HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974 12-03 Bruton urges expanded watger board jurisdiction DISPATCH Bruton urges expanded
water bQard jurisdiction
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A proposal to expand plewood earlier this year mented.
the jurisdiction of the St. voted 4-1 to go into the He said that Cliff Ham-
Paul Water Board to some water business. blin, director of the water
suburbs is in the making. But Bruton and some board, has been consist-
Maplewood Mayor Rob- c o u n c i l m e n have ex- ently opposed to that. But
ert Bruton said he thinks Hamblin, he noted, will
the idea has merit. retire at the end of this
And he predicted the is- Maplewood
sue will come before the
legislature at its 1975 ses- year."There are three prime
sion. pressed misgivings about candidates. as I under-
THE WATER BOARD that action, arguing that stand it, for new director
a public Corporation, Pres Maplewood may h a v e of the water board, he
ently services some sub "bitten off more than it said. "and I understand
urbs such as Maplewood can chew." that all of them would he
and Roseville on a limited Meanwhile, Bruton said m o r e receptive (than
basis, with customers he has been promoting a Hamblin) to the suburbs'
there paying rates gener- possible law change to al- needs."
ally 25 to 30 per cent high- low St. P a u 1 's Water He also said there was
er than in St.Paul. Board to take over the "new thinking" on the
But state law prohibits Maplewood water system. board itself, including a
the water board from HE TOLD of discussing_ "new majority.".
carrying out capital im- the proposal with four leg-
provements in the sub- islators from the east
urbs, unless they directly area suburbs.
benefit St.Paul residents. And he said he came
Bruton said this "great- away from these talks
ly restricts" the service "optimistic."
that can be extended to The legislators, he said,
the suburbs. advised the suburbs to
MAPLEWOOD he sug- first obtain concurrence of
gested, may prefer the al- the water board for the
temative of allowing St. proposal.
Paul's Water Board to "HOPEFULLY we can
step in and serve the en- get them (water board) to
tire community. think more about the sub-
The city council in Ma- urbs." the mayor com-