News
Rural Sheridan County Residents Voice Concerns Regards Proposed SAWS Dissolution
Published
1 year agoon
The Board that oversees water services to the rural parts of Sheridan County may soon be no more and the city of Sheridan may take over, but some residents say things are moving too quickly.
Monday (October 30th) was the second of two public hearings held by the Sheridan Area Water Supply Joint Powers Board (SAWS), which is made up of both Sheridan City Council Members and the Sheridan County Commissioners.
The Board has proposed dissolving itself on April 1st of next year, with the city taking over at that time.
Between now and then, the city would pay off the remaining balance of its two loans to the Board and the Board will pay off its remaining debts and obligations.
Although they were told it would result in a rate decrease, members of the public expressed concern over what assets would remain and how a third party analyst would come up with the rate.
Some of the public suggested they may form their own rural water board, while others are going to ask both the city council and county commissioners to table their decisions regarding the board, until more information is available.
County Commissioner Christi Haswell, who is also the Chairwoman of SAWS board, from what she heard at the meeting, the rural public wants more involvement in the decisions being made.
“They wanted to continue to have a say and a voice as a rural water user for those assets and some of the water rights that SAWS holds and so with our structure, they feel that we weren’t providing that.”
The next Sheridan City Council meeting is scheduled for this coming Monday, November 6th and the next County Commissioners is scheduled for the next day.