Editor:
As to having a private company manage our water and wastewater facilities, I’m not so sure this is such a good idea.
I did a bit of reading on this subject and learned that some communities when entering into contracts with private companies have subsequently had exorbitant water rate increases as well as a decline in service quality.
However, to be fair, I also read that one such management company has received an award of excellence in management and strives to exceed customer expectations.
So it seems some communities are happy with the arrangement, and others are not so happy.
In one case, a community entered a 25-year contract with a private company and then later regretted doing so. This is the part of the idea that I have trouble with.
It seems to me that turning over management of our water and wastewater treatment facilities to a private concern, we the people of Sweet Home would risk losing control of these facilities.
As it stands now, we can vote or not vote for those who are ultimately responsible for the management of these facilities. Should the city enter into a long-term contract with such a company, we would be stuck with that company for many years, and we might not have any recourse should there be a decline in service or astronomical rate increases.
A private company is responsible to its shareholders not to the citizens of Sweet Home.
With that said, the only way I think we should ever agree to have such a company manage our facilities is with one-year renewable contracts.
If it is true that such a company will manage our facilities well and will provide quality service, then that company would have no need to enter into a long-term contract. Correct? Since we would be happy with their service, we would be happy to renew the contract every year.
With a short-term contract, we would retain local control of our facilities. If things are not being run the way we would like, we would have the option of not renewing the contract. Then we could switch to another company or return management of the facilities to the city.
If the company insists on eventually having a long-term contract, then maybe it is not a good idea to do this.
Let’s retain local control of our facilities, our quality of service and our water rates. Short-term, one-year contracts or no deal.
Bill Davis
Sweet Home