“The City of Yelm is moving forward with its draft water system plan, which does anticipate additional water rate increases in 2010.

Those increases were originally planned for January, however, because the plan has not been approved, those increases will be at the councils discretion, said Project Manager Stephanie Ray.

An ordinance was approved by council Tuesday night [Dec. 8] to increase the scope of work conducted by the consulting firm, Brown and Caldwell to address concerns about the draft plan raised by the Department of Health.

The city is paying an additional $37,000.

The Thurston County Conservancy Board approval for the transfer of the McMonigle water rights was denied by the Department of Ecology.

‘This denial means the McMonigle water rights is not available to the city as they expected when preparing the (water system plan),’ said Department of Health officials.’Since the McMonigle water right was counted toward the current total water right portfolio, the information in the (plan) is based on this assumption and must be corrected.

The city is currently in negotiations with the McMonigle Family and is attempting to seize the water rights through eminent domain. Issues specified by the Department of Health concerning the McMonigle water rights will be set aside for now.

‘Were going to work on the stuff we know we can do ahead of time,’ Ray said…

Ray said the council hopes to have Department of Health approval on the water system plan in early 2010.

Part of that plan does include water rate increases each year through 2015. The original plan called for an increase each January. The average residential water customer can anticipate rates going up to $43 a month,” quoting form the NVN.

ED. NOTE:
Back to the question I raised in my Letter to the Editor last week:
“Why were water rate increase enacted based upon an unapproved water system plan?

The water system plan has not been approved and may not even be viable.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS YELM RESIDENTS, FROM YOUR CITY HALL –
YOU’RE ABOUT TO GET ANOTHER STOMACH PUNCH!
6 PEOPLE PROTESTING THE 2009 WATER RATE INCREASE HAD NO AFFECT.

ABOUT THE EMINENT DOMAIN ISSUE
KIRO-FM 93.7 radio’s Dori Monson had a very interesting show Wednesday, December 9th about the property rights issue and cities using eminent domain improperly and under very similar circumstances to the City of Yelm using eminent domain to acquire the McMonigle Water Rights.

From KIRO radio’s site:
“SeaTac, WA private property rights case. Owner of the Park ‘N Fly lot across the street from SeaTac Airport talks LIVE with Dori about a unilateral decision by the city of SeaTac that could undercut their value in their family owned business property.”

Mr. Monson stated,
“…for government to take property to spur economic development is a gross misuse of the whole intent of eminent domain, isn’t it?”
Ed. Note: YES! and the exact same situation is occurring in Yelm with the City seizing the McMonigle Water Rights through eminent domain to support their Draft Water System Plan (WSP) that has as a key component supplying water to for economic development to a Master Planned Community (MPC).
CLICK HERE to listen.