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Morris council forms subcommittee to review Freshwater water-line agreement
Summary
Council members agreed to form a subcommittee to negotiate details of a proposed water line and potential sewer connections for Freshwater, with staff to return later with a formal agreement or resolution.
The Morris City Council agreed to form a council subcommittee to review terms, costs and technical details of a proposed water line for Freshwater (a developer/utility seeking municipal water service). City staff said Freshwater is conducting a feasibility study for water and wastewater and asked the city to begin the permitting and design steps so a water line could be installed this year.
Becca (city manager) told the council that the city’s water treatment plant was built with capacity for expansion and that “we do have the capacity” to accept an additional water customer. She said Freshwater will hold off on sewer until its feasibility study is complete and the city and the developer agree on sewer standards and alignments.
Council members agreed it would be logical to consider both water and sewer when work is done in the same right-of-way, but staff explained the two utilities would be installed in separate trenches: “1 would be towards the backside of the right of way, the water line. And then the sanitary would most likely be more like the shoulder line,” Becca said, so maintenance access would be easier.
Rather than taking the issue back to a full council vote immediately, members volunteered to serve on a subcommittee to talk with Freshwater, the city engineer and staff about options, sizing (8‑inch vs. 12‑inch), and cost‑sharing. Council members identified volunteers by first name in the meeting transcript (Brian; Jeff). The council did not take a formal roll‑call vote to create the group; staff said no formal council vote was required and that it would return with a draft agreement or formal resolution when negotiations conclude.
What the city will do next: Staff will convene the subcommittee, meet with Freshwater and the city engineer to clarify whether Freshwater will pay the incremental cost to upsize the line (for future looping) and to draft an agreement for council consideration. The meeting transcript shows the city expects to coordinate required county and railroad permits if the project proceeds.
Ending: The council’s subcommittee approach is intended to resolve technical and cost questions before the item returns to the full council as a formal agreement or resolution.
