TAXPAYER’S
WATCHDOG GROUP, INC. April 9, 2005
ALERT!
CITY RESIDENTS BEWARE! ACT NOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF!! COUNTY
RESIDENTS SHOULD GET THE FACTS TOO!
The JCWSA
& City of Monticello are intent on forming a Water Partnership.
After reading the 4/7/05 issue of the Monticello News about
JCWSA members endorsing an agreement that would have the City
provide the Water Authority with services, we thought we’d check
it out. You’ll be glad we did, but YOU,
the Citizens, must be
willing to do something now!
Attend the
City Council meeting, Tuesday night, 7:30pm, April 12th
at City Hall. Here’s why--
The Monticello News reports that”
City services to the
authority are to include:
meter reading, monthly billing services, initial installation of
water meters, repairs for water lines, and the collection and
depositing of monthly water bill revenues.”
THE CONTRACT SAYS IT
ALSO INCLUDES OPERATIONAL CONTROL
of the JCWSA system by the City, “with the City Manager in control
of all actions and responsibilities of the City in the performance
of this Agreement.”
The Monticello News also reports, “Brack Pound, of the JCWSA,
explained that committee members had worked on the plan for
three months.” IF SO WHEN WERE THESE MEETINGS HELD
AND WHY WEREN’T THEY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?
For some reason whenever contracts are involved, the JCWSA wants
secrecy.
The News also says,
“The agreement will appear before the city council next Tuesday
for final approval.”
This is without any public input or any public knowledge of what
could happen, how it will happen, and any consequences that could
come about.
Also, it is NOT on the agenda to be discussed as was
published. This is an item that the public should be
aware of. We feel it will be a violation of Open Meetings
to proceed with this agreement without any notification to the
public that it is being considered.
Another interesting item is the Monticello News reports that, “
Services are slated to take effect May 1 with an initial
five-year term.” The CONTRACT SAYS IT WILL
BE FOR 25 YEARS!! NOT 5
YEARS!
WHY SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED??
HERE’S A FEW
REASON’S WHY:
**It
was done in secret
**It appears
the JCWSA attorney, W. Dan Roberts, wrote it. He also reviewed
the Bear Creek Reservoir agreement and saw nothing wrong with it.
**It’s
for 25 years with no dissolution clause, meaning the City
can’t get out of it and neither can the JCWSA.
**With the
track record of the City and the way it manages money, would it be
a good idea for them to collect the money, pay the bills, and
manage the finances? The contract says the City will do all these
things.
**The contract
talks about the City operating the system for the JCWSA.
The City can hardly operate their own system now—continued sewage
spills; sewage backing up in houses; lines in need of repair,
etc. And they will now operate 2 systems? With one outside the
City limits.
**A coordinating committee will insure the performance of the
agreement. The committee will also “review all financial and
operational matters.” Not the City Council, not the JCWSA.
But a committee they appoint.
This means YOU have no voice—this
will be done by people that are NOT elected.
**The way the
City is to be compensated will be laid out in Appendix A of the
agreement—which doesn’t exist at this time. It will be
decided AFTER the agreement is signed. Then what? What if
it is more than the JCWSA can afford? Who signs agreements
without knowing the cost first? Only people in Jasper
County (again think of Bear Creek Reservoir agreement—we were to
pay Newton County 25% of whatever they said the cost was.)
**The
JCWSA has at least $2.4 million in debt. They also
have less than 200 customers. Who is going to be
responsible for the bond debt if the City is to operate the JCWSA
system? The contract states, “City personnel shall operate the
Authority’s water distribution system.”
**JCWSA
received a grant of approximately $1.7 million. They have debt of
approximately $2.4 million. They used this money to run
approximately 35 miles of line and picked up about 180 customers.
180 customers will NOT pay the bond payments on the $2.4
million. Who will if they can’t? The City water users?
The City property owners? Will the County be responsible for
anything?
YOU MUST GET
INVOLVED! CALL YOUR COUNCIL PERSON AND ASK THEM TO DELAY THIS
VOTE UNTIL ALL THE FACTS ARE KNOWN AND THE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS
GOING ON AND HAVE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.
WHY IS THERE A
RUSH TO DO THIS ALL OF A SUDDEN? AND WHEN AND WHERE WAS ALL THIS
DONE? WHY WAS IT DONE OUT OF
THE “SUNSHINE”
AND BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?
THESE QUESTIONS
MUST BE ANSWERED BEFORE THIS IS VOTED ON BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL
TUESDAY NIGHT. ATTEND THE MEETING AND VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION!!
