Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trenton delays decision on increasing annual water hookups after heated public hearing
Summary
After a public hearing with residents and council members divided over water capacity, the Trenton Town Council voted to table a proposed ordinance to raise annual water hookups from two to six until March 3 while awaiting additional studies and written agreements.
The Trenton Town Council on Tuesday opened a public hearing on a proposed change to the town's water-connections ordinance and voted to table the decision until March 3 while staff and council collect additional data and seek written agreements with neighboring providers.
Speaker 8, who presented the proposal, said the recommendation to return to six hookups per year is based on recent usage and inflow figures. "We were still spilling 72,000 gallons average a day in July this year," Speaker 8 said, arguing the town is losing usable water and could safely allow more hookups if repairs and interconnects proceed.
Council members and residents pressed for more verification. Speaker 2, a long-serving mayoral officeholder who spoke from experience, urged caution: "Every time you turn the tap on, I want water to come out," Speaker 2 said, recounting a prior period of restrictions on household use and asking for multi-year reports before making a change.
Members discussed several practical measures before a final vote: repairing leaks at springs, installing meters on shared springs, pursuing an interconnect or purchase agreement with neighboring systems (Amalgam and Lewiston were named), redoing the town's water master plan, and examining tiered rates to protect fixed-income households. Speakers also noted the water fund is carrying loan obligations and that impact fees from additional hookups could help service debt.
The hearing drew sustained public comment about fairness and local impacts. Speaker 7 raised concerns about perceived conflicts of interest if council members or immediate family members are on the hookup list: "If you or an immediate family member is on that list for a water hookup, then you're gonna vote yes on this tonight," Speaker 7 said, urging council members to consider appearances.
Speaker 3 moved to table the ordinance change until the March meeting so the council can review the water master plan, an impact study, and a firm bid on drilling a river well; Speaker 6 seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote. The council set March 3 as the date to revisit hookups for 2026.
Next steps identified during the hearing include: presenting the completed water master plan and impact study to the council, getting Janelle from the state to review water-rate and usage questions in February, meeting with Amalgam and Lewiston representatives about firm written interconnect or purchase terms, and getting a cost estimate for drilling near the Bear River. The council will also review lists of residents awaiting hookups to resolve apparent discrepancies in order ranking.
The public hearing officially closed following the tabling motion. Council members said they intend to monitor the data closely and can reverse course if conditions change.
