Fruitland prepares for bond vote
By JESSICA KELLER - ARGUS OBSERVER
Monday, July 9, 2007 1:23 PM PDT
FRUITLAND - In order to prepare Fruitland residents for the upcoming $14.8 million water treatment system bond election in August, the city will host three informational meetings open to the public this month.
The open houses will be at Fruitland Community Park.
The first meeting is slated from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday. Two open houses are scheduled for July 25, the first from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the second session from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Each open house session will feature a water bond project overview. The water bond project overview will start at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and July 25 and at 10 a.m. July 25.
City officials will be on hand at each meeting to answer questions and explain Fruitland’s water problems, possible solutions and estimated costs.
Fruitland City Clerk Rick Watkins said city officials recently met with Fruitland’s two biggest industrial businesses, Dickinson’s Frozen Foods and Swire Coca Cola, to discuss the city’s plans for the new water treatment plan and the membrane filter water treatment system Fruitland intends to build if the water bond passes.
Next the city will take that information to the public at the meetings. Watkins said while city officials have fielded a few calls recently about what course they intend to take, he said he expects more interest to be generated as the bond election approaches.
“We’re just trying to get folks educated and aware of what’s going on and answer any questions,” Watkins said.
He said there are two main points the city wants to drive home to the public during these meetings. The first point is Fruitland has to change its current water treatment system because it is under a mandate by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the levels of arsenic and nitrates in the water by 2011. Now arsenic and nitrate levels exceed federal standards.
The second point the public needs to know, Watkins said, is the new water treatment system is a long-term solution.
“And I think that helps a lot as far as the public knowing what’s next,” he said.
The water treatment system plan will provide extra volume needed to accommodate growth issues and it easily allows for future expansion, Watkins said.
“As you need to expand the system, you just add another module and keep on plugging,” he said.
The project, Watkins said, entails more than just a new water facility. More storage facilities are included in the plan, as well as more, larger capacity distribution designs that will help with volume and pressure.
“The only issue is paying for it,” Watkins said.
He said when city officials were exploring different water treatment system technologies, they discovered some of the less expensive water treatment systems were higher in operation costs. They also explored the option of retro-fitting the city’s well system. Watkins said they discovered retro-fitting cost about as much as a new system and does not provide a solution to the decreased water production problems new and existing wells have been experiencing.
“So I guess the main point is that this has to happen,” he said. “Something has to be done in some sort of a form, and the mayor and City Council feel that this is the best alternative.”
Watkins said with any project paid for through a bond, officials hope as the years go on and growth increases, the bond payments will be spread out among users.
“Nobody wants their rates to go up, but nobody wants fuel prices to go up either, but all we can do is do the best we can and come up with the best solution,” Watkins said.
He also said the state revolving loan fund grant the city will receive makes the bond’s interest rate “really, really attractive.”
Watkins said, while the city will not know the exact interest rate until the system design phase, he anticipated the interest rate to be between 21/4 and 31/2 percent. Without the revolving loan fund, the interest rate could go as high as 6 percent or 61/2 percents.
The water bond election is scheduled for Aug. 7.
Fruitland residents must be registered voters to participate Aug. 7.
The last day for voter registration is 5 p.m. Friday. People can register to vote at Fruitland City Hall, 200 S. Whitley Drive, Fruitland, or at the clerk’s office at the Payette County Courthouse, 1130 Third Ave., Payette. After July 13, people can register to vote at the polls on Aug. 7 or request an absentee ballot.
Contact Fruitland City Clerk Rick Watkins or Suzanne Pearcy, Fruitland City Hall, (208) 452-4421, for questions.
Alma wrote on Aug 28, 2009 8:22 PM:
Im so very proud of you, you did AMAZING!! Yet still very young and have years to improve, which seems scary. I know grandpa was cheering for you, chanting #1, #1... Keep up the great work kido. "