The Flower Mound Town Council passed three resolutions during their regular meeting on Monday night concerning the future of Lake Ralph Hall and the Upper Trinity Regional Water District Board.
The first of the passed resolution is to request Lake Ralph Hall be put back on the "Alternative Water Supply Strategies" list by the region's water planning group, Region C. Region C will have a water supply list approved by the end of this year. On which, Lake Ralph Hall is considered a viable option. The lake's current place on Region C's list will help Upper Trinity obtain permits to build the controversial lake.

"We have to begin planning today and continue planning in order to meet the future needs of our area so that is the reason why we have moved forward and moved Lake Ralph Hall from the alternative water supply list," Upper Trinity Spokesman Jason Pierce said.

Harlan Jefferson, chief financial officer and deputy town manager, said Lake Ralph Hall is not needed in the next 60 years and maybe not even in the next 100 years. Jefferson estimated Denton County residents' water bills to drastically increase because of the costs ensued by the lake.

The town council also passed a resolution concerning the use of water reuse estimates by Region C and Upper Trinity officials. Officials said Lake Ralph Hall was the only proposed reservoir that had water reuse calculations factored in the projected cost estimates. This claim by town officials would result in making the lake more cost effective.

Upper Trinity's Executive Director Tom Taylor did not immediately return phone calls by the Leader deadline.

The third resolution the council passed concerned the town's most recent complaint with Upper Trinity and its board.

On Thursday, Upper Trinity's Board of Directors will consider a motion that would not allow board members to work for one municipality and represent another. Currently, two employees of Flower Mound would be considered no longer eligible for membership - Flower Mound's Fire Chief Eric Metzger, who resides in and represents Copper Canyon, and Assistant Town Manager Tracy Knierim, who lives in and represents Krum. Upper Trinity board members have sought this change because they consider it a "conflict of interest."

The resolution formally opposed this proposed amendment to the district's bylaws.

"When the going gets tough, Upper Trinity tries to change the rules," Flower Mound Mayor Jody Smith said.

Smith said she has always been amazed how Upper Trinity's Board of Directors run their meetings and said had these representatives elected by the residents they represent, they would have been voted out of office.

Smith brought up issues regarding what Flower Mound officials consider a conflict of interest in board membership.
One of which is a representative who represents a municipality he or she does not live or work in.

Councilman Tim Trotter said Double Oak has recently dismissed their representative Oscar Burchard from being their representative on Upper Trinity's Board of Directors. Burchard recently stepped down as the board's president. Jefferson said Burchard was dismissed because he intended to vote for the membership bylaw amendment while Double Oak officials, who he represents, felt otherwise.

Burchard and Double Oak Mayor Dick Cook did not return phone calls in time for Leader deadline.

Smith proposed with the passing of the three amendments, to inform other customers of Upper Trinity of their
decision.

Councilwoman Laurie Long said with the dissemination of this information, it might encourage other cities to take a stand against the water district.

So far, Copper Canyon, Krum and Double Oak have joined in the fight against the membership bylaw amendment. The district is composed of 25 member entities.