CITIES READY TO VOTE ON WATER AGENCY
Opposition Hits Streets To Get Signatures Against Proposed Company

After starting out with five cities whose goals were to seek more affordable water rates, tonight a total of 12 Texarkana area cities will attempt to establish the Wright Patman Regional Water Supply Agency.

The city councils of New Boston, De Kalb, Hooks, Avery, Annona, Wake Village, Nash, Redwater, Clarksville, Atlanta and Maud will all hold separate meetings to adopt a resolution re-creating the agency. Eleven of the meetings are set for 7 P.m. Queen City's meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

David Tuckfield, an Austin-based attorney for the water agency, said the initial Feb. 5 vote to create the agency was valid, adding that such "re-creation" is provided for within Texas law, which also provides for the agency's creation.

One of the main provisions in the new resolution includes the agency's "power and authority to investigate, negotiate and obtain permits and/or contracts for water resources in the state of Texas or with any state, any Indian Nation or tribe, and/or any other entity lawfully created, for the acquisition and transportation of water supplies to meet the existing or future needs of the agency and its members."

During the initial Feb. 5 vote, local critics of the plan labeled the proposed agency's power and authority as being too broad, far-reaching and excessive in giving the agency the right to construct and manage water, issue financial bonds, condemn land, award contracts for reservoir construction and transfer land and property to other public governments.

Critics also previously raised concerns about the agency being tax exempt and distributing the cost of operations and administration among its potential member cities. They further raised concerns as to whether the new agency plans to build new reservoirs, buy water and/or sell to other water purveyors, obtain permits for water rights from any state and condemn land under the power of eminent domain.

One provision in the new resolution regarding agency administration and management requires its members to agree to "a cost-sharing for general overhead of the agency" such as for office staff and supplies "based on each member's pro-rated share of the agency's total water supply projection for the year 2025," according to the document.

On Tuesday, two days before the city councils simultaneously meet to pass the proposal, a group of five petitioners presented a list of 20 registered voters' signatures to the Annona city secretary. The petition requested city officials to hold a referendum so Annona residents could vote on whether to allow the city to participate in establishing the Wright Patman Regional Water Supply Agency. Texas law allows for a referendum petition that contains the signatures of "10 percent of the registered voters of a public entity."

Don Gaines, a concerned landowner, said he obtained the 20 signatures that more than account for 10 percent of the 172 registered voters living within the Annona city limits.

"In my opinion, this is nothing more than a ploy to try to tie up the water supply at lake Wright Patman," he said. "This will make it necessary to build the Marvin Nichols Reservoir."

Gaines, when contacted Wednesday, said he hadn't received any feedback from city officials as of early Wednesday afternoon regarding the petition. It also was not known late Wednesday whether the city's 7 p.m. meeting today will be affected by the petition.

Also on Tuesday, a few Maud, Texas, residents presented a similar petition, containing 130 signatures, to Maud City Hall. The signatures represented at least 20 percent of the approximately 500 registered voters within Maud city limits.