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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 12/17/1968,-Y Wcember 17, 1968 0 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE WATER BOARD Held December 17, 1968, at 3:00 P.M. in the Cc until Chambers. Present: President Ward Fischer, Board members Owen Moore, Fred Feit, Dugan Wilkinson, Norman Evans and Secretary John Bartel. Also present were City Manager Coffey, Assistant City Manager John Burgess, Director of Finance Charley_Cain, Director of Public Works Charles Liquin, Superintendent of Water and Sewer Eddie Hilgenberg, Hydrologist Morton Bittinger and the press. Also Major General I. 0. Schaefer, Secretary of Laporte Water District, Tom Bassett, Berry Duff, Lyle E. Peterson and John Boxberger re- presenting the East Larimer County Water District and Al Treiber and Wayne Shaw representing the West Fort Collins Water District. President Fischer opened the meeting with additional comments on the report from Morton Bittinger and Associates, dated October, 1968, and stated that the report was not taken as a sugges- tion but merely as a recommendation for the proposed consolidation of the water districts within the City. He then turned the meet- ing over to Owen Moore, who was formerly with Boettcher and Co., and is now Vice President of the First National Bank of Fort Collins, who submitted the following comments: A meeting was held on December 17, 1968, when some members of the Water Districts, the Fort Collins Water Board, Tom Coffey, City Manager, and other,:city officials were present. The purpose of the meeting was to again discuss the necessity for all water suppliers to work together toward a common goal. The common goal is to supply water to all water users in the City and in the Districts at the low- est possible rate, and meet the expanding water needs of a growing area. • The Water Districts were organized for a purpose and they have served their purpose well. Berry Duff, Manager of the Fort Collins - Loveland Water District and the East'Larimer County Water District, and Al Treiber, Manager of the West Fort Collins Water District, have done a good job, • �cember 17, 1968 The Water Districts and the City of Fort Collins can and should augment each. This can be accomplished by cooperation and sincere dedication on the part of all concerned. • I have talked to people on the Boards of the Water Districts, member of the Fort Collins Water Board, and the City Council, and they have all expressed a desire to work out a mutually satisfactory arrange- ment in order that our area will have an orderly growth, and at the same time supply water to all users at the most reasonable rate possible. Therefore, as a result oD these conversations, I think a plan can be evolved which will be workable and satisfactory to all parties. The City of Denver has leased certain Water Districts around Denver within the last few years and the arrangement seems to be most satis- factory. Therefore, I propose the following steps as a starting point to- wards the City of Fort Collins leasing the various Water Districts facilities: 1. The City will lease the Water Districts at a specified amount per month which will enable the Districts to pay principal and interest when due. 2. The Districts will put on approximately 1 to 1L2 mill levy to pay their minimal costs. This would allow for reduced water rates. All outside water users rates would be on an equitable basis. 3. The City will filter the water at no cost to the Districts. 4. The City will read the meters and collect all accounts. 5. The City will receive all income from the water taps being served by the Districts. 6. All present personnel of the Water Districts will be employed at salaries and benefits equal to or better than present. 7. The Boards of Directors of the Districts will work closely with the City and everyone will cooperate for the benefit of all water users. 8. The City will guarantee delivery of water up to the amount of water rights owned by the District. 9. The Districts will maintain personnel to carry out administrative andother functions to fulfill the Districts' obligations to its water customers. • 10. The Districts will retain ownership of lines and water rights until the principal and interest have been paid on the bonds. 11. The districts will pay the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy district assessment on the water owned by the Districts. *December 17, 1968 12. The Districts will make available to the City a sufficient amount of Bit T Water to offset total • usage invoiced to the Districts' customers plus 12% for filtration requirements, line losies, and so forth. 13. After the bonds have been paid off by the Districts, the water users on the extremities of the Districts will be guaranteed the largest amount of water used in any previous year, plus a reasonable percentage at the outside water rate in effect at that time. A meeting will be held in the near future to further discuss this matter with the following in attendance: Ward Fischer Al Treiber Art March Mort Bittinger Berry Duff Owen Moore In summary, I believe that w ith the good will and sincere desire on the pa rt of all parties concerned that the above items will serve to effect a starting point whereby the City will lease the facilities of all the Water Districts, and that water will be served to all users in the City, in the Districts, and users out- side the City and the Districts, on a fair and equitable basis. This will provide for an orderly and efficient growth of our area in the years ahead. • After considerable discussion, it was unanimously agreed that a committee of three be formed, including Ward Fischer, Engineer Morton Bittinger and Owen Moore, to prepare a more specific pro- posal to be presented at a later date. The City Manager brought up the subject of additional studies on the area south of Fort Collins for water and sewer services, and suggested that the Director of Public Works prepare a letter to decide which engineer he and the Water Board would recommend of the following: Engineers Joe Banner or Morton Bittinger, and to incorporate the value of computating reports of water demands in various localities in and around Fort Collins. With nothing further to discuss, the Board adjourned. Secretar •