Emmaus Councilwoman Susan Schmidt, chairperson of the borough's water committee, presented the committee's recommendation to council Monday that one of the options, that of retaining the water system as it presently exists and appealing to the Public Utlity Commission for a rate increase, be taken off the table.
The Water Committee has studied the water system for several years arriving at several options to assauge the drain of funds that maintenance of the system is causing, which will someday cause the system to operate in the “red.” Council has already eliminated the option of selling the system to a private company or to Lehigh County Authority.
Councilman Brent Labenberg argued that taking the option of retaining the system would be a slap in the face to the 630 residents who signed a petition asking council to retain the system.
Labenberg said Quakertown was recently successful in its request to PUC for a rate increase, asking for 130 percent increase and receiving approval for 101 percent increase.
Schmidt said the committee's decision to remove the option of going to PUC from its list is due to its desire to focus on the more favorable options.
Councilman Dennis Gouldy said he saw no reason to remove retaining the system from the table at the same time as exploring the other options. Council President Craig Neely agreed.
Instead of asking for a vote on the committee's recommendation, Schmidt asked to table the recommendation, which council passed 5-2, with Gouldy and Neely opposed.
The committee will next meet Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 11 p.m.
