Sewer Discussion at MSWD

At the last meeting of the Mission Springs Water District board (June 30) Director John Furbee had a discussion of new sewer construction during his comments that I thought deserved some attention, but I forgot to do that until I was reminded by the announcement about Jeff Bowman running for the board. Here is a transcript of that discussion:

Director John Furbee: The thing I have an interest in is extending into another sewer district zone so we can have more sewers for more people. And I just always look for ways we can find enough money that we can do that. [Multiple voices speaking simultaneously] ...pay two-thirds of it, we just need a third of it. If we can ever find that money. I'll ask Santa for it.

General Manager Arden Wallum: We are sitting here with $30 million in shovel-ready projects. We literally have the design on the table...on the shelf. Nobody's more shovel-ready than we are.

Furbee: We can do sewer line extensions cheaper now and get cheaper bids now than I think we will ever get again. So, if we could ever find the resources to go into the next phase of sewers it would be a wonderful thing.

Wallum: We need to think outside the box.

Furbee: That's outside our present sewer line box. Put in a new extension. If we dip into our reserves partially, it's not all bad. Anything we can do to be resourceful to extend the sewers, we're helping to save the water table, we're helping to get it to those citizens cheaper than they would get it five years from now.

Finance Director Wayne Nelson: Well, my argument with that is that the existing reserves that we have and any cash that we generate in the future we use for that would...I mean it implies that all of the existing customers are going to pay to hook up those ones you're talking about. There's an injustice there. It may not even be legal.

President Nancy Wright: I agree.

Furbee: It is legal. It may be unjust, though.

Nelson: I think it probably is legal. I think the board can choose to do it if they wanted to. The equity of it and the fairness of it.

Furbee: It's not fair.

Nelson: As long as you can show a benefit, it's legal.

Wallum: I have my three-part world. I'd give you my three-part lecture again.

Furbee: I would like to have more sewers for more people. I think we need a little more [unclear] resources. Never take it off the front burner. Every day when you go to sleep...

Nelson: Where can we find more money?

Director Randy Duncan: Round up all your wealthy friends, have them dig us a new well.

Furbee: I don't have any.

Myself, I wouldn't mind subsidizing new sewer extensions so long as the district still has enough money to maintain the sewer I use. After all, the more septic tanks we take out of commission, the safer my drinking water supply becomes.