Title
Consideration of a Resolution of Support for a Regional Authority for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD)
Body
Whereas, the City of Rochester Hills depends on the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) to provide water and sewage service to the citizens of our community; and
Whereas, the City of Rochester Hills has been subjected to significant annual rate increases for these services over the last ten years, with rates rising from $10.90 per MCF in 2000 to $26.60 per MCF in 2010 which is an increase of 144%; and
Whereas, the DWSD is currently governed by a seven-member board that is appointed by the Mayor of the City of Detroit and that governing board is charged with setting rates for Detroit and the 125 other communities in the surrounding Metro Detroit area who are customers of the DWSD; and
Whereas, recently the DWSD and the City of Detroit have come under criticism with the recent indictment charges of former Mayor Kilpatrick and officials within his administration, including the former DWSD director, for directing governmental contracts towards friends of Mayor Kilpatrick; and
Whereas, these indictments have called into question the workings of the DWSD and have caused suburban communities, including the City of Rochester Hills, to question the annual rate increases by the DWSD over the years; and
Whereas, it has been proposed for several years that the DWSD should be governed by a Regional Authority, similar to the boards that operate Cobo Hall and the Detroit Zoo, so that all communities who are served by and contribute financially to the system shall have a say in how the system operates; and
Whereas, this idea has recently been advocated by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner John McCulloch; and
Whereas, State Representative Kurt Heise of Plymouth has recently introduced House Bill 4112 in the State Legislature to create a nine member governing board for the DWSD that would include one seat for Detroit, one seat apiece for Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties and five seats elected from the 125 communities who use the system.
Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the City of Rochester Hills formally endorses the concept of a Regional Authority to govern the DWSD and is supportive of Representative Heise's HB 4112 and other similar bills that may arise that will create such an authority that will provide all communities participation in the operation of the DWSD; and
Be It Further Resolved, that the City of Rochester Hills also requests a financial audit of the DWSD and a full, transparent review of their financial books so that communities can see whether and why the annual rate increases have been justified; and
Be It Further Resolved, that the City of Rochester Hills requests the DWSD to forego any further rate increases until a Regional Authority is created and a financial audit has been accomplished. After the financial audit has been completed, the DWSD should rebate those communities, if any, that have been overcharged; and
Be It Further Resolved, that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Governor, the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the State House, Senator Marleau, Representative McMillin, Mayor Bing, the Detroit City Council, the DWSD, Oakland County Executive Patterson, the Oakland County Commission and Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner McCulloch; and
Be It Further Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be sent to the clerks of all municipalities in Oakland County, encouraging their communities to likewise support a Regional Authority to govern water and sewer rates in our communities.