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Independence council approves intergovernmental agreement for regional water supply planning
Summary
The council approved an intergovernmental cooperative agreement (IGA) to advance preliminary planning for a regional water treatment and supply project involving Independence, Monmouth and Polk County; the IGA covers planning and design steps and leaves longer-term operational governance options open for later decisions.
The Independence City Council voted June 10 to approve an intergovernmental cooperative agreement to move forward with regional water supply planning and preliminary analysis.
Staff described the project as a regional effort among three primary partners — the City of Independence, the City of Monmouth and Polk County — to combine and coordinate multiple water rights and to plan a regional water treatment facility and associated infrastructure. The agreement under consideration covers planning and early-stage design; it does not fix final long-term governance. Staff explained the IGA is an early step that preserves Independence as the controlling agency for the planning phase while protecting the ability of other participants to pay only their share.
Councilors asked about how an entity could leave the partnership and whether water rights could be moved; staff answered that water rights are complex and that the agreement includes provisions addressing potential departures and financial consequences, but some outcomes will depend on later legal and regulatory steps. Staff also said a potential ORS 190 entity (a formal intergovernmental entity under state law) remains a future option and could be considered once the project is further advanced.
A motion to approve the intergovernmental cooperative agreement for water supply planning and preliminary analysis was put on the floor and approved by the council. Staff said the IGA is intended to allow additional entities in the county to join later under a "plug-and-play" approach and that the city will continue working on the business case and next implementation steps.
Next steps: staff will finalize a clean copy of the IGA for signature, proceed with the planning tasks described in the agreement and return to council with further governance and financing details when available.
