Council members Dot Wood and Donnie Todd were not at Tuesday night’s interview session, which could help city officials decide which private utility company the city could hire to manage its water department.
Mayor Bill Hereford, and Councilmen Donnie Guinn, Greg Gossett and James McGowan questioned both companies to interview Tuesday night. The two Alabama companies that interviewed Tuesday night were ClearWater Solutions, Inc. of Opelika and Artesian Utilities Systems Management of Selma.
Rick Ailiff, president of ClearWater Solutions, said Tuesday night that Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc., of Montgomery was ClearWater Solutions’ parent company.
Aubrey Smitherman, vice-president of operations for Artesian Utilities Systems Management, said their company was not a subsidiary of any other company.
Both companies appeared to offer the same services, but ClearWater Solutions said they would pay the electricity bill for all water department operations.
“Everyone you’ve got proposals from is qualified to run your system,” Smitherman said. “We have a good management team.”
He said Artesian Utilities Systems Management of Selma would not pay the city’s water department electric bills.
Officials from both companies said they would bring an experienced manager to Pell City to run the water department, a manager who is not only a qualified water manager but knowledgeable in billing and collections.
“We would love a shot at managing your water system,” Smitherman said. “We’re a small and personable company and will give you the individual attention you require and want.”
ClearWater Solutions also asked the mayor and council to give them an opportunity to run the city’s water department.
“If you pick us, were going to come in and do a good job,” said Greg Ryland, vice-president of operations for ClearWater Solutions.
Officials from both companies said the city or company could get out of its contract with no penalties with 120 day written notice.
City officials are looking at a possible five-year contract with a private utility company to manage its water department.
Councilmen Gossett and McGowan continue to voice opposition to hiring a private company to manage the city’s water department. Both councilmen have said they would rather the city council hire its own manager to run the water department and voiced opposition to handing a city department over to a private company to run.
Hereford said the city will maintain control of water quality testing for the city’s water supply and control water rates.
The city will have to pay a private utility company more than $500,000 dollars a year to run the city’s water department.
But Todd said a private utility company can run the water department more cost effectively than the city, thus allowing the city to save money.
Last night’s interviews were held inside the St. Clair County Courthouse, because municipal court was in session at City Hall.
The mayor and council are expected to interview the final two private utility companies Thursday. The council will interview ESG Operations Inc. at 5 p.m., and SouthWest Water Company at 6 p.m., in the council chamber at City Hall following Thursday’s council work session.
I'll be around to say I told you so in about 3-years.
What the council has said ,openly, is that they don't know how to effectivly run a water department. While their at it why don't they just hire an outside police department too..Maybe subcontract and hire the Birmingham City Council to come in to do their jobs? That might be an improvement..Ya think??