Editorial About that $4 million surprise
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Now let’s see if we have this right.
The $4.7 million dollar “surprise” that the Corps of Engineers reportedly sprung on the Paintsville Utilities Commission a week or so again for using water from Paintsville Lake when the new 4 MGD water treatment plant is completed, was not a surprise at all. Or it shouldn’t have been, since that dollar amount was presented to the commission as far back as December 2008.
According to documents obtained by this newspaper, that amount has already been accepted and factored into the total projected cost of the entire project. If we understand all we know about it, Paintsville Utility customers are already paying for it in the latest rate increase.
Admittedly, at least one of the current utility commissioners –– and the mayor –– were not involved at that time. But how come the other commissioners were not aware of that figure when it was handed to them in plain black and white?
Apparently, the $4.7 million is to be paid over the next 30 years. And as Mayor Bob Porter, in a prepared statement, confirmed to the Paintsville City Council on Tuesday night, an ordinance was passed “about a year ago” that anticipated this fee and there would be no change in utility rates because of it at this time.
While there’s no need to panic in that regard, four million dollars is a lot of money and now that it has come to light (better late than never) a few eyebrows have been raised, including those of the mayor, who simply asks “Why?”
In his aforementioned statement, Porter questioned how the federal government could charge the city of Paintsville for using water from a lake that had been paid for by our own tax dollars.
We agree with the mayor that it just makes no sense. He urged citizens to contact Hal Rogers, Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning and let them know how absurd and unfair this water withdrawal fee is.
Knowing how the federal government works, however, even if every citizen in Paintsville were to write ten letters, it would simply be an exercise in futility. And, even if the utility commissioners had made a big deal over it months ago when it was first presented, it wouldn’t have likely made a difference.
It would have been nice, however, if the citizenry had been informed earlier. Mar 12, 2010, 08:00
