COUNCILMAN’S CORNER
You may be aware of the recent solid majority vote of City Council authorizing Fort Wayne City Utilities to acquire the northern operations of the private Aqua Indiana Water and Sewer Utility. The Indiana State Supreme Court has stated that City Utilities has the legal right to take this step which is important to water and sewer customers in areas such as Pine Valley.
Two appraisals have been obtained and City Utilities will definitely pay a fair price for the Aqua Indiana Northern System. I voted for this measure because I’ve received many emails and calls from constituents in the Aboite area regarding the high cost and low quality of water and sewer operations in the southwest Aqua Indiana region and the message has been the same from Aqua Indiana customers to the north. There will be a significant decrease in utility rates for Aqua Indiana customers after they start receiving Fort Wayne City Utility Services and current City Utility customers’ utility rates won’t be affected. It’s likely that Aqua Indiana will fight the planned acquisition in the courts as they would like to sell their utility for 2 or 3 or 4 times the appraised price–that makes no sense and hopefully that won’t happen.
Another constructive suggestion has been offered regarding the southwest Aqua Indiana water services. If Aqua Indiana agrees to purchase discounted lower cost, higher quality water from Fort Wayne City Utilities the frustrated water customers in Aboite will benefit significantly in several ways. One of those is that Aqua would be able to cancel their planned 100% utility rate hike for which a public hearing is scheduled on January 29, 2008. By the way…I’m happy to hear that Fort Wayne will actively intervene in opposing the proposed rate hike. I believe that it’s important for local government to go to bat in this way for citizens affected by such an important issue.
I recently attended a meeting in Indy regarding efforts to bring passenger rail service back to Fort Wayne. With traffic gridlock–especially during rush hour–and other factors such as the high (and increasing) cost of gasoline a return of rail service makes a lot of sense. Travel from Fort Wayne to points such as Indy, Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland would be faster, safer, less stressful, and more economical than taking the same trip by automobile. If you want to help out with the effort to bring back rail service join the Indiana High Speed Rail Association–you can Google IHSRA on the internet for their address–and also write state and federal legislators regarding bringing back the sensible alternative of rail service to good old Fort Wayne.
Call or email me if you have any suggestions or questions regarding Fort Wayne City Government. And again…thanks for support during my 12 years on City Council…I’ve been honored that you gave me the opportunity to serve.
Tom Hayhurst
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