Whys and wherefores of the water wars By Tom Murphy News-Chronicle If there's anyone - other than some of the longer tenured and more parochial Green Bay politicians - still wondering why members of the Central Brown County Water Authority went their own way, listen up. Last week, after the CBCWA signed a potable water contract with Manitowoc, this was reported from a meeting of Green Bay standard bearers: "I will guarantee the city of Green Bay will have better water rates than the suburbs for the next 50 years." - Mayor Jim Schmitt "I think when (Authority members) start getting the bills, there's not going to be one of those boys (elected municipal leaders) left. I don't know where their thinking is." - Ald. Guy Zima Such statements do little to foster friendship or promote regional cooperation. Schmitt cannot be faulted entirely for the failure of the city and most of its immediate neighbors to get together on potable water. His predecessors accomplishing nothing to pave the way. Absolutely nothing. Newly elected, Schmitt came late to the party. His revision of the utility commission's roster was too little, too late. Zima? Leopards don't change spots. The arrogance and animosity that dominated the city-suburban discussions date back at least 20 years, probably longer. The attitude, demonstrated repeatedly by myopic aldermen no matter the issue being discussed, became ingrained as new council members came on board. Strangely, city officials never publicly objected when adjacent Allouez, Howard, Bellevue (and now once-removed Ledgeview) petitioned to become villages. There was a minor protest when Ash-waubenon, the first suburb to switch from town to village, made the run. But heck, the city already had annexed Fort Howard Paper Co. Why did it need the rest of the town? We now know, don't we? The same arrogance that permeated the water talks was absent when other metropolitan opportunities arose. Cooperation resulted in perhaps the most visible way: The Green Bay Transit Authority. Too few know that the suburbs pay their fair share toward municipal bus operations. Then there's the SWAT team, the Brown County Library, the Harbor Commission, the jail and Mental Health Center. There are others, including the best model available for water users: the Metropolitan Sewerage District. A vocal minority of commissioners on the Green Bay Water Utility held the ear of the major domos in City Hall. They convinced whoever happened to sit in city hall that only they knew the entire water issue; plus they had intimate knowledge of Department of Natural Resources personnel, operations and policies. The commissioner(s) most opposed to creation of an efficient regional utility were adamant that the "burbs" not be privy to city water except at a premium. The leader of the anti-suburban movement proselytized one alderman after another, fallaciously arguing that those outside the city would get something for nothing if a metropolitan potable water authority became reality. The truth is that accountants could accurately assess the values of water utilities in each municipality. Green Bay, obviously, would have the most assets. But other suburbs, primarily Allouez, Ashwaubenon, De Pere and Howard, would have significant investments. Those assets could be pro-rated to create an equitable union. Of course - and this is one factor that Green Bay did not fully disclose to the public - a goodly percentage of the city's infrastructure was aging. Replacement costs would come dearly. The city didn't hide the fact that it wanted the suburban customers to pay all the freight for a second line to Lake Michigan. But because, at least publicly, Green Bay did not tell city and/or potential suburban customers about the aging infrastructure, the suburban Authority had significant reservations about a one-way deal. (Such an attitude is not new to the utility. For decades operators and officials denied Green Bay used its artesian wells to supplement the supply from Lake Michigan.) None of this, of course, stopped Ashwaubenon from bailing out of the CBCWA early on. The village telegraphed its intentions early on and Authority members knew it. The city counted on the Authority caving when its largest member withdrew. It didn't happen. Ashwaubenon boasts that it will pay the same rate as the city's largest commercial (read: paper mills and packing houses) customers. That doesn't mean those big players will not be charged their share of needed capital improvements within the existing city lines. As large user rates increase, so too will Ashwaubenon's. Finally, Ashwaubenon (and Lawrence if it tags along) will be renting, not owning, a pipeline. If Green Bay can sell to Frog Station or Thiry Daems or Luxemburg (good luck), the other customers probably won't see any benefits. If the suburban authority can sell to municipalities between here and Manitowoc, it would at least stabilize inflationary increases and at best cut rates. Right now, the Authority says its members, for 10 years or so, will pay about 50 cents per 1,000 gallons more for Manitowoc water than Green Bay service. By 2025, the numbers swing in favor of the authority by about 30 cents per 1,000 gallons. That's an 80-cent swing in 15 years - without liability for infrastructure replacement or the potential loss of major commerical users. It seems unlikely that the scabs and scars from this latest inter-municipal battle will heal soon - especially on the city's side. But once they do - and the myopic leave the council - maybe enlightened leadership in all municipalities will lead to some sort of economic union beneficial to all water users. Politicians included. Maybe, just maybe, those politicians some day truly will shed their egos and put the people first. Murphy, a longtime loca; business writer, writes a weekly column for This Week. Contact him by calling 920-432-2941, sending mail to P.O. Box 2467, Green Bay, WI 54306-2467 or by sending e-mail to [email protected].