The mayor and aldermen of Smithville have scheduled a special meeting Thursday night to come to a final agreement on what to charge DeKalb Utility district for water. The special meeting is set for tomorrow night, Dec. 12, 5 p.m. at city hall.
At last week’s regular meeting of the city council, some members expressed dismay that DUD officials have not contacted the city to begin negotiations on a new water-purchase contract with the city.
“We've given them every opportunity to come before us or meet with us and work with us to thrash this out, and they're not wanting to do it,” Alderman Danny Washer told the council. “I think we should have a special called meeting and set the rate and be done with it.” As of press time, city officials said they still have not received any response from DUD.
The present agreement, under which DUD pays the city $2.05 per 1,000 gallons for water, expires on Dec. 31. If no new agreement is reached by Jan. 1, the city could begin charging the DUD $7.50 per 1,000 gallons, the rate it charges other water customers outside the city.
Mayor Jimmy Poss said at last week’s meeting that some customers of DUD have expressed concern that the city may shut off the water supply to DUD if an agreement is not reached before the deadline. The mayor said that would not happen.
“I have had some concerned people who are afraid we're going to cut their water off. We're not going to do that. We couldn’t do that if we wanted to,” Poss said.
The city aldermen must, however agree on a plan before the present contract between Smithville and DUD expires at the end of the year.