Aqua Ohio

[Towntalk]

As I understand it, Campbell is seeking to sell it's Water Works.

As to private sector owning the Water Works not only could they run it "leaner and meaner" but the water rates would go up, and we would be faced with the same problems that we have with natural gas and electricity.

Added to that, the people of Youngstown would have no say in rate increases.

You know as well as I do that for profit companies are out to make a profit for their shareholders, and that is just as true for water as it is natural gas or electric service.

As to the prople that work for the Water Works ... they are union ... do you think for a single second that the unions just sit back and take the cuts in workers and pay?

It's very simplistic to gripe about the number of people that work for the city ... you could argue that because of our population declines we could do with fewer police and fire employees, and maby we could do an across the board cut in employees ... with so many homes being torn down, we could do with fewer streets, and hence fewer Street Department employees.

And what about the other departments ... Tax Department ... Health Department ... the Courts?

[Towntalk]

That brings up another reason why we should oppose Aqua Ohio. Why would they want to buy Youngstown's aged water system when they would have to pour out millions of dollars to upgrade it unless they have plans that they aren't telling us about.

Further, as Youngstown downsizes how much of the system will be taken off line?

Who for example put the company up to offering to buy the Youngstown Water Works in the first place when there was no suggestion that it might be up for sale. If it didn't come from City Hall is it possible that the Boardman and Austintown trustees are behind it?

The two townships have been feuding with the city for at least 25 years over the water issue because of the water rates. Could this have prompted them to try to get Aqua Ohio to buy the City out in order to cut their water rates?

There are plenty of very hard questions that need to be put to the trustees and if they won't answer them truthfully in a public forum such as the Dan Rivers Show, then the Law Department should bring them into court and make them answer the questions under oath.

[Maggy]

Mayor Williams is adamant about not selling our system, which I agree with.
However, why then does he expect that Campbell should sell their's to Youngstown?

As to the suburbs, if the main intent of the administration is regional and co-operative economic development, why not be discussing CEDAs.

Finally, one thing to be said for the private sector is they run leaner. I'm sure we would agree that government is not concerned with watching our tax dollars. Example: the amount of hires in city government the last two years.

[Mary]

I agree that Youngstown should not sell the water system. However there needs to be a plan in place to do the maintenance and upgrade the system. As was posted on this board the lines are getting very old and are going to need work sooner rather then later.

[Towntalk]

I was referencing the Boardman and Austintown trustees. By the way, one of them called Dan Rivers today, but just before the program was to go off the air. She has the special number that would get her directly in, so why didn't she use it earlier? Most of Rivers program centered on this issue, so why were the trustees so silent.

As to the Vindy board, there would be less confusion if the Boardman and Austintown Trustees would stop lying through their teeth just to save their jobs at the expense of the people they serve.

Look at Campbell ... 3 Firemen serving that city ... By using the JEDD (Joint Economic Development District program) they could have access to YFD. The same with YPD.

And what about this Walter J. Pushkur? Does he think for a single second that Youngstown's Mayor is some kind of fool? How long would it be before he hiked our water rates? Thank goodness Mayor Williams can see through the smoke screen that Pushkur is raising.

[nikkiware2]

Mayor Williams is right with this one. Why sell our system so they can make money that can be made by us.

[northside lurker]

I also think the mayor is right to not sell the water system.

I don't think there would be so much opposition to the JEDD concept if there wasn't so much confusion about what it means. (Towntalk, you're implying that the misinformation is generated intentionally?)  On the vindy boards, the people who are most opposed to any kind of cooperation seem to think JEDD = annexation.

[Shar]

I agree that I don't think the City of Youngstown should sell their water system.  However, I don't think the Aqua Ohio can just take over a part of the system.  The City water system is many miles of underground pipe and it would be impossible to isolate a part of the system and have two different water companies using it.  As much as Boardman would like to isolate themselves from the City of Youngstown they cannot.  We are all one community whether they like it or not and until we start working together as one community instead of a bunch of isloated suburbs nothing will change in this area. 

[Towntalk]

Aqua Ohio is trying to buy Youngstown's Water System and Mayor Williams says it's not for sale. Is Mayor Williams right?

Personally I think that he's right. When any private for profit company gets it's bloody hands on a public utility it isn't long before that company starts sticking it to their customers, and that's a fact.

As for Youngstown wanting to annex Boardman, there was talk about it during the Ungaro administration, and some of the talk shows talk about it, but as yet I have not heard Mayor Williams officially come right out and say that we want to annex Boardman in it'
s totality into Youngstown, but the Boardman trustees are using that as a scare tactic to protect their own jobs.

City Council and the Mayor need to come right out and say officially ... 'We have absolutely no interest in annexing Boardman.' Then this should be followed up by telling the trustees that from this point on to prove that we're not interested we will end all cooperation with the township both Police and Fire, and not fight Aqua Ohio taking over that portion of Boardman serviced by Youngstown.

This business has gone on too long and it's high time that our public officials tell those whining snob trustees to go shove their heads where the sun doesn't shine and do what needs to be done to become a city.

Youngstown's good enough for them when they have to apply for federal dollars because they arn't a city, but otherwise we're just the dirt under their feet, and I for one am fed up with it.