PDF: Hamilton county wastewater bill
NASHVILLE -- East Ridge officials say they will be at the General Assembly today to press for changes that would give more voting power to city representatives on the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority board.
House Bill 2900, sponsored by Rep. Vince Dean, R-East Ridge, is scheduled to be heard by the Local Government Subcommittee of the State and Local Government Committee.
"From our perspective, the current voting structure ... does not provide the municipalities any meaningful voice in the operation of WWTA," East Ridge City Manager William Whitson said in an e-mail.
The WWTA operates the public sewer system in the seven towns and unincorporated Hamilton County.
Its 12-member board includes seven city representatives who have votes equal to their populations, or about 54,000 total. The five members appointed by the county mayor all have votes equal to a fifth of the county population, or about 60,000 each.
The bill would give city representatives more weight by making votes equal to the number of WWTA customers in their jurisdictions.
Mr. Whitson said the cities represent more than 80 percent of WWTA customers.
WWTA CITIESThe Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority is governed by a board comprising five members appointed by the county mayor and a representative of each member city:* East Ridge* Lakesite* Lookout Mountain* Red Bank* Ridgeside* Signal Mountain* Soddy-DaisySource: WWTA
But Hamilton County Public Works Administrator Dan Wade said the county doesn't see any reason to change the law. As various cities joined, the authority took over their sewer operations, including loan payments and other debts, he said.
"These people no longer have (their own) sewers. All their sewers belong to the WWTA and, as I say, we have paid off loans for several of them," Mr. Wade said. "In addition, $6.5 million in seed money was put in by the county to start the WWTA."
Red Bank City Manager Chris Dorsey said his city supports the change.
"The representation is not overly fair, in our opinion," he said.
Even Rep. Dean, who introduced the bill at East Ridge officials' request, said he wasn't confident it will pass.
"I don't know how much traction it will get," he said.
The Senate version of the bill is sponsored by Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, who said he will try to move his bill if the House version passes.