbsp;should we have =
kept it=20
local?
&nbsp;
<OL type=3D1>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I believe that is what =
the=20
 majority of the community would have preferred. As best as I can tell, =
the=20
 coalition is small in number. </LI>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Using the example of =
local water=20
 expert Jim Osiensky, we are having no problem with our wells reaching =
water at=20
 depths of 1200 feet. If we are losing 1 1/2 feet per year, and if the =
area=20
 below the Palouse is consistent, we have 800 years of water without =
even=20
 harnessing any of our surface water. Let's assume that this =
oversimplification=20
 isn't accurate. Let's further assume we only have 1/4 that amount =
because I=20
 want to be&nbsp; =
conservative. That=20
 still gives us a couple hundred years of water. I don't think it would =
have=20
 been unreasonable to use another 5 years to refine the water supply =
management=20
 system. If we haven=92t reached a satisfactory conclusion, the State =
will be=20
 available to provide assistance.<o:p></o:p></LI>
 <LI class=3DMsoNormal=20
 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; =
mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list =
.5in"><SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The way the petition =
process is=20
 working it is taking the decision making process out of the hands of =
the=20
 majority and into the hands of a highly vocal minority. <SPAN=20
 style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></LI></OL>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">When I leave the council =
in 3 weeks=20
I will be satisfied that we took major steps forward. I anticipate that =
the next=20
council will continue this good effort and certainly encourage them to =
do=20
so.
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">&nbsp;
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Jon Kimberling
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Moscow City Council =

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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