Marion does not accept city s water proposal
Staff reporter
The City of Marion will not purchase water from Hillsboro.
Marion City Commission considered a proposal from the City of Hillsboro Tuesday during its weekly meeting.
The proposal would allow the City of Marion to purchase water from Hillsboro for $1.60 per 1,000 gallons, which is the same price the city currently can produce water.
The purchase price does not include the cost of a pipeline to move the water from Hillsboro to Marion.
A feasibility study was conducted in 2004, and determined an estimated cost for the water line could run as much as a million dollars.
Other costs to the City of Marion would include negotiations with the City of Peabody to utilize a water line from Hillsboro to Old Mill Road.
"We've got too much invested," said David Mayfield, city administrator.
He presented information to the commission regarding the city's installation of pumps from Luta Creek during the first blue-green algae crisis in 2003.
"The city has $35,000- $40,000 invested in the pumps," Mayfield explained. "If the city were to accept the proposal, the pumps would go to waste."
He also pointed out $40,000 of improvements made in December 2004, to the city's water treatment plant, and planned improvements.
The city had applied and was approved for a loan and grant from USDA Rural Development for improvements required by EPA.
Mayfield also said future water expenses for the City of Hillsboro could possibly be passed on to Marion.
Referring to a newspaper article in the Hillsboro Star-Journal, Mayfield said Hillsboro officials were quoted as saying if the City of Hillsboro were to experience an economic boon that required substantially more water usage, Hillsboro would have to expand its main water line.
Mayfield said the city's water plant could handle high usage without expanding main lines.
"If we would have had this information six months ago, it might have been different," Mayfield said.
City commissioner Jim Crofoot agreed.
"It's too late to turn back now," Crofoot said. "We need to proceed with what we're doing."
Commission Max Hayen and mayor Martin Tice agreed.
Tice asked for a motion to have the issue removed from future agendas.
Crofoot made a motion to not accept the water purchase proposal; Hayen seconded; motion carried.
The city anticipates receiving Rural Development funds within the next 90 days.
