The County Water District Board in the Heights approved a number of resolutions at their December 18 meeting, including the employees’ retirement plan and final approval of the district’s Preliminary Engineering Report (PER).
The meeting began, however, with a somewhat contentious issue regarding a notice submitted to the board threatening a lawsuit regarding any effort to consolidate the district with the City of Billings.
The board disagreed about the necessity of reading aloud the notice that was dropped off at the office for board members. The notice was signed by two district citizens, Michael Macki and Butch Bailey. The board voted to include it in the public record but not to read it aloud. Board Member Ming Cabrera opposed the motion, insisting it was important to read it aloud.
The notice stated, “… I consulted an attorney; he wanted the following information from the Board Members that voted for the city to obtain ownership of the Heights Water District: 1) What will the city compensate the rate payers for the SIDs and square foot lot fees that the property owners and rate payers paid? This is an estimate between $60 – $90 million. 2) What is the compensation for these Board Members being offered or given, if any, currently or in the future? This will be addressed in future litigation. P.S. The rate payers hope these Board Members have their financials in order, this will probably be needed.”
Cabrera said, “It should be read aloud. We have read them before in the past. I’m sorry if you guys don’t believe that this is happening, but there is litigation that is going to happen and you should read it and make sure everybody understands it.”
[It should be noted that the board has not voted for “the city to obtain ownership of the Heights Water District.” The board has agreed to work with the City of Billings in exploring the potential impacts, costs and issues that might be involved in such a merger, and has entered into an MOU to share costs in that research, but there has been no decision to take any action.]
Following the vote not to read the notice aloud, Cabrera commented, “It will be that way throughout the meeting, I guess.” He added, “I will make sure that Mike Macki realizes that you would not lead the public comment.”
Chairman of the Board, Doug Kary, said, “The board members have all read it.”
In discussing the consent agenda, left unresolved was a question about payments made to “American Asset Business”, which Board Member Pam Ellis questioned. There was no answer to her questions. No one seemed to know what the entity was or what the payments were for. She said that the … Read the other half of the story by subscribing here.
