Show I COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONERS BALK ON WATER COMBINE PLEA Plan to Probe Union Possibilities Is Delayed Indecision balked city commis' commis commissioners commis Tuesday in determination of their policy on relationship b be between between be- be tween the metropolitan water district district district dis dis- dis- dis of Salt Lake City and the municipal water department After nearly an hours hour's discussion and taking of oC a vote on a formal motion of Water Vater Commissioner George D. D Keyser to determine less feas of combining the water wate department and water district thO the motion was withdrawn at th the re request request re- re quest of Mayor Louis Marcus and andall andall andall all mention of the matter withheld from records of tho the meeting The motion read I 1 move that tho city attorney be requested to investigate and report back to this board the tho possibility of combining tho the Salt Lake City water department department department depart depart- ment and the metropolitan water district recently authorized at a special election eJection held in this city L Lee e Seen Opposed The vote showed Street Commissioner Harold B. B Lee op opposed opposed posed to the motion in its present form All other commissioners and the mayor were favorable Mr r. r Leo Lee said This is the first time the matter has been discussed in my presence I think this step may be proper so long as the water board functions in an advisory capacity ca capacity capacity ca- ca and the city commission i 13 ns surrounded with adequate safe sale guards I doubt the advisability of delegating powers of an elective officer and believe the matter should be taken up privately with the legal dep department by the water commissioner commissioner commis commis- stoner before record action is taken Mr Keyser admitted the move might require legislation then added added added add add- ed We Wo cannot ask the water board boara to be responsible for acquiring Water water wa wa- ter if it hasn't the power to say how water shall be distributed and how much shall be charged for it it Directors of the metropolitan Water water water wa wa- ter district were slated to hold their initial organization meeting later in inthe inthe inthe the day at Mayor Marcus Marcus' office The Tho matter of the water board assuming as assuming assuming as- as suming jurisdiction was slated to to-be discussed with board members T Need Plan Is Claim We Ve must either continue the present nilly willy-nilly water development develop ment program or work out a new plan declared Mayor Marcus We cannot have two bodies running the water department I think this action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion can be done by making th the water board agents of U the e city commission commission com corn mission and if so will prevent dual dua operation of the water department If the tho two bodies water board and city commission cannot co coo cooperate cooperate co- co o operate erate we simply have another committee function as a water waler board continued the mayor l If the board can act in an advisory capacity making po possible ible a long term policy of water affairs It will amount to something and a a new commissioner taking charge of the department will no no nobe be handicapped by two or three years required for him to become conversant with d de department de- de affairs Park Commissioner P. P H. H Goggin C asked Will the board have authorIty authority authorIty author author- ity over the city commission on water affairs 1 The city commission will definitely def def- deft deft- have have control answered Mayor Marcus New Financial Setup He then pointed out 1 L That since 1927 the e city has in incurred In- In bonded debts averaging a year most of which cou could have havo been avoided if It a proper long- long range financial system had bad been se setup set setup for operation of the water de department de- de up 2 2 That water department revenue now no nois is just about sufficient to pay bond interest bond retirement and ana operating expenses of the department department department depart depart- ment with the future futuro In a haze o of doubt 3 That nothing is quite so vl vital l las as wat water r to growth of ot the city elty and water has been weakened by a r wron wrong past program We cannot expect to have bave a looking forward long range pr program pro gram unless we do something of or this his kind concluded the mayor Motion lotion Handed Banded Back ack The motion which led Jed to the dis discussion discussion dIscussion dIs- dIs handed hande back t to Mr was Keyser after he and Mayor Marcus left eft tho the commission table to hold holds hold whispered conversation In the corner cot cor- o oner ner ncr of the chamber However the water comm commissioner immediately introduced another in motion mo rae- tion Uon dealing with of Utah lake The motion which carried ona on ona ona a unanimous vote authorized City Engineer W. W D. D Beers to do dp all possible to push work worle on the and directed City Attorney Fish Fisher r Harris to forward to proper officials dais of the United States government government govern govern- ment meat a request for extension of f time ime In which contracts must b belet be beet let et on the of ot the lake It is estimated will save from to acre feet of water and c cost st about 2000 2009 Originally planned as a joint project with construction of the Deer eer creek reservoir ir tho the work was later considered as a separate enterprise although it it to too was to be carried out as a na tion on project on terms similar t to those offered for construction of of- I 1 Deer creek l t |