Ashwaubenon wants more info on water deal By Ray Barrington News-Chronicle Ashwaubenon, the other piece in the city-suburban water puzzle, is willing to listen to Green Bay's higher offer of bulk rate-plus-25 percent for water, but it still has questions. "The rate is not a concern," said Ashwaubenon village president Norbert De Cleene. "Our concern is if the $64 million stops at the year 2030." Under the proposal, the extra money paid by suburbs over the city's bulk rate would go toward future expansion to the tune of $64 million. The Green Bay Water Utility's original proposal of 17 percent over the city's bulk rate - $1.48 per 1,000 gallons in the original proposal - would have mounted up to $64 million in improvements by 2030 in the plan. De Cleene is wondering how a higher surcharge would affect that total. "With the old proposal, we had a cap of $64 million in 2030," he said. "Rates should stabilize quicker at the higher rate. The quicker you get to ($64 million), the cheaper the rates." That's if the remaining money is used to stabilize rates, something that the initial offer hasn't covered. "I'm sure the (Central Brown County Water Authority) has the same concern," De Cleene said. Ashwaubenon's water committee met Thursday but only discussed the proposal approved by the Green Bay City Council Monday. The village, like the authority, is still waiting on a Manitowoc proposal to supply water due Feb. 11. De Cleene said he was not surprised the City Council raised the price. "As soon as they nixed it the first time, I kind of figured they were going to raise it," he said. But the offer is better than a previous suggested deal which included the same rate, he added. "This is a new system, new plant and new line where the other wasn't," he said. "This is giving a bit more." Ashwaubenon had been a member of the CBCWA before refusing to adopt the authority's member purchase agreement because, in part, of a concern over having only one of seven votes while being the authority's largest purchaser of water.