[Vision2020] city emails and the water thing

[Betsy Dickow]

MessageDan...no one has discussed what this will do to our water
 and sewer rates, which are over the top already.  Please clarify...I would like to see some projections done by
an outside firm.

Yours,

Betsy Dickow


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dan Carscallen 
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 10:11 AM
  Subject: [Vision2020] city emails and the water thing


  Vizzz Peeps

  I've not been perusing the Vizzz of late, but I see a lot of questions have been asked regarding the settlement agreement with Hawkins.  I've replied to those who I have received an email from in my city email, plus a couple others to my private emails.

  I think people may not have gotten a response lately because none of those V2020 emails that have the city email addresses copied in have made it into my city inbox.  I don't know if there's some sort of spam filter or what, but maybe sending a seperate email to the city council email link on the city's website, then the same to the 2020 would be a good idea to make sure it's received.

  And since I'm here, I'll share my reasoning for why I voted the way I did (as I've shared with some who have asked):

  1.  I felt that protracted litigation would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.  I would much rather spend that money on paving our gravel streets, building sidewalks, and possibly even investing in the affordable housing fund that was brought forward by Rick Beebe,  plus some plans our Affordable Housing Commission is going to bring forward in the future.  

  2.  We are going to be able to charge a premium rate for the water.  If Hawkins chooses to buy sewer service, we can charge a premium rate for it as well.  When treated effluent becomes available, we can charge for it as well (the University of Idaho currently uses it for free).  It is my hope that we can take that which we make off of the development and put it into a fund to facilitate the exploration of alternative sources of water.

  3.  In talking with Walter Steed, he said that Steve Robischon from PBAC says that we will see a net *decrease* in water drawn from the aquifer if we have municipal control over it rather than letting Hawkins drill their wells as they wish.

  4.  I did see this development as an inevitability, since the Whitman County Commissioners are doing all they can to make this happen.  I would much rather see us sell the water to Hawkins, have the control over it, and get paid for it instead of the City of Pullman piping water all the way through the corridor, thereby increasing the chance of further development through there, or allowing Hawkins to drill a well and have no commitment from them regarding conservation.  This will at least slow things down a bit.

  5.  Regarding the "secrecy of the deal":  We were playing the cards we were dealt.  The mayor and our attorney did a good job of selling us the idea of mediation, so we entered into it trying to get the best we could for the city.  I commend the mayor and councilmen Krauss and Steed for their efforts.

  6.  I know some people out there that levy the charge that big box stores will harm local businesses.  What I see in Moscow that's different is that we have an eclectic mix of small retailers that I don't believe will be hurt by big box stores.  I am not going to go to Wal Mart to get the things I would get at Hyperspud, for example.  The same thing goes for Marco Polo Imports, Paradise Creek Bicycles, or even the Camas Prairie Winery.  I also believe, after hearing from Tri-State's Gerard Connelley during the recent "Buy Local" forum, that some new businesses will bring customers from other areas to shop at our existing businesses.  Gerard even said that his best day was the day Wal Mart opened, and that he hasn't had a down month since they did.

  7.  I know item 7 is a "hard pill to swallow", but there is always give and take in mediation.  We *do* have the right to protest things that may be a nuisance (stinky effluent ponds, for example) or public safety issues.

  I hope this answers some questions by those that have had them.  I know there won't be a lot of agreement as to what has been done, but understand that I am doing what I think is best for Moscow.  Obviously, there are different opinions out there.  

  I'll gladly answer more if you have them.  But please use the dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us email so it doesn't get lost in the V2020 shuffle.

  Thanks for your concerns.

  Dan Carscallen



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