Town Council deals with controversial issues
By Chris Taylor
Flower Mound Leader

December 6, 2006-A packed house came to observe how the Town Council dealt with some controversial issues at Monday’s meeting.

Michael Savoie, the Copper Canyon representative on the Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD) Board, gave a presentation to the Council on approving a resolution to ask for an independent survey of the UTRWD.

“Denton County needs the Upper Trinity Regional Water District. I didn’t come here tonight to tell you that it is bad or that it needs to go away, but it must efficient and accountable to its member cities,” Savoie said.

Savoie told the Council that he and other cities involved in the coalition are looking for an independent management study. Some members think that the UTRWD spends too much money and builds infrastructure that is unnecessary.

“We don’t need water at any coast,” he said.

According to Savoie, UTRWD customers are paying $2.36 per 1000 gallons of water, which is the most expensive in the area. Even though the rates are high, the UTRWD still operates in the red, he said.

“Reasonable debt is expected. High levels of unreasonable debt are dangerous to member cities. If the Upper Trinity can’t pay its debt, members of the District will accept the debt. The citizens of Flower Mound will assume the debt,” he said.

Savoie said that Flower Mound would be responsible for a projected $600 million if UTRWD were to go out of business.

“We’ll be passing the hat around,” he said.

UTRWD is in the negative by about $16 million, Savoie said.

“I’m not saying UTRWD is going out of business, but I think it is reasonable to ask them to act responsibly,” he said.

Another problem that Savoie has with the UTRWD is that Lake Chapman, where UTWRD is receiving much of its water is almost completely dry. Because of the drought, no water is coming from the lake, and UTRWD is purchasing its water from Dallas.

“Upper trinity is purchasing the most expensive water in the area. My problem is that they have gotten water at any cost. That is not acceptable. We need to be cost-effective,” he said.

The Council voted to support a resolution for an independent management study of UTRWD.

Council member, Tim Trotter, asked if the growing expenses on Savoie’s chart included the Lake Ralph Hall project. Savoie said that the project was not included in his chart.

“The water won’t be there when we need it, so why build it,” Council Member, Laurie Long, said.

UTRWD disagrees with the stance that Flower Mound and Copper Canyon have taken.

“An unsettling notion is being tossed out, which suggest that the Board is not doing its job, and that somehow other people (other than the duly appointed Board of Directors) know how to better govern the District. In My opinion that notion is simply not true and is without merit; and, you as the State-mandated governing body, the directors of the UTRWD, should stand firm. The Officers of the UTRWD propose adoption of a resolution on this matter as part of the agenda for this meeting. We urge its unanimous adoption. This unsettling notion that somehow the governing body of Upper Trinity is not doing its job must be addressed,” Sandy Cash, President of the Board of Directors for UTRWD, said in a memo to its members.

In other business, the Council endorsed the Steering Committees recommended changes to the Master Plan. The changes are still subject to change by the Council.

“This is just the beginning of what will be many more public hearings,” Mayor Smith said.