6/23/12
There's a council work session at 600 PM on Monday, 6/25, during which the consultant's report on the plan to extend city water throughout Shorewood will be presented. One may recall that the staff cost estimate, including interest expense, for this extension was $29 million.
Well, the consultant has estimated $26.5 million before interest costs. So, council will be discussing spending something on the order of at least the original $29 million of your money. See: http://weblink.ci.shorewood.mn.us/weblink8/0/doc/159937/Page1.aspx for the meeting packet and check page 4 of the consultant's memo for cost ranges per property.
The consultant gives a range of cost to put the water pipe in front of an average house at $17,230! This does not include whatever the City's "connection charge" might be and excludes the cost of having a plumber actually make the connection (estimates of this have been in the $3,000 to $4,000 range). So, it's easy to see a property owner paying, on average, above $20,000, before interest costs, for city water.
So, using the consultant's own estimates of a new well of $7,000 to $10,000, city water would cost the property owner the equivalent of more than two new wells! What a deal!
Come to Monday night's 600 PM meeting at City Hall to listen to the dialog. It's your money the council wants to spend.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Does anyone know why city water is being pushed again? The existing system is fine. Who is pushing it? Why? Where are the petitions demanding city water?
ReplyDeleteNew topic, AIS inspections.
Dick Osgood wrote 19 June Lakeshore regarding inspections: "we have no good way of knowing to what degree have we reduced the risk of AIS introductions."
Our council is spending taxpayer money and passing ordinances with draconian fines... when the impact could be zero? Does that sound responsible to anyone? Do they seem concerned with obtaining results for our money - or is all for show?
Excellent questions! Insider? Any answers? There are no petitions in my neck of the woods. I predict that if this goes further the water wars will return.
DeleteI will cut LizZerby some slack on AIS. The Christmas Lake people are suing the DNR for not protecting the lake against invasive species. Shorewood is showing support for them.
ReplyDeleteSupport can be done through a resolution. Is it the role of local government to gamble with limited resources, to benefit a special (small) group of residents when admittedly, there is no way to measure success?
DeleteThis is a great lawsuit. It is like the Federal government telling Arizona not to enforce their own immigration laws. If the DNR can't protect the lakes, let the cities do it.
DeleteAnd does your wise comment include the willingness to pay for it?
DeleteThat lawsuit was withdrawn and dismissed by a judge
Deletehttp://www.startribune.com/local/west/147326045.html
Besides, cities simply don't have the money/resources to take on an issue of this magnitude.
Our neighborhood does want city water--and we want it more affordable. Our well water tests high for contaminants. I talked with some other parents at school who would at least like the option. I do agree that getting city water shouldn't be forced, but it should be an option for those of us who would like it. I usually agree with you guys, but sometimes you only think of the fight.
ReplyDeleteYour reply is sensible and should bring people back to the conversation at hand. There is a process for neighborhoods to petition for water, check with city hall.
DeleteLucky you and your neighborhood that you all have a spare $20+ Grand laying around for the assessments and the hook up charges. The rest of us aren't so well cash-endowed.
DeleteWater should have gone in way back in the beginning when they laid the sanitary sewer. The neighborhoods that are going to be punished are the older ones.
There is a process ..if you want city water check out the 20-yr road project for when your street is scheduled, http://weblink.ci.shorewood.mn.us/weblink8/0/doc/158700/Page1.aspxget
ReplyDeleteProblem is you need to get 66% of your neighbors to say they want water, if it's feasible, if so you'll have city water. However, you need to determine if the City's unjustifiable amount of $10k is affordable. What I don't understand is if the cost to put pipe in the ground is $5k, or pick a number under 10, why the City is charging $10k?
BTW .. currently, no one is forced to hook up at any time - you have to pay the assessment, but have the option of punching another well.
The water fund makes money for the city. Its a business, people.
ReplyDelete