Thurber: Stick with the city-owned plan

(Editor's Note: This opinion will run in the August 30, 2018 issue of the Wimberley View. Due to the expected vote on the future of the city's wastewater treatment plant Tuesday afternoon, the View elected to publish online the Mayor's case in favor of Aqua Texas (here) and former Mayor Steve Thurber's case for the city-owned system (below). Both opinions will be published in the paper later this week.) 

The last day of the contractually permitted “pause” in the contract to construct the city wastewater plant was this past Tuesday.  It’s time to put them back to work.

After a 90-day delay, what have councilmember Gary Barchfeld and Mayor Jaggers accomplished in their pursuit of an alternative wastewater plan?  Nothing.  They are still no closer than when they began.  Their plan (Barchfeld/Jaggers Plan) 1) would lose the US Economic Development Administration $1 million grant, 2) would lose the Way Family Foundation $1 million grant, 3) would eliminate water for Blue Hole Park, and 3) would lose the TWDB debt forgiveness grant of $245,000.  Their plan would throw away over $2.2 million along with water for the park.

Why is the city owned and operated wastewater system better than the alternative Aqua Texas option being proposed by councilmember Gary Barchfeld and Mayor Susan Jaggers?

In short, it’s because the city plan is fully funded (Barchfeld/Jaggers plan is over $2 million short), fully vetted by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), multiple city sponsored stakeholder groups, multiple city councils, professional financial planners, professional engineers and the public.

The city plan is the better plan for our environment. The environment is the most important element to be considered.  It has the longest lasting impact on our community.  I would never endorse any plan that would put our river and creeks at risk in any way. It produces enhanced type 1 effluent (safe for human contact) to be used to irrigate our fabulous Blue Hole Regional Park including the soccer fields and other trees and landscaping.  The city plan has mitigated the chance for a discharge to virtually nil.  With a 500,000 gallon storage tank, equipped to allow for trucking of any excess effluent, it is very likely there would NEVER BE A DISCHARGE into any creek or river. The Barchfeld/Jaggers plan DOES NOT provide water for the park, bores Cypress Creek to carry raw sewage under Blue Hole, and Aqua Texas would be discharging even more type 2 (not safe for human contact) effluent on Woodcreek’s golf course.

The city plan is affordable, and the users of the system will pay for it, as it should be.  There will be NO PROPERTY TAXES to anyone to pay for the system. The project is fully funded with a $5.2 million very low interest rate (about 2% on average), a $1 million grant from the US Economic Development Administration, a very generous grant from the Way Family Foundation, and a $245,000 TWDB grant. That’s $2.245 million in “free” money.  Please do not be misled by the mayor. The Way Family Foundation, as recently as this week, has reconfirmed its commitment to providing this grant to the city plan and has been clear to the city, the grant Is not available for the Barchfeld/Jaggers plan.

The city plan also allows for local control of wastewater rates and development.  The city is responsible for setting rates under the city plan and citizens have the control of city council. All we must do is look to Kyle and Woodcreek to see what happens when Aqua Texas has control of rates.

With the city plan, the money the users pay back into the system supports our system. It stays in the community.  With the Barchfeld/Jaggers plan, profits go to Aqua America stockholders. If the city chooses the Barchfeld/Jaggers plan, it is almost certain that lawsuits will be filed. 

The city plan recognizes the overwhelming will of the public to stay the course with the current plan while the Barchfeld/Jaggers plan continues to ignore public comments, a petition with over 1800 citizen signatures, the votes of multiple city councils and the recommendation by four former mayors.

The time has come to end the pause and move on with the city project. This will have the added benefit of beginning to heal the divisiveness in the community. There is nothing good to come from further delays.  The city has a fully permitted, fully funded, and environmentally and financially sound project.  What are we waiting for?  LET’S GO!