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Show flhirfln) irini2iD Cq Naples and the Ashley Valley Water District have threatened to sue Vernal City and withdraw from the Valley Sewer Project if the city doesn't return the Naples water system. Naples notified City Attorney Richard Davidson two weeks ago of their intent to sue Vernal City, "but to date no actual suit has been filed," Attorney Davidson said. In a letter received last week, the Ashley Valley Water District threatened to break their agreement made last January to support the Valley Sewer Project. On notice of the Naples suit the city council showed concern about the performance of a water contract made with Naples in 1961. In the agreement, which turned over to Vernal City all the facilities and supplies owned by the Naples Water Company, states the city agreed to supply sup-ply the water needs of Naples at a "fair, just and reasonable" rate. About six months ago Naples hired an auditing firm to audit the city's water fees.. "From the audit, Naples felt they had been overcharged," said Shane Luck, city manager. Vernal City also agreed, in the 1961 agreement, to put a share of the revenues collected from water fees back into the Naples system According to City Attorney Richard Davidson, "A reasonable amount of money has been spent on the Naples water system." The Vernal City Council has moved to let the threatened suit go to court in order to clear up the problem. "This problem is holding up the process of the whole water system," Luck said. "It has got to be solved." In a special question-answer meeting of the city council and Vernal City Water Attorney, Ed Clyde, author of the 1961 agreement, who came to Vernal Ver-nal and told the council that he sees no area where Vernal City has violated the agreement with Naples. In response to whether Naples can demand ownership of the water system Clyde said, "A city council can't part with its water system, even voluntarily. The state constitution will not allow it." Clyde told council members that if Naples wanted to go its own way they didn't need to worry about losing the Ashley Spring. "It is totally covered," he said. Other concerns brought up bv Councilman Gene Anfinson is that They (Naples) don't want to be forced to buy Jensen Unit water. (Water from the Jensen Unit will be higher priced than the water from Ashley Springs.) "All they ask," continued Anfinson, "is water at a fair price and representation." "They contracted away their chance for a voice on the water system." said Attorney Davidson, "when they signed the 1961 agreement." "An easy way for them to have a voice is annexation," Davidson added. "One area of representation is the Valley Water Committee," Luck said. "Everything they have recommended to the council has been accepted." |