On behalf of the ‘small, but vocal’
EDITOR:
Regarding the article “No Consensus on Norris utility changes” in Volume 136, Issue 24, of (The Courier News), I would like to make a few points on behalf of the “small, but vocal audience shouting, “Let her finish.’”
As a matter of point, most of the residents who come to the meeting, vocal or not, were in opposition to the change proposed by the council. Your article indicated that the email from the UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service recommended the action. Two questions were asked of the representative at MTAS: 1) Is our water department structure “unique?” 2) if it were a new department, would MTAS recommend the current structure.
The response indicated that it was not unique to have a Water commission as set out in Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) Title 7, Section 35, Part 4 and that IF it were new, she would not recommend its current structure. There was nothing in the communication that indicated that a re-structuring was recommended.
As a matter of legality, the current structure is codified in the City code (18-104). This code was updated in 2016 from the 1972 Code, Section 13-304 as replaced by Ordinance 5289 in June of 2011. MTAS has not and did not refer to the code as having legal issues. The Commission’s authority and roles/responsibilities are well documented. The City Council maintains operation oversight, approves the budget and operational oversight for the Water Commission (Councilperson Painter is the representative on the commission).
As to the “uniqueness” of the City of Norris, having grown up in Norris and moving back several years ago, I would say that Norris is unique.
Norris is largely supported by the volunteer efforts of its residents. Residents make up the Recycling, Archives, and Library Committees: The Zoning Appeals, Watershed, Community Development and Theater Boards and the Tree, Recreations, Planning, and Animal Commissions. Without these volunteers, the city ceases to be “unique” and ceases to provide a sense of community.
The Water Commission is composed of volunteers who work directly with the Superintendent of Norris water works, a dedicated secretary and operators. These volunteers are subject matter experts whose knowledge is not only of water operations, but specifically Norris’s water operations.
These members are opposed to a restructuring. These members continue to work on their own time, addressing the water and sewer needs of the community.
They are working on writing grants and finding solutions to the current stormwater runoff.
Without their support, the city could have to pay a premium price to other subject matter experts.
The stormwater runoff issues the city is facing is largely out of the control of the Norris Water Commission and the Superintendent. As with most municipalities, updates/upgrades to infrastructure come only when necessary or when something goes wrong. There has been significant construction in the city over the last 20 years with little thought to the impact of construction runoff and the increased strain from the additional residents on the city sewer system.
It also doesn’t take into consideration the construction and impact from the schools.
The city has had 3 city managers within the 6 years and has no real capital reserve – rainy day fund - to pay for the improvements or for floating bonds; the website is under construction; there is no electronic billing system for water services (without paying a fee to use the online system); and the city strategic plan has not been updated since 2008. These things will come with time, but now is not the time to change, without significant cause, what could potentially cost the city significantly more money in both the short and long term.
Cristine Fink
Norris
