Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Waukesha-Oak Creek Water Deal Envisions Regional Water Authority

Waukesha's water management ambitions, like its interest in sending diverted water beyond its borders to four neighboring communities, also may play a role in the creation of a bigger utility, too.

Note that item "F" in the Oak-Creek Waukesha water deal envisions the creation of a regional water authority:
F.    Regional Water Authority: Both Parties agree to engage in discussions related to the creation of a Regional Water Authority ("RWA"), the purpose of which would be to own and operate a treatment facility and the facility's related infrastructure. Such discussions would investigate the potential for the RWA to serve Oak Creek and its wholesale customers and the ownership and governing structure of the potential RWA. If such RWA purchases Oak Creek's existing Water treatment facility and the facility's related infrastructure, Oak Creek will receive fair and equitable monetary compensation for the sale.
The groundwork for a new multi-jurisdictional water entity in Southeastern Wisconsin was laid by SEWRPC's regional water supply study-cum-greenlight that recommended diverting Lake Michigan water out of the basin into Waukesha.

Additionally, Lorie Kobza, the same attorney hired as a consultant by SEWRPC for her expertise in regional water authority legislation, received a contract in May, 2010 from the Waukesha Water Utility.

And Dan Duchniak, Waukesha's water utility general manager, previously worked at the Oak Creek water utility.
at

3 comments:

  1. BoxerOctober 16, 2012 at 1:42 PM

    Additional note: Duchniak also lives in Oak Creek. I've raised this issue previously: does Duchniak have a conflict of interest in that he lives in Oak Creek and therefore would benefit from a water rate reduction there, while operating in a non-elected, policy-making role in Waukesha that will raise utility rates up to 213% over the next 5-6 years WITHOUT being subject himself to those increases? This is why there are such things as residence reqirements. Waukesha has them, but gave Duchniak a exemption.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 16, 2012 at 3:43 PM

    Wrong Boxer. Dan lives in Franklin. Franklin is a Oak Creek customer of retail and wholesale water sales.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BoxerOctober 16, 2012 at 6:28 PM

    Thanks for the correction, Dan, but whether you live in Oak Creek or Franklin, most of the conflict of interest issue still stands. Allow me to quote myself:

    "while operating in a non-elected, policy-making role in Waukesha that will raise utility rates up to 213% over the next 5-6 years WITHOUT being subject himself to those increases? This is why there are such things as residence reqirements. Waukesha has them, but gave Duchniak a exemption."

    And now that we know you live in Franklin, how about a new question:

    Would Franklin's customers (including you) benefit from a Waukesha water deal with Oak Creek as the original supplier, using Franklin's pipes and pumping stations to pass the water through to Waukesha and is that also a conflict of interest?

    Perhaps you could use your considerable communication skills to answer those questions instead of explaining how Franklin is an Oak Creek customer--d'uh.

    ReplyDelete