RUSS to seek legal action against Mount Union

MOUNT PLEASANT (GTNS) ? Issues regarding payment for the Mount Union wastewater system brought the Regional Utility Sewer Systems board to vote to seek legal ramifications.

Speaking of Mount Union at the regular monthly meeting of the RUSS board Wednesday afternoon, executive director Bruce Hudson said, ?I?ve contacted USDA, and USDA said to keep them up to date because it is their money that has to be paid back.

?And the next step in the 28E agreement, I?ve been given two options. The only two options I have are to go to court, which I?ve stressed doesn?t benefit either us or the community, or seek other alternatives and raise rates,? continued Hudson.

Hudson explained he has not had any communication with the mayor of Mount Union, nor the city?s council in recent weeks.

He believes the issues began years ago when there were ?two heads at the helm that didn?t get along.?

Lee County Supervisor Ernie Schiller stated, ?I think you really only have one option, and that?s option No. 1. And I don?t like those either because it?s a waste of money, but it?s a waste of resources if we can?t manage that system as we are directed to do to be sure that system is financially stable.?

Kent White, Henry County supervisor, asked if further communication with Mount Union was an option. He said, ?Shouldn?t we try again to have another meeting??

Hudson replied the community had the opportunity to contact RUSS and discuss the issues. ?It?s time to start holding feet to fire,? said Hudson. ?This has been going on two years.?

Ultimately, the board voted on a motion to seek legal council and initiate proceedings. White abstained from the vote.

Since the last meeting. Hudson, with the assistance of Chris Jewett, has conducted a rate study for all of the community systems throughout the 10-county territory RUSS covers.

Jewett is from the Midwest Assistance Program, a nonprofit organization funded through grants. ?Our mission is to support rural communities with their water and wastewater utilities, any aspect of it,? said Jewett.

The complete rate study will likely be available at the May RUSS board meeting. It is anticipated that rates will increase, and there will be residential and commercial rates.

?You?re [the customers] not so much paying back the usage, you?re paying back the loan,? said Hudson. ?We are going to need county support.?

When the rate study is finalized, with the assistance of county supervisors, Hudson plans to speak with each community to explain the rate study and the changes that will be implemented.

In other business:

? The RUSS board discussed the unincorporation of the city of Mount Sterling.

? After questioning the need of RUSS in Mahaska County at last month?s meeting, Mahaska County Supervisor Ken Rozenboom stated, ?We need to stay a part of the conversation at this point.?

? Wapello County also was on the agenda to be discussed. In December, the Wapello County supervisors requested to withdraw from RUSS. However, due to the probable sensitivity of the discussion, it was decided by the board to conduct a closed session meeting at a later date.

The next regular session meeting of the RUSS board is slated for 1 p.m. May 9 at at the Emergency Management building in Mount Pleasant.