Ya know......there's been a lot of discussion about water rates and billings. There's been accusations of poor management by the city. There has been accusations of rising water rates as the cause of substantially increased costs to citizens. The water meters aren't working........etc., etc., etc., ad nauseam.
I am of the opinion that Rowlett's "officialdom" did not purposely do anything wrong. Perhaps the water situation could have been handled better, but I don't think Rowlett "officialdom" is profiting in any way by the situation. However, I do think that NTMWD is most definitely profiting. It doesn't make sense to me that the rates should have gone up the way they did, using the excuses they did........then continue to raise after the excuses were gone. I think the real culprit is the NTMWD.
Just think how much different the political atmosphere would have been if "officialdom" had elected to join the citizens and lead the fight against NTMWD's obnoxious water rates. I think NTMWD has been the main culprit.....as evidenced by their 10% rate increases per year over the past five years. I think it was a pure cash grab. Furthermore, "officialdom" could have brought to task the suppliers of the new meters and demanded proof that the new electronic system was actually working as represented. And, finally, an investigation of our in-house procedures of posting paid bills could be done with a minimum of angst. I don't fault our people for following procedure. I fault the office procedures. It could be fixed, if needed, relatively easy.
Somehow this has blown up way out of proportion to the needed efforts to repair. How much better would it have been if Rowlett "officialdom" had made demands of NTMWD justifying their rates. It may not have done any good, but the citizens could see that their elected officials were trying to lead the fight against the bureaucrats. Then, all major suppliers of equipment should be made to prove up their products are working as represented. This is standard operating procedure in the world of business. Lastly, our city manager is plenty smart enough to tweak dials in-house to expedite paying of water bills and properly posting the accounts.
If these three items were done, and the public made aware of all efforts, don't you think the political environment would be much better? Maybe efforts were made but not publicized. Maybe not.
The really big question remains, "If not...why not?"
I am of the opinion that Rowlett's "officialdom" did not purposely do anything wrong. Perhaps the water situation could have been handled better, but I don't think Rowlett "officialdom" is profiting in any way by the situation. However, I do think that NTMWD is most definitely profiting. It doesn't make sense to me that the rates should have gone up the way they did, using the excuses they did........then continue to raise after the excuses were gone. I think the real culprit is the NTMWD.
Just think how much different the political atmosphere would have been if "officialdom" had elected to join the citizens and lead the fight against NTMWD's obnoxious water rates. I think NTMWD has been the main culprit.....as evidenced by their 10% rate increases per year over the past five years. I think it was a pure cash grab. Furthermore, "officialdom" could have brought to task the suppliers of the new meters and demanded proof that the new electronic system was actually working as represented. And, finally, an investigation of our in-house procedures of posting paid bills could be done with a minimum of angst. I don't fault our people for following procedure. I fault the office procedures. It could be fixed, if needed, relatively easy.
Somehow this has blown up way out of proportion to the needed efforts to repair. How much better would it have been if Rowlett "officialdom" had made demands of NTMWD justifying their rates. It may not have done any good, but the citizens could see that their elected officials were trying to lead the fight against the bureaucrats. Then, all major suppliers of equipment should be made to prove up their products are working as represented. This is standard operating procedure in the world of business. Lastly, our city manager is plenty smart enough to tweak dials in-house to expedite paying of water bills and properly posting the accounts.
If these three items were done, and the public made aware of all efforts, don't you think the political environment would be much better? Maybe efforts were made but not publicized. Maybe not.
The really big question remains, "If not...why not?"
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