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Tuttle reviews GMC Trust draft terms as council weighs large regional water-line options
Summary
GMC Trust representative David briefed the council on draft terms with Blanchard for wheeling charges and asset allocation; council discussed a proposed 24‑inch river crossing (estimated about $120 million) and the option to build a larger 36‑inch line (estimated about $160 million) with multiple beneficiaries to reduce per-city costs.
City staff and GMC Trust representative David presented draft contractual terms intended to guide how the GMC Utility Trust would allocate revenues and responsibilities between Tuttle and Blanchard as the trust plans regional water infrastructure. David said the memo seeks to document how existing assets will be used, allocate wheeling charges proportionally and avoid forcing one beneficiary to borrow heavily to achieve equal ownership.
David described the project’s goal as obtaining water from Oklahoma City for Tuttle, Blanchard and potentially other consumers. He said the memorandum would keep current ownership of facilities as-is but would distribute wheeling revenues to reflect each beneficiary’s proportional ownership or usage. The council discussed future investments that would be owned by the trust and paid for through wheeling revenues.
Council and staff discussed a larger regional option for the river crossing. Mayor McLeroy and staff cited rough planning estimates discussed in the meeting — roughly $120 million for a 24‑inch river-crossing line and about $160 million for a 36‑inch line — and said a multi-jurisdiction approach (including Newcastle and others) could reduce the cost burden for any single city. Staff said talks are scheduled with Newcastle to explore participation.
No final action was taken; staff said the draft would be reviewed by Blanchard and GMC Trust and returned for further discussion when details are finalized.
