Water, sewer commission voted out

EL DORADO -- The El Dorado City Council has dissolved the El Dorado Water and Sewer Commission, opting to form an advisory board that will report water and sewer problems directly to the city's Public Works Department.

It comes at a time when residents have complained this year about the need for timely and proper repairs to avoid flooded streets or neighborhoods.

Aldermen voted 7-1 to do away with the commission in a specially called meeting Monday, with Alderman Billy Blann casting the sole opposing vote.

The council first considered dissolving the water and sewer commission about four years ago, when aldermen questioned the utilities' customer-service efforts, quality of repairs and willingness to address complaints.

Those issues were broached again Monday, including claims of inefficiency while making repairs and low employee morale at the utility. The council suspended the rules to act immediately Monday and read the dissolution ordinance three times. An emergency clause was enacted after final passage, meaning the ordinance went into effect immediately.

No representatives from El Dorado Water Utilities were at the meeting.

Mark Smith, general manager of the utilities, said he learned about the vote and meeting from Pete Parks, former chairman of the water and sewer commission.

"It came as a complete surprise to all of the commissioners," Parks said.

Alderman Willie McGhee began the discussion Monday, saying the issues raised by aldermen and customers in 2013 have persisted.

"It seems like we're not on the same page at the same time. In past discussions, we've talked about bringing the water company under the city altogether," McGhee said. "That way, we can have better communication and better information when citizens call. Sometimes, we have to get information through a third and fourth party."

McGhee asked his fellow aldermen for support in dismantling the water and sewer commission and bringing the operation under the auspices of the Public Works Department.

Under the new ordinance, a water advisory board will be formed and will consist of five members, each with five-year, staggered terms.

"The Water Advisory Board shall be under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department. The Water and Sewer Manager will report to the Director of Public Works," according to the ordinance.

Robert Edmonds, public works director, and Mayor Frank Hash also pointed to street repairs, saying that utilities' workers often do not properly refill street beds when they open streets to make water or sewer repairs.

A few years ago, the city and the utilities agreed to coordinate their work schedules -- water and sewer repairs and the city's annual street-improvement program -- so the city can follow the utilities in properly fixing streets after work has been done to water and wastewater infrastructure.

Edmonds said the city has spent $45,000 in the past three months to address such problems.

Smith acknowledged that bills began arriving weeks ago from the Public Works Department, but he said neither Edmonds nor city officials have discussed the matter with him.

Smith also said street repairs by the utilities have "come a long way," but he admitted there is room for improvement and said that water crews are not trained in street repairs.

"Our employees are fixing leaks and wastewater and water problems. Their focus can't be street repairs," Smith said. "I never said we were street repair experts."

State Desk on 07/23/2017

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