LAHARPE For more than 30 years, LaHarpe has sold water to residents between LaHarpe and Gas.
In so doing, the city collects an extra $5 a month from each of the 44 customers enough, city officials said, to cover the costs needed to pay an employee to read meters one day a month, but not much else.
The problem, City Council members clarified Wednesday, is when the conversation turns to maintaining or repairing the 33-year-old, 4-inch water main.
There are two issues, Council members agreed: 1. Would local residents essentially be subsidizing work for neighboring residents if repairs are necessary? and 2. Does the city have authority to do repairs on property outside LaHarpe?
Every other city I work with, and I grew up this way myself, is you go to the city to get the water, City Attorney Fred Works told the Council. But this is different. That transportation line is your service line. Because of that its creating some uncertainty.
Up until the mid 1980s, the line had been used to deliver water from Gas to LaHarpe. That changed when Gas went elsewhere for its water, and LaHarpe assumed responsibility for the main as part of a system upgrade, replacing the old cast iron water line with a polivinyl chloride (PVC) line.
The maintenance cost issue was brought to the Council members attention, as they wondered if the agreement with the customers should be altered, or if not, what should be done.
The topic drew the ire of residents Shirley Diehl and Ray Maloney, both of whom live along the aforementioned water line and pay the extra monthly fee.
How come youve been fine with taking our money until now, when the line may go bad, now you want me to take care of it? Diehl asked. Ive had water for more than 40 years from you all. I pay whatever you say. I dont understand why all of a sudden you want to end it.
The city wants to take money from us, Maloney added, but it doesnt want to maintain the line. Thats what it amounts to.
Not so, Council members responded.
Youre getting mad like were going to flip the switch and turn off the water, and thats not the case, Councilman Danny Ware Jr. said. The issue is if there is a problem, how do we justify paying it? Would you want to pay to replace your neighbors water line?
If we dont have a conversation now, whats going to happen if there is a problem, Ware continued. Maybe its not going to be a problem for another 25 years. Maybe its next week. We dont know.
Chuck Richey, LaHarpes water representative for the Allen County Rural Water District, which oversees LaHarpes water source, asked if the added surcharge had been set aside for repairs?
No, Mayor Mae Crowell replied, because it was only enough to help pay employee wages for reading meters.
Perhaps the surcharge should be increased, Richey said, and the extra funding earmarked for maintenance.
Works suggested, and Council members heartily agreed, that further discussion is necessary with all of the affected customers before any decisions are made.
