Eye On Englewood

Link: http://www.englewoodcitizen.com

Dave Hill represented at the City of Englewood, on Monday evening regarding the celebration of a waterfall of income. The city's special water district will now earn approximately $2,000,000 per year because it just won a longstanding legal battle with the City of Aurora for 590 acre feet of water rights per year. Now, Englewood can turn around and lease these water rights to the City of Centennial, which is desperately in need of water.

No one likes to talk about dry history when they are celebrating a big splash, but just briefly, allow me to pour one on: Back in the late eighties, the Cities of Thornton and Westminster wished to keep Stanley Lake full to service more of their water directly for their cities' use. Englewood made a deal with them to allow 590 acre feet of it pass through to Englewood.

Along came the City of Aurora, and paddled out a later deal with Thornton and Westminster for their own water, but they left Englewood out. Englewood did not like its senior water rights being diverted, and for many years has dammed up the City of Aurora in a legal battle to return what belongs to Englewood. The matter was settled this week.

What's the value to you, you ask? According to Robert Cassidy, Englewood Water Board Member, about five million dollars per year! This is a huge benefit to Englewood businesses and residents because it should lower the water bills significantly. It should also stop the rate increase that was scheduled to happen this year due to the E.P.A.'s requirement on Englewood's water board to install a U.V. disinfectant system.

The cost of this U.V. start up equals approximately one year's revenue to Englewood from the City of Centennial's purchase. Putting it simply, hope for your household budget floats on water rights. Good Work, Water Board!

On the other hand, the Mayor recognized that a line had been crossed in the City's policy on overspending, funds which are kept completely separate from the special district Water Board. Mayor stated that City Council is forced to dig into the long term asset reserves 9.2% percent at this time. To help offset this topsy-turvey raft that's about to drown the budget, the City declared a fiscal emergency, on September 7, 2010, Monday evening. See Ordinances, Resolutions item 11. to click on the link and listen for yourself.

However, the Englewood City Charter specifically prohibits this kind of fiscal emergency, in Article V, Ordinances, section 41. Section 41: Emergency ordinances even to catch a fleeting interest rate are not permitted.

Emergency ordinances necessary for the immediate preservation of public property, health, peace, or safety may be introduced, read and unanimously approved by a quorum present, at any meeting of the Council. The facts showing such urgency and need shall be specifically stated in the ordinance. No ordinance shall receive final passage on the same date it is introduced; however, emergency ordinances may receive final passage by Council on the following day. Emergency ordinances shall take effect immediately upon final passage and shall be published within seven days thereof. No ordinance making a grant of any special privilege, levying taxes, incurring indebtedness, authorizing borrowing money or fixing rates charged by any city owned utility shall ever be passed as an emergency measure unless the indebtedness, or the borrowing of money has received prior voter approval, or the indebtedness does not require voter approval under Article X, Section 20 (TABOR) of the State Constitution.
(Amended 11-2-1965; 11-6-2001)

But a 2 million dollar annual gain is apparently not sufficient for Water Board Director, Stu Fonda, who approached City Council to pass a hefty increase on non emergency utility fees for whenever water or electricity is shut off at your home after hours or on weekends. This is only typically shut off for construction, but occasionally, as Councilman Bob McCaslin pointed out, an escrow issue could occur on new home owners, as happened to himself, where his own water was shut off after hours. This would effect landlords and property owners whose tenants have failed to pay their bills as well. The person on call would have the personal authority to make a decision as to whether to charge a citizen or not.

Requests to turn off sprinkler systems, or at a plumber's request are passed along to the homeowner at an initial new fee of $150, and $75 per hour thereafter. Pay attention, folks, the City is passing along their own failure to stay within their own budget onto your shoulders. Since this is not a matter of public safety or necessity, and the funds go to the special district, City Council should have negated Mr. Fonda's greedy little water request.

It was slightly amusing that McCaslin, at large, admitted he called the police and the fire department before thinking to call the water utility, and that this was the event nine years ago that spurred him on to Council to make better policies. (Uh...now's the time to bob in that pond with your thinking cap on, Mr. McCaslin.)

Could Englewood's budget discrepancies be a problem of priorities? During study session on Monday evening, a sells job from PLACE Ventura, seeking to relocate to Flood Middle School, was presented for well on an hour, asking the City Council for a four million dollar line of credit backed by the City. This representative of PLACE dressed poorly to be asking a city for so much money. His suit was cheap, his collar was wrinkled and his tie was slung low. His cohort, who had flown out from the East Coast to provide architectural services, sat behind him in blue jeans. Nevertheless, Linda Olsen was visibly impressed, and Councilman McCaslin asked excited questions. PLACE admitted in the presentation that if PLACE Ventura defaulted on such a loan, after utilizing say $2,000,000 of it, that the City would be left holding the bag.

After enduring this sales pitch for an hour, it was time to review the City Budget Crises. Ah, too bad. Time ran out. You can hear the all of two minutes given to this encroachment onto City Council's time for yourself. Have a good swim.