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<br />. .t'Ilt; .:)It;i:lll1UVi:l.l rllUL: Uit; t;U~l V1 waler ngIlL~ <br /> <br />'00024,) <br /> <br />rage 1 or L. <br /> <br />The Steamboat Pilot <br /> <br />The cost of water rights <br /> <br />Council agrees to research cost of hiring water lawyer <br /> <br />By Christine Metz, Staff Reporter <br /> <br />Wednesday, October 15, 2003 <br /> <br />The City Council unanimously agreed to look at the cost of hiring a lawyer in Its quest to file water rights on a portion <br />of the Yampa River. <br /> <br />advertisement <br /> <br />The council disagreed on whether it was too early to hire a <br />lawyer and whether the city should continue gathering data <br />and talking to surrounding communities. <br /> <br /> <br />The council received a letter Tuesday from the Routt County <br />commissioners, stating the commissioners did not agree <br />with city staff's recommendation to move forward with <br />obtaining new water rights before any substantial discussion <br />with the county and other users upstream. <br /> <br />"For Routt County as a whole, we have concerns about the <br />effects in-stream recreational water rights would have on <br />the ability of the various agriculture, municipal, commercial <br />and industrial users to meet future water demands," states <br /> <br />the letter signed by Chairman Doug Monger. <br /> <br />The letter also asks that the city collect more data and evaluate the regional impacts on the application before it <br />moves forward with filing for recreational water rights. The commissioners suggested the city hold discussions with <br />the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District, other interested water users, the upstream communities and the <br />commissioners. <br /> <br />Since May, the city has looked at filing for recreational water rights, which would preserve the level of flows of the <br />Yampa River coming through the city. <br /> <br />Councilman Paul Strong asked the council to move forward with a proposal for a lawyer to take the city through the <br />water rights filing process. The request is intended to find out how much water attorney Glen Porzak -- who fought <br />for recreational water rights in Golden, Vail and Breckenridge -- would charge. Strong also said the request for a <br />proposal, or RFP, would be open to other lawyers. <br /> <br />Most council members want to file before 2004. Strong said he has concerns about time, as well, and said the <br />potential $100,000 or more the city would spend on water rights will seem small and insignificant 20 years from now, <br />compared to the benefit of water rights. <br /> <br />Councilman Loul Antonucci also agreed that council should look into hiring a lawyer, especially if the city is going out <br />to other communities, he said. <br /> <br />"If we are going to collect data and talk to other communities, we need to have someone out there who can explain <br />what we are looking for. Before we go ahead, I want to hire someone," Antonucci said. <br /> <br />Some council members agreed to the RFP but balked at the idea of hiring a lawyer now. <br /> <br />Parks, Open Space and Recreational Services Director Chris Wilson said the city does not need to hire a special water <br /> <br />http:J /www.steamboatpilot.com/section/frontpage _leadlstorypr/19721 <br /> <br />10/15/2003 <br />