Speaking of National Emergencies

This week a Cascade citizen posted this on Facebook: “The real national emergency is the water in Flint, MI.” She doesn’t have to go so far. Go out to the water line on your street.

 At its 11 February meeting council allocated $13,500 for a “preliminary” water treatment report.  Pursuant to considering whether the city will install a “reverse osmosis” system to deal with water we are pumping out of the Jordan Aquifer increasingly tainted with ammonia, and requiring increasing doses of chlorine to make potable.

Tuesday morning I stopped and asked the City Administrator what funds were earmarked for the east side line that must be flushed once a week in hot weather. Presuming that naturally, it would be replaced this year.

No funds were allocated or earmarked! I was then told it wasn’t just that line, but the  main and several lines on the west side of town also need replacing.  Now, there is a solution: do nothing because so much needs to be done.

 So I asked her, “How can council let bids for a swimming pool, tennis court resurfacing, donating $20,000 for Economic Development (done at Monday night’s meeting) while not delivering drinkable water to all citizens?"

She shrugged her shoulders and said, “I don’t make those decisions.

            Next council meeting is Mon. 25 February. If you think a city shouldn’t be building recreation facilities before providing all citizens with basic necessities like water, you should be at the next council meeting. Once the budget is finalized and passed, you can’t object.