Record South Whidbey
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012 | Vol. 88, No. 41 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
INSIDE: Shop dog celebrates, Island Life, A10
Water changes on tap
Ben Watanabe / The Record
The Clinton ferry pulls into its longtime terminal. Progress is being made on plans to move the terminal one-third of a mile to the east to provide an easier connection to Sound Transit’s commuter train.
Justin Burnett / The Record
Langley resident Joyce Fossek addresses the City Council Monday about a proposed water rate hike. Like many at the meeting, she argued that the new schedule provides little savings to those already conserving water.
Residents turned off by Langley water rates By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Langley city officials’ proposed comprehensive water plan update and rate hike saw its first real critics this week. The plan would raise more money to support the water system, while cutting rates for qualifying seniors and low income people, raising rates for others, and actually encouraging more water usage to keep the system clean. During the City Council’s regular meeting Monday, about a dozen people showed up for a public hearing to complain about the new rate structure and the planning process for long-range projects. The new rate structure, which applies to residential customers only, is proposed to change from the current monthly base rate of $25.46 with a 43-cent charge per 100 gallons to a monthly base rate of $39.59 for up to 10,000 gallons used. Every additional 100 gallons would cost another 50 cents up to
30,000 gallons and any more than that would run $1.25 per 100 gallons. City officials say the rate schedule is designed to encourage water conservation among the heaviest users. But, based on the 117-gallon per day usage of the average household, they maintain that most residents will actually see their monthly bill go down by about $1. However, those who use little water now say the change will be a hefty increase and may just change their habits. “I consider myself a water sipper, not a water user,” said Joyce Fossek, a longtime Langley resident. “I think I’m going to have to use a heck of a lot more water,” she said. Kay Lagerquist, also of Langley, said she thought her rate would double and worried about the expense. “It’s a significant amount of money per billing,” Lagerquist said.
Challis Stringer, director of Public Works, said the city is mandated by law to maintain and improve its water system. And a water study she performed indicated that the current rate schedule will leave the city in the red by about $15,000 by the end of 2012. The new rates will bring in just enough to fill the gap. Mayor Larry Kwarsick said there are many rate structures out there, but at the end of the day each city is required by law to make sure it brings in enough revenue to cover its costs. The water system has to be run like a business, he said. “This is a business and unfortunately it’s about income,” Kwarsick said. “We have to keep the system solvent.” City officials did point out that the new schedule proposes the See water, A6
Mukilteo terminal move supported on Whidbey By Jim Larsen Record editor
Future ferry riders from Clinton to Mukilteo won’t be docking between Ivar’s and the block of white waterfront condos if the state Department of Transportation has its way. The DOT’s Ferries Division announced Monday afternoon that the aging ferry terminal at Mukilteo should be replaced with a new terminal one-third of a mile to the east. The idea agrees with Dave Hoogerwerf, chairman of the Clinton Advisory Committee. “I favored it,” Hoogerwerf said Tuesday, referring to past testimony he’s made before ferry officials. “Primarily for two features — it’s close to the Sound Transit train and will have a good bus connection, and it’s less costly.” This preferred alternative was selected based on public, agency and tribal comments received on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) released in January 2012, according to a news release.
As the Ferries Division sees it, the preferred alternative, known as Elliot Point 2, would best avoid environmental impacts and it addresses problems at the current terminal at the foot of Front Street and Highway 525. These include a 60-yearold dock in need of significant repairs and upgrading, inadequate passenger connections between the ferry and nearby commuter rail and transit facilities, and pedestrian and vehicle conflicts. The Mukilteo/Clinton ferry route is the state’s busiest for vehicles and has the second-highest annual ridership, serving more than 4 million riders in 2011. “We have worked for several years with ferry riders, community members, elected officials, tribes and others to get to this point, which moves us one step closer to building a new Mukilteo ferry terminal,” said David Moseley, assistant transportation secretary, Ferries See terminal, A6