Council previews resolution to rescind prior privatization stance, affirms opposition to selling Chester Water Authority

At a March 23 deliberative meeting, council members reviewed Resolution 38, which would rescind Resolution 166-2021 and direct future Chester Water Authority appointees to support a City Council policy that privatization efforts be rejected.

The Solicitor read the text of the resolution into the record and a council member asked whether the change reflects an existing written policy. The council member asked, “Are we going to formally adopt a new policy position…? Because if we’re going to rescind this old one that was the previous council’s policy position, are we going to formally adopt a new policy position that the board members can support?”

A responding councilmember said the intent of Resolution 38 is to “set the record straight” and put the council on record as opposed to outright privatization. “City council is opposed to the privatization of the Chester Water Authority,” the councilmember said, adding that monetization may still be necessary to address the city’s fiscal distress but must be structured so the authority remains publicly held.

The responding councilmember clarified that the prior resolution had contemplated an asset purchase agreement with ACWA and that Resolution 38 is meant to repudiate that prior sale-as-policy. He said what monetization would look like remains open for debate and would require further discussion.

The matter was presented for consideration and is scheduled for a council vote at an upcoming meeting later this week. No formal vote or outcome on Resolution 38 was recorded during the March 23 deliberative session.