Staff was Directed to Return Next Week with Cost Estimates

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!p smAMBOAT TODAY LOCAL e cost of water n ts council agrees to research cost of hiring water lawyer Christine Metz PILOT & TODAY STAFF STEAMBOAT SPRINGS The City Council unanimously agreed to look at the cost of hiring ajawyer in its quest to file water rights on a portion of the Yampa River, The :council disagreed on whether it was too early to hire a lawyer and whether the city should continue 'gathering data and talking to surrounding com- munities. The council received a letter Tuesday from the Routt _ County commissioners, stating the com- missioners did not agree with city staff's recommendation to move forward with obtaining new water rights bdo_Wany substantial dis- cussion with the county and other users `upstream. `for- Routt County as a whole, we' 7 have concerns about the effects in- stream recreational water rights would have on the ability of the various agriculture, municipal, commercial and industrial users to meet future Water. demands," states the letter signed by Chairman Doug Monger. The letter also asks that the city collect more data and evalu- ate the regional impacts on the application before it moves for- ward with filing for recreational water rights. The commissioners suggested the city hold discus- sions with the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District, other interested water users, the upstream communities and the commissioners. Since May, the city has looked at filing for recreational water rights, which would preserve the level of flows of the Yampa River coming through the city. Councilman Paul Strong asked the council to move forward with a proposal for a lawyer to take the city through the water rights fil- ing process. The request is intend- ed to find out how much water attorney Glen Porzak — who fought for recreational water rights in Golden, Vail and Breckenridge - would charge. Strong also said the request for a proposal, or RFP, would be open to other lawyers. Most council members want to file before 2004. Strong said he has concerns about time, as well, and said the potential $100,000 or more the city would spend on water rights will seem small and insignificant 20 years from now, compared to the benefit of water rights. Councilman Loui Antonucci also agreed that council should look into hiring a lawyer, espe- cially if the city is going out to other communities, he said. "If we are going to collect data See Water, page 10