The Hot Springs Board of Directors voted unanimously Tuesday night to authorize directors Randy Fale and Becca Clark to present a proposed compromise regarding water issues facing the residents of Garland County to the bilateral Community Water Committee.
The water committee, which was formed in August 2014 to search for a common ground and a common solution to the "water crisis" facing the community, was scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday at The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce. The meeting was canceled late Wednesday due to concerns about possible inclement weather. The meeting has been rescheduled for 4 p.m. March 20.
City members of a subcommittee formed in November by the full committee to find solutions or compromises to the water issues released a proposed compromise Tuesday whereby the city, in exchange for the county's support of its efforts to obtain water through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will assume the risk of running short of water by allowing limited extensions in the county as the new water source is brought online.
"I think it's appropriate at this point to seek the support of the board to take it to the committee for its consideration," Fale told the directors Tuesday night.
"I don't think any of this is a surprise and much of this has been discussed behind the scenes with at least one other person who has had the opportunity to talk to other people on the committee, so no one's getting blindsided, I don't think," he said.
In consideration of the city's efforts at a compromise, the proposal calls for a resolution from the Garland County Quorum Court that supports the city's request for water from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with no specific source identified, as a unified effort; enforcement of agreed-upon conservation measures applicable to all users of the system; and support of prosecution for theft of water from the system.
"I think the water issue is the single-greatest issue facing us today and it has been a stumbling block between city and county relations, so the sooner we resolve this, the better off we'll be," said District 4 Director Larry Williams, a former county judge.
"What we're doing is offering a compromise, and I have thought for some time that we should relax the extension of water if we could secure a commitment from the county to work with us in securing additional water. It's not so important as to what source we use, but that we have additional water. I endorse the proposal," Williams said.
City Attorney Brian Albright, who also serves on the subcommittee with Fale and City Manager David Watkins, said the proposal was presented to the board so it could be given to the full committee as a commitment from the city.
Local on 03/05/2015