PRESCOTT - In the wake of the recent overwhelming voter support for the Taxpayer Protection Initiative, questions arose Tuesday over how Prescott should proceed with Big Chino pipeline-related expenses.
Those questions resulted in a temporary delay by the Prescott City Council on the purchase of three new easements for the pipeline, as well as a number of additions to professional contracts for the project.
At issue is whether the city should spend more money on the multi-million-dollar pipeline if voters would be deciding the fate of the project soon.
By a two-to-one margin on Nov. 3, Prescott voters approved the initiative that requires any city project of $40 million or more to go to a vote of the public.
The Big Chino Water Ranch, for which Prescott and Prescott Valley already have spent more than $35 million, was the project that both proponents and opponents of the initiative focused on in the months leading up the election.
City officials earlier estimated the cost of the Big Chino project at $170 million, but have since reduced it, because they say a $29.7 million intermediate pump station is necessary regardless of whether the Big Chino pipeline becomes reality.
Several members of the audience at Tuesday's meeting, as well as members of the City Council, pushed for answers on whether the city should be spending more money on the pipeline when a future vote of the public conceivably could kill the project.
"Why go through the machinations before the actual date that (Proposition) 401 is effective?" asked local resident and former council candidate Michael Allen Peters. "It seems to me you are trying to go in the back door."
Resident Leslie Hoy, a supporter of the Taxpayer Protection Initiative, maintained that voters approved the initiative because of a lack of faith in the City Council to handle large projects. Now, she said, voters "want to see if you are responsive to what they just told you a few short weeks ago."
And resident Howard Mechanic, another supporter of the initiative, maintained that by buying new easements now, the council "would be taking a risk by spending public funds on something that might be worthless."
Prescott Water Resources Manager Jim Holt explained after the meeting that he took the three easements to the council this week as a "housecleaning" move to get details resolved before he retires from the position next week.
In addition, while Holt said he usually waits to group more easements together before taking them to the council for approval, he said, "I'm sensitive to the property owners."
For nearly a year, the city has been buying easements that it needs to build the 30-mile water pipeline from the Paulden-area Big Chino Water Ranch. The latest round of easements that Holt took to the council this week totaled about $22,000.
Along with the easements, the council's agenda also included additions to four professional contracts relating to easement acquisitions, totaling about $212,000.
Along with members of the audience, several council members also pushed for answers on the applicability of the Taxpayer Protection Initiative to the Big Chino Water Ranch before proceeding with more expenses.
City Attorney Gary Kidd said the initiative would go into effect 30 days after the Nov. 3 approval. He added that he planned to discuss the implementation of the initiative this week.
The council ultimately agreed to postpone consideration of the three easements and the contract additions for two weeks to a month.
Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Article comment by:
ArmyVet
The main thrust is the people have grabbed the reins of government back from a few elected officials who for unknown reasons have decided to sell out to the major landowners and developers . It is a step in the right direction and as folks become more aware they will demand their voices be heard as is right in a true Democracy. There are always the tool of recall and request for Federal Investigation , which should be done as it is mind boggling the steal of multi millions of dollars for Land Owners pipeline to get the value of their range land increased. The sticker?; I never got a vote, did you?
Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Max
Has there beeen any Federal R.I.C.O. investigation into this whole Chino Pipeline and the Cowboy Mafia and Rolex Ranchers? It certainly stinks like a rotten fish and it appears no one is to be trusted or has a price. Federal help is needed.
Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Article comment by:
What?!
"City officials earlier estimated the cost of the Big Chino project at $170 million, but have since reduced it, because they say a $29.7 million intermediate pump station is necessary regardless of whether the Big Chino pipeline becomes reality." What? If we need a $29.7 million intermediate pump station, how does that reduce the cost? Why would we need the pump station if the Big Chino project does not become a reality? No part of this paragraph makes any sense. Editor?
Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Leaving with a threat...
You left something out Cindy. In one of the most disturbing and absolutely disgusting moments of Prescott's city council history, ex-Mayor Wilson suggested (A threat?) that there existed a way around the recently passed taxpayer protection initiative. An end run. A way to ignore the wishes of two-thirds of people of Prescott. A plan suggested apparently by one of the consultants on the public-private scenario to fund this debacle. His remark was soon followed by an impassioned assertation by the retiring Roecker that EVERYTHING this council had done was above board, and always transparent.
Right, and pigs have wings too, Mr. Roecker.
Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Pionivate-public partnership will fix the taxpayer initiative. The city spends $39 million Prescott Valley and private entities provide the rest. It will only make our water more costlier with private companies looking to make the buck.
