Friday, August 29, 2008

Is there something fishy with the water?

Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati

Recently, we ran this item about rumors speculating the City might move to privatize Cincinnati’s water supply.  In that item, we shared a records request, and we just received our first round of documents—which, in some ways, raise more questions than they answer.

Most of the emails were simply people confirming with one another whether they would make it to meetings.  However, as you can see in the document below, someone named “Tom West” repeatedly emailed Councilmember Jeff Berding with some urgency on this very matter. 

So here are West’s messages to Berding, along with an introductory sheet stating the actual members of the Water District Committee.  At the end, you can see a note indicated that some records were not released to me due to attorney-client privileges.

On March 3, 2008, someone named Tom West asked Jeff Berding the following:

JEFF:

HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE COMMITTEE STUDYING WATER WORKS BEING RUN FROM OUTSIDE GROUP?

THANKS,
TOM WEST

Berding’s response, from March 5:

Tom,
I have not heard anything yet.  If I do hear something, I will forward.

Jeff

Next up, Tom West on March 13:

JEFF;

RAGER IS MEETING WITH EMPLOYEES AT WATER WORKS ABOUT GOING INTO A WATER DISTRICT.  HE HAS TOLD THEM THAT HE AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT AT WATER WORKS ARE GOING TO MAKE THE DECISION WITH A CONTRACTOR (BLACK AND VEATCH).  PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS GROUP STUDYING WATER WORKS GOING TO A SEPARATE ENTITY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.

THANKS;
TOM WEST

Berding responded on March 14:

I have heard nothing about this.  We can request an update if you would like it.  Are you not getting info straight up through CWW?

Jeff Berding

Tom West responded on the same day, and this is the last record provided by City Hall responsive to my request:

PLEASE ASK FOR THE WATER WORKS STUDY BY RAGER AND BLACK AND VEATCH.  I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HE TELLS YOU ABOUT HIS STUDY COMPARED TO WHAT HE HAS SAID TO THE EMPLOYEES AND THE UNION.  HE LED THE UNION AND EMPLOYEES ASTRAY ON THE CONVENTION CENTER DEAL WHEN HE WAS TEMP. CITY MANAGER.

THANKS;
TOM

So who is Tom West, and what’s got him so hot?

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Vera Z says:
02 Sep 2008  at  07:26 am | #

The March 3rd and the March 13th e-mails make it pretty clear that they do have a committee studying the possibility of privatizing our water works.  I would very much like more information, but I think this needs to be watched carefully and addressed soon. Thanx Vera Z

Hmm... says:
04 Sep 2008  at  02:08 pm | #

The water supply is something our city does well & relatively inexpensively.

Privatizing it, open us up to some major price hikes.

Although Cinergy was a private company, it was a locally held company.  Has anyone else noticed how much energy prices has spiked above & beyond what is merited by energy costs?

Once we privatize the Waterworks, it’s open to the same national or global level buyout.  These mega corporations have too much money for the public to be able to effectively monitor & battle.

Privatizing the water works is clearly not in the public’s interest.

says:
04 Sep 2008  at  10:48 pm | #

Tom West is an AFSCME (American Federation of State, County,& Municipal Employees)union member official who works for MSD (Cincinnati Sewer Dept.).

He is concerned that Water Works AFSCME members may lose their jobs if the Water Dept.is privatized.

He can be reached by calling the AFSCME local office. (513)641-2900

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