- This event has passed.
ACCT Meeting Agenda
1. If voting by mail, ballots must be postmarked by Monday, Nov 2.
2. Or, locations of Drop Boxes
3. Voter Information Pamphlet
Amendment D (page 49) is the ‘water bill’ change that we vote FOR
Here’s another document on Amendment D
As part of its Mountain Transportation System (MTS) initiative, the Central Wasatch Commission hosted an expert panel on Friday, September 18th, which initiated the second public comment period the Central Wasatch Commission has opened as part of the Mountain Transportation System initiative.
The Central Wasatch Commission has opened a 30-day public comment period ending on October 18th, 2020. Make Comments on the DRAFT.
The Commission also invites you to provide interactive feedback by designing your own mountain transportation system. To participate in the Design Your Mountain Transportation System survey, click here.
Envision Utah – The results are in! Over 8,000 responses to the Jordan River Parkway survey. A great response, ultimately hearing from 8,000 people! Click here for detailed findings from the survey.
As a reminder, I have included a FACT SHEET that includes additional details about the water issue and why it is important that the constitution be changed. PLEASE SHARE THIS FACT SHEET TO ALL FOLKS YOU KNOW AROUND THE STATE. Below are some of the highlights:
In the 2019 Legislative Session, Rep. Kim Coleman passed a bill, HB 31, that addressed a long-term problem; large cities providing water to customers outside their boundaries using short term terminable surplus water contracts.
- In Salt Lake County, more than 100,000 people get their water from Salt Lake City, but live outside Salt Lake City’s boundary.
- These people had/have no permanent source of water; the city used what are called “Surplus Water Contracts” to serve these areas
- Surplus water is just that; surplus to current needs. If the City decides it needs the water for other uses, the City could shut off the supply whenever they wanted
The new law requires cities to create a “Designated Water Service Area” and agree to provide a permanent water source for residents within that area.
- Water users who live outside the City, but within the Designated Water Service Area, are called “Retail Water Customers”
- The city must supply water to the customers within its Designated Water Service Area and may not shut off that water.
- Retail water customers have the same right as other customers to appear before a meeting addressing water rates.
- City must use a rational basis for establishing rates and explain its formula for charging rates to customers
- However, the City may charge different rates to City residents than it does to retail customers.
- City must publish a map detailing the Designated Water Service Area and send the map to the state engineer.
Rep. Stratton’s bill, HJR 3 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution – Water Resources of Municipalities, will be on the ballot this November. It amends the constitution to allow the creation of Designated Water Service Areas:
- For residents in Salt Lake County and many other areas of the state (approximately 50), this amendment is critical.
- The lack of permanent water threatens residents’ mortgages and insurance coverage.
- Billions of dollars in taxable value are threatened unless this amendment passes.
- It protects the water supply to their homes.
The water bills we supported in 2019:
1) SB 17 Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Amendments,
2) HB 31 Water Supply and Surplus Water Amendments
3) HJR 1 Proposal To Amend Utah Constitution – Municipal Water Resources
Articles on the Water Issue:
- An article in Deseret News discusses the Constitutional change and our meeting.
- https://www.deseret.com/utah/
2020/2/3/21120220/utah-may- have-a-new-constitutional- amendment-on-cities-supply-of- water - https://www.deseret.com/2019/
2/22/20666466/controversy- continues-over-trio-of-utah- water-reform-measures - https://www.deseret.com/2018/
2/21/20640480/controversial- water-bills-taking-aim-at- salt-lake-city
Other Information:
1. Its that time of year for ACCT to put together a Nominating Committee which is typically
chosen at the November meeting to collect names of those members to be
nominated/elected to the ACCT Board (ACCT’s officers for the next year).
The Councils provide the results of their elections via ACCT Reps to the Nominating
Committee. We are looking for members to be on the Nominating Committee.
We will be contacting the Chairs for recruiting for the committee..
2. Community Council elections are this year, per bylaws, ballots should be going out to
your residents.
3. In lieu of our “Meet the Candidate” night, ACCT is sending out a newsletter in October
with bios and pics of the candidates in our areas for your information.
4. I have the 2020-2021 insurance policies for member councils.
5. Draft minutes for August 2020. (A great overview of the meeting – thanks Barbara)