Reservoir necessity questioned
Kerby Water District, city of CJ debate issue
From our weekly issue dated August 13, 2008
Disagreement about the need for a reservoir and if so whether it should be in the city of Cave Junction or in Kerby Water District (KWD) resulted in a somewhat heated exchange during the city council meeting Monday night, Aug. 11.
John Plute of KWD addressed the council during its meeting in city hall. He animatedly referred to an email received earlier the same day from City Recorder Jim Polk. The latter provided information from a workshop involving the city and KWD.
Polk’s email noted, “The discussion started with the proposed engineering review of the HBH Engineering hydraulic analysis, the cost estimate, the information that would need to be forwarded to Pace Engineering with the scope to review the impact the extension of water service to Kerby would have on the current system and storage capacity, with Kenny Houck stating that KWD understood the city’s desire for due diligence to make an informed decision.
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“He added that the KWD engineers would provide any information Pace needed to complete the system modeling.
“The consensus of the council was that if Pace agreed with the position taken by HBH, the city would support the plan. This led to a discussion on required storage capacity and production capabilities of the city in a major fire event.
“The issue of whether a reservoir is needed is the sticking point,” the message stated, “and the city has not accepted that one is not necessary. The council, by consensus, stated that they could accept our engineer’s position, whichever way it came out.”
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However, Plute, while noting that KWD does not have the money for a reservoir, strongly disagreed with the city conclusion. He said that the issue really is what effect the use of the fire pumps by the district would have on the current city system if a major fire occurred in Kerby.
“The issue of a reservoir within KWD has already been thoroughly explored by the district,” Plute said.
“This information,” he continued, “was clearly expressed by the district at both workshops relating to this project (the city supplying water to KWD and the possible need for a reservoir). The district’s engineers have developed a solution that provides adequate fire protection flow rates using fire pumps in lieu of a reservoir,” Plute said.
He stated that “Bringing the reservoir issue up again at this point is a step backward from the course of action that the council and KDW agreed to in the July 16 workshop.
“The scope of work that has been agreed to,” he said, “will address any negative impacts on the city’s water distribution system,” as well as “if additional storage capacity is needed for the city reservoir due to the service needs of the district.”
Plute and Mayor Tony Paulson had an intense exchange of comments about the possible need for a reservoir and where it would be located. The mayor said that he’s not going to ask city taxpayers to foot the bill for the water district.
Plute reiterated that KWD does not see the need for a reservoir in its boundaries. He said that the city could expand its storage. It has three reservoirs. Councilor Margaret Miller agreed with Plute’s statement that the issue had been resolved in the workshops.
A study of the question is to be conducted by the city’s engineering firm. Plute asked that the city revise the “scope of work” terminology, and that was agreed to, “as early as possible next week.”
In another matter, the council voted 5-0 in favor of continuing its membership in the City County Insurance Services Trust so that it can apply for a $3,500 grant to install a security system in city hall.
If the funding is received, the city would install four door knob locks that would require designated thumb prints to open. Additionally, four video cameras would be installed.
The council also received a report from Deputy George Gasperson, the city contract officer from Josephine County Sheriff’s Office. Gasperson said that he has handled more than 100 incidents of various types since July 1. But he noted that some incidents haven’t been logged, so that the total actually is higher.
He said that since he began as contract officer, he has visited many city businesses. The response has been good, he said. Councilman Don Moore thanked him for his efforts, noting, “Keep up the good work; this is what we need.”
Gasperson said that he is working to identify problem areas, and adjusting his schedule as necessary.
The council was advised by Polk that Merlin resident Holger Sommer, through his attorney, has asked for monetary relief in regard to a case he sent to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. Sommer already has paid the city nearly $8,000 after another of his appeals to LUBA also was rejected, and he was ordered to pay the city’s legal fees.
Concerning his second rejected appeal that cost the city several thousand dollars in legal fees, Sommer’s attorney wants a 50 percent reduction in the cost, and objects to three of the hours listed by City Attorney Patrick Kelly. Additionally, Polk said, the lawyer would like for the city to dismiss the matter.
