City manager to address water issues

Monday, June 2, 2003

City Manager John Bingham intends to address several issues raised over the past few weeks, including an editorial and a poll conducted by the McCook Daily Gazette, when the McCook City Council meets Monday.

The city manager's report indicates that the status report was prepared "to clarify the city's status on the city's water system improvement package."

In the report, Bingham defines the process the city has taken to date to implement its plans to address its water problems, beginning with the council's Nov. 18, 2002, decision to place a treatment facility on hold.

Bingham reiterates the urgency of implementing the city's plan of action, which has been approved by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. "... the city is under obligation to have the McCook Water System Improvement Project constructed and in full operation by March of the year 2006," he wrote.

He also pointed out that the engineering contracts with W Design and Miller & Associates include a termination clause "if the water quantity, water quality or necessary easements are not secured to the satisfaction of the city."

In the report, Bingham also took exception to an online survey conducted by the McCook Daily Gazette.

The survey allowed online readers to vote on four different options. The questions and results were published on the opinion page of the Gazette, Wednesday, along with Speak Outs and Open Forum opinions on the issue. The online questions and polling results were:

1) Look for water to the north -- 25 votes for 29 percent.

2) Look for water to the south -- five votes for six percent.

3) Treat water in the present location -- 17 votes for 20 percent

4) Put the issue to the vote of residents -- 38 votes for 45 percent.

Bingham said the poll indicated that the "'straw vote' type of ballot demonstrates either a lack of understanding of what has taken place or an attempt to manipulate the voters by failing to disclose what the issues are."

"First of all, the McCook City Council already decided the issue regarding the solution to the water problem on April 21 -- four weeks before this piece appeared on the newspaper's web page," he wrote.

And, he said, the ballot does not give the voter both sides of the question. "Unless the author is trying to manipulate the outcome of the little survey, the question might provide the respondent a choice like the one below:

- "Treat the water at the present location for an estimated increase in monthly rates of $34.69 for the next 30 years.

- "Develop a water well field north of McCook for an estimated increase in monthly water rates of $19.68 to $24.41 for the next 30 years."

Bingham also claims that the survey did not give respondents a fair choice on the fourth question. Instead of simply asking McCook citizens if they would like to vote on the water issue, he suggests asking the following questions:

- "The decision of selecting the solution to the city water problem is too important to be left to the vote of the five members of the City Council who we elected to represent us."

- "I sustain the decision made by the City Council to develop a well field north of McCook as the solution to the city water problems as long as there is evidence to show the water quality and quantity meets federal standards and there are landowners in this area willing to work with the city in developing this water source."

In response to the three questions raised in an editorial published May 20, Bingham said "water QUANTITY is not an issue near the Republican River. There are very few agricultural and stock wells far south of the Republican River because of the lack of water."

The second question asked if it was possible to raise the water storage facility above ground at its current location. Bingham explained the site would remain under a "vulnerable" designation and the only way to abandon that designation is to abandon the site.

In response to the third question posed, Bingham said the only way the city will know without doubt whether the proposed north well field will have sufficient water to satisfy the city's needs during the summer irrigation season will be to continue with the engineering test that will be done in the process of developing the well field. "We will not proceed with the well field improvement project until and unless data is available to answer the question in the affirmative," he wrote.

In other action, the council will be asked:

- To reject all bids for the construction of the Heritage Senior Center and rebid the project, eliminating all reference to the kitchen area completion date and liquidation damages for completing the project after the completion date.

- To approve the use of the Assembly of God Church hall by the Heritage Senior Center, to serve meals during the construction process.

- Introduce and approve, under suspension of the rule, providing for the continuation of the City Sales Tax.

- Receive and file a report of the Nebraska West Nile Surveillance and Response Plan under the consent agenda.

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