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It'll take some legal wrangling, but Dixonville Water System Task Force members agreed Wednesday the system east of Roseburg should become a part of the city's water services.
The task force has met over the past few months to discuss the future of the 40-year-old system that serves 425 customers.
The City Council expressed interest in acquiring part or all of the system in August after agreeing to loan the system money for repairs. Some councilors also view the system as a key to planning for future growth in that area. Once the city takes it on, future hookups will be prohibited outside the urban growth boundary.
Most agreed it would be unfair for the city to acquire only the portions of the system inside the urban growth boundary because that would take much of the customer base away from the Dixonville Water Association.
"We're not going to be an economically viable entity," said Fred Dayton, the association's president and member of the Roseburg Utility Commission, at the task force meeting.
Some task force members were concerned, though, that acquiring the system would prove a liability for the city. Needed maintenance work and upgrading has long been delayed.
City staff prepared a scenario, however, that could raise enough revenue to maintain the system if the city acquires it.
Dixonville residents would be subject to a $25 monthly surcharge for future work, which is essentially what they already pay.
That surcharge would include the city's outside user $10 fee and the current $10 Dixonville system assessment fee, which the association board already agreed to raise to $15 to pay off its loan from the city. That surcharge is on top of the monthly city water bill Dixonville customers already pay.
That surcharge would only be enough to maintain the system at its current rural service level, though.
"That is not enough money to bring it up to (city) standards," said Clay Baumgartner, Roseburg public works director.
Issues such as whether it's legal to use the outside water fee for this purpose and in what way the system would become a part of the city still need to be worked out.
A recommendation will be made to the Utility Commission, then to the City Council next month. Dayton said he then plans to take the proposal to Dixonville customers to seek approval.
* You can reach reporter Chelsea Duncan at 957-4246 or by e-mail at cduncan@newsreview.info.
The task force has met over the past few months to discuss the future of the 40-year-old system that serves 425 customers.
The City Council expressed interest in acquiring part or all of the system in August after agreeing to loan the system money for repairs. Some councilors also view the system as a key to planning for future growth in that area. Once the city takes it on, future hookups will be prohibited outside the urban growth boundary.
Most agreed it would be unfair for the city to acquire only the portions of the system inside the urban growth boundary because that would take much of the customer base away from the Dixonville Water Association.
"We're not going to be an economically viable entity," said Fred Dayton, the association's president and member of the Roseburg Utility Commission, at the task force meeting.
Some task force members were concerned, though, that acquiring the system would prove a liability for the city. Needed maintenance work and upgrading has long been delayed.
City staff prepared a scenario, however, that could raise enough revenue to maintain the system if the city acquires it.
Dixonville residents would be subject to a $25 monthly surcharge for future work, which is essentially what they already pay.
That surcharge would include the city's outside user $10 fee and the current $10 Dixonville system assessment fee, which the association board already agreed to raise to $15 to pay off its loan from the city. That surcharge is on top of the monthly city water bill Dixonville customers already pay.
That surcharge would only be enough to maintain the system at its current rural service level, though.
"That is not enough money to bring it up to (city) standards," said Clay Baumgartner, Roseburg public works director.
Issues such as whether it's legal to use the outside water fee for this purpose and in what way the system would become a part of the city still need to be worked out.
A recommendation will be made to the Utility Commission, then to the City Council next month. Dayton said he then plans to take the proposal to Dixonville customers to seek approval.
* You can reach reporter Chelsea Duncan at 957-4246 or by e-mail at cduncan@newsreview.info.
