City Council Wants Water Board Subject to TABOR Limits

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City Council wants water board subject to TABOR limits Page 2 of 2 "All government bodies are bound by TABOR," he said. "We're just asking the citizens to determine whether the water board has to get voter approval for their multi- million - dollar projects, just like the school district and the city and county. The water board can raise their rates and the people can't say a word." The water board statement called attention to its assurance of adequate water supply for Pueblo, even in the current drought. "We think it is ironic that while Pueblo is enjoying the benefits of an unrestricted water supply, and enjoying water rates that fall among the lowest along Colorado's Front Range, that city council has chosen this time to try inserting itself into the management of Pueblo's water system," the board said. Earlier Wednesday, the water works executive director, Alan Hamel, spoke about the issue at Pueblo Kiwanis Club. "For six months, we worked with the city on a contract with Pueblo West to lease the water - not a sale, but a lease," Hamel said. "When council turned us down on Nov. 12, I was in shock." He said the contract would have brought in more than $1 million up front, plus annual fecs to guarantee the availability of water for emergency supply. Council rejected the contract, saying it would encourage growth in Pueblo West at the expense of the city. "Our hope than and today is that we can settle it," Hamel said. "But we do feel council violated the city charter." Hamel was on friendly turf at the Kiwanis meeting, and the response from his fellow Kiwanians began to sound like a rally for the water board. One member got a big laugh when he said, "1 don't know how the council thinks it can run the water board when they can't even run the dog pound." ©1996 -2002 The pueblo Chieftain Online http://www.chieftain.com/print/thursday/news/articles/nil.htm 7/7/2002 e• d 821130926TL. TaIsTW •3 pio - 12 'H eS17=60 20 s0 ult.