By five o'clock Monday night, about 40 people were standing across High Street from City Hall with signs, tee shirts and a megaphone, demanding that City Council kill the Mayor's proposal to lease the city's sewer system to fund a college scholarship programbefore the issue makes it to the November ballot.

They didn't get exactly what they asked for, but council's votes came pretty close.

SEE more photos of the Citizens to Save Our Sewers demonstration.

At right, Citizens SoS spokesman Willie Smith addresses a crowd of 40-some protesters across High Street from City Hall.

READ (.pdf file) Council's agenda for Monday's special meeting.

READ (.pdf file) Council's new legislation proposals for Monday's special meeting.

The group called Citizens to Save our Sewer collected more than 6,000 petition signatures to put the the issue on the ballot, so it was a formality that council voted on it. Council President Marco Sommerville had earlier predicted that issue would easily land on the ballot even if Council didn't necessarily agree as a whole with the SoS language.

LISTEN to Citizens SOS president Willie Smith's reaction to council's votes.

The mayor submitted his own proposal to council earlier Monday. It asks for an amendment to the city's charter that would allow the city to sell, lease or transfer city utilities. Some council members took exception to confusing wording in the proposal, such as its title: "Sewer System: State Law to be Followed." The state law would allow the sale.

Citizens SOS president Willie Smith charges the Mayor can lease a public utility to a private company for 25 years. But Plusquellic wants to fund a scholarship pool with the proceeds from a lease, so he's hoping for a longer time limit, which opponents say is the same as an option to sell the utility. That's what alarmed some council members, and it's likely part of the reason the issue was put on hold for further debate in the coming month.

Ward Two council member Bruce Kilby took particular exception to a proposal that leaves the fate of current sewer employees in the mayor's hands after the hypothetical lease or sale.

LISTEN to Kilby make an analogy popular with Citizens SOS.

Mayor Plusquellic told reporters he was open to a short-term lease agreement provided it saved the city money and allowed the city to maintain greater control over the sewer system.

Comments
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posted at 8/19/2008 8:16:19 AM (2226)
 historybuff said:

Oh boy. Stay tuned for the fun.

posted at 8/19/2008 11:25:32 AM (2233)
duffey3 said:

I am just flushed with excitement on this topic.

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