[Vision2020] Hawkins Water & Sewer Agreement: feedback from water dept

[Garrett Clevenger]

Paul Rumelhart <godshatter at yahoo.com> wrote:

"I don't know about the wisdom of selling services
over the border, but once you do you have to be fair."


I believe so, too, as it is mandated by the
"agreement" with Hawkins that costs have to be "fair":

"2 c) Cost of Service. The City agrees that the cost
for delivery of water 
utility service provided to the Stateline Project
under this Settlement Agreement shall be fair and
reasonable and consistent with rates and charges set
for similarly situated customers of the City. This
paragraph is not intended to constrain the City's
authority to establish appropriate fee categories."


Since it's illegal for the city to profit from the
water it sells, I don't see how they can charge a
"premium" as Councilman Carscallen suggests.  

There is a chance the IDWR will deny the city the
ability to sell water to Hawkins to begin with.  That
means the city guaranteed to Hawkins something they do
not have the authority to guarantee.  If the city
can't sell water to Hawkins, the rest of the
"agreement" stands, meaning they will get to use our
sewer services (maybe we can charge a premium for
that) but the city won't be allowed to protest any
water rights Hawkins applies for:

"7.No Protest. The City shall not directly or
indirectly protest, contest, or appeal any permits or
governmental approvals sought by Hawkins for the
Stateline  Project."

Thus, Moscow was given the short end of the stick by
the councilman who voted for the "agreement" to
subsidize a competitor to Moscow's businesses and
potential tax receipts.

If Hawkins is not charged a premium for sewer
services, the sewer capacity they will be guaranteed
means less capacity for Moscow, meaning potential
upgrades may need to occur sooner meaning our rates
will increase due to Hawkins' use sooner than
otherwise.

Don Palmer from the water dept was unsure about the
Mayor's comments as quoted in the Daily News:

"{Chaney} also is concerned that the city does not
control utility-related issues at Hawkins it would
control within city limits. For example, Moscow can't
regulate how much grease a restaurant in the
development can release into the wastewater system."

but potentially this out-of-state competitor won't
even be subject to the same regulations concerning
sewer that Moscow businesses are.

Garrett