HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 10-07 Maplewood councilmen irked by proposed water contract REVIEW "741
/ 7 . _ ,SRA r _ 7 (� 0'4 A
—V-11.(4{ "r"''.4� 'I Ar/ ' ' $ tom/`�y " -i3!-'' "-t i .�+ <•,� f� •-+9n•y �*., '' 7 4'V
'4..1 V .l '`..... ' En rs�y.r.as`* /.14,...ri.c:.a.Li.`'V°.;ti. .l iis. -kill-Ct./
A.
by
qif CO, 7 lt 117 ;
by Scott Carlson necessary because the current contract get the facts how can we make a firm
does not assure that "the steps (in rate decision?" he asked.
A proposed rate change and language
modification in a water contract with the charges) at least cover the cost of After griping about the lateness of the
St.Paul Water Board has raised the ire of producing and distributing water." consultants' report, the council also
the Maplewood council. "The necessity for such revisions is so ticked off some objections it has to the
Councilman Donald Wiegert, who at strong that the Ad Hoc Committee would proposed contract.
last Thursday night's meeting reflected find it necessary to utilize the For openers, Councilman Wiegert
the council's feelings, said the proposal aforementioned term of contract noted, "We should get the message to
has been arrived at by a process of provision for termination of the contract them that negotiations involve two par-
"dictation not negotiation." if a suitable amendment could not be ties."
Changes in the current contract would negotiated with the city of Maplewood," Councilman Murdock said that the
mean that Maplewood citizens would be the Water Committee's minutes note. contract penalizes those people who use
paying 20 percent more in water rates A warning for termination of the con- the least amount of water "while those
than St.Paul users.St.Paul Water Board tract could be issued between March 30, who are consuming the most are paying
officials,in minutes of a recent meeting, 1975 and March 30, 1976. the least (in proportion)."
stressed, however, "the fact that The Water Board Committee stated Mayor Bruton thought the contract was
proposed charges would result in a that it is hoping for approval of new water "a step in the right direction." But he
reduction for residential consumers in rates by around Nov. 1 so that they can added that the Water Board has not listed
Maplewood." take effect January 1. the water pressures which will exist at the
But Maplewood councilmen, at their But Mayor Bruton angrily pointed out city's borders. "It's a must that they
meeting,questioned whether the contract that the Water Board has Maplewood define what those water pressures will
includes hidden costs which have not been "over a barrel" because Kirkham- be," Bruton said.
calculated. And Mayor Robert Bruton Michael, the city's water consultants, Bruton added, "I seriously question
speculated that the Water Board may be have not presented a final report whether even the St. Paul legislators
attempting to put a "squeeze" on recommending what Maplewood should would support legislation to cut off
Maplewood by threatening to cut off do. Maplewood and that is what they (the
water if a contract agreement is not "It's much past mid-July (the date Water Board) are threatening to do."
reached soon. which the water consultants' report was Murdock predicted, "Inevitably the
In its minutes the Water Board stated supposed to have been completed)," people in Maplewood will pay through the
that modifications in the rates are Bruton said. ". ..I feel like I'm being nose no matter what we do."
squeezed because I'm waiting for a Kirkham-Michael Associates are ex-
report." pected to present their final report to the
Bruton speculated that the Water Board Maplewood council in the next week or
"is trying to force us to act or they are two.
just tired of waiting(to achieve a contract
settlement)."
The city has debated whether it should
go to a wholesale water system or
establish its own independent system for
about the last three years.
Councilman John Greavu, also
disappointed with the consultants' slow
work,said, "I think that was the saddest
firm that we could have gotten."
But councilman Burton Murdock
pointed out that the consultants may be at
a loss on how to proceed because the
council has recently changed its mind.
The consultants,at a recent September
council meeting, said their report has
been delayed because they are getting
more information on the operation of the
St. Paul water system than was
previously available.
Mayor Bruton told Murdock that the
council's assumption is that it will remain
on a retail water system. "But until we