By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Members of a grassroots citizens’ organization have offered an alternative to water and
wastewater rate increases being considered by the city of Del Rio.
Members of The Border Organization (TBO) unveiled the alternative proposal during a Dec. 1
town hall meeting on the proposed rate increases. The meeting was held to give Del Rioans the
opportunity to meet face-to-face with city administrators and ask questions about the proposed
rate hikes.
Sixteen citizens spoke during the meeting; seven of them identified themselves as being affiliated
with The Border Organization.
Patricio Garza was the first TBO leader to speak. He laid out TBO’s alternate proposal for the
city to raise funds for water and wastewater infrastructure repairs and improvements City
Manager Shawna Burkhart and the Del Rio City Council have deemed critical.
Garza began by saying, “We are all aware of the needs for infrastructure improvements to the
(city’s) water and sewer system, but we do have some concerns. . . What The Border
Organization is proposing is a flat meter rate increase for all users, from year 0 to year 30. This
amount is roughly $22 per meter per month and would be sufficient to amortize the loans that the
city is considering to fund the required infrastructure.”
Garza said the amount TBO was proposing was based on the cost estimates that have been
proffered for the water and wastewater infrastructure projects city officials have said are the most
critical, including $33.5 million for development and construction of a larger sewer line to serve
north Del Rio and future development in that area, $18.5 million for refurbishing the filtration
system at the city’s water treatment plant, $12.6 million for a new municipal water well, $4.8
million for upgrades to the Silver Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant and $1.9 million for
reconstructing the containment wall around the East Springs.
Garza told city administrators TBO members question the cost estimates for some of the
projects, adding the estimates “seem on the high side.” He also said the city has publicized
conflicting information about some of the projects.
“We strongly recommend to take a step back and define the actual needs, and look for
alternatives to fund these projects without placing undue financial burden on the citizens. There
could be a combination of flat rates, indexing of these to cover operating expenses, reasonable property tax increments and a better definition of the scope and cost of the projects. Instead of
promoting growth, you are planting the seeds for stifling growth and desire for people or
businesses to be or to move here,” Garza added.
Burkhart responded to Garza’s statements, pointing out the city’s proposed water and wastewater
rate increases were recommended by a consultant the city had hired and emphasizing the city
could not seek financing for projects from state agencies without such a study.
Burkhart also said she believed the consultants would be willing to listen to the alternative
proposed by TBO members and read some of the responses the consultants had provided her
when she emailed them some of TBO’s questions and critiques.
Burkhart and Garza spent some time discussing TBO’s alternative to the city’s proposed rate
increases. Burkhart told Garza the rate consultants said the fixed rate increase suggested by TBO
makes revenue to the utility less variable because of weather or reduced usage, but that the TBO
option “recovers more of the cost from customers with low water use.”
Garza rejoined that TBO’s option could be modified to take into consideration different
customers using different line sizes and different amounts of water.
TBO co-chair Sandra Fuentes added, “Our proposal is not set in
held by the city to discuss proposed new water and wastewater rates. During the meeting,
citizens were encouraged to ask questions and hear answers from city administrators. (Photo by
Karen Gleason)
stone. We are open for
negotiation, for conversation and please, by all means, poke holes into this argument. This is the
only way we’ll get to something viable for everyone.”
Other TBO members also addressed Burkhart and other city
administrators at the town hall
meeting. They included Ronda Hargrove, Eddie Cortez, Joe Salas, Mariel Rodriguez and Irma
Cardenas.
Hargrove asked about the legality of transferring money from enterprise funds like the water and
wastewater funds to the city’s general fund and wondered aloud how citizens could be assured
the additional money raised by the proposed rate increases would be used for the identified
infrastructure projects. Hargrove also said she believed Del Rioans should vote on the use of the
funds for an additional municipal well.
Cortez said he believed the city should do more to help citizens understand their monthly water
and wastewater bills. Cortez urged city officials to consider TBO’s alternative for raising funds
for the infrastructure projects and asked them to consider other funding sources, such as selling
city-owned property, raising the toll rates at the international bridge, incrementally increasing
city property taxes and limiting city officials’ travel.
Salas, who lives in the Val Verde Park Estates area outside the city limits, told city officials
persons on the city’s water and sewer system who live outside the city limits already pay more
than those living inside the city limits.
Salas said, “The (proposed new) rates will hit us especially hard, and if the city wants to meet its
financial obligations while looking out for its citizens, you should reconsider the rate increase
and work with The Border Organization to choose an alternative that meets those goals.”
between city officials and citizens on a series of water and wastewater rate increases being
proposed by the city. Hargrove has long questioned the cost estimates for the city’s proposed
water and wastewater projects, especially a new municipal water well. (Photo by Karen Gleason)
Rodriguez asked a series of questions about the water and wastewater infrastructure projects, and
Burkhart answered her questions.
Cardenas, too, asked a series of questions, which she said she wanted to address to City Public
Works Director Greg Velazquez, who was not present at the meeting. Burkhart answered
Cardenas’ questions where she could, noting she will present a comprehensive overview of all
city projects to the city council in late January or early February of next year.
Fuentes, in addition to asking supplemental questions during presentations by other TBO
members, said she believed it was important for city officials to continue ongoing dialogues with
TBO to address city issues.
“We want to work with you. We’re so far past pointing fingers anymore. That gets us nowhere.
We want to work with you. What’s the phrase? There’s no sense crying over spilled milk? We’re
here. What are we going to do together as a community? But let’s be fair about it. Let’s look at
other options,” Fuentes said.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
