HT News

February 4, 2010

Water system sale debated

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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HAZLETON – Dozens of water company and city employees filled City Council chambers Wednesday night to show their support for or opposition to Mayor Lou Barletta’s plan to sell the Hazleton City Authority water system to a private company.

Robert Schnee, an authority employee and president of United Steel Workers Local 85670, presented council with a stack of petitions signed by people opposing the sale.

“The public out on the street are 100 percent against this. Water is their most treasured jewel. I would like to present … 4,500 impassioned voices: Please do not sell the water company,” Schnee said as he handed the stack of petitions to Council President Joe Yannuzzi.

Barletta announced in December his plan to eliminate the city’s $2 million debt and save it from financial ruin: Sell the water system for about $60 million and, after paying off authority and city debt, use some proceeds to build a revenue-producing solar energy generation plant near the Hazleton Municipal Airport and put the remainder in an interest-bearing trust to provide the city revenue for years to come.

A 35-year water authority employee, Pete Andrasko said he worked during the 1976 drought, and the pumping station built in Rockport is an invaluable asset, especially in such times.

“I feel for the mayor … but a private company is not the answer. … They’re not going to put money back into the system like the authority does,” he said.

Councilwoman Karin Cabell asked why a private company would endanger the water supply.

“Because they have stockholders,” Andrasko said. “They are going to put profit before (infrastructure).”

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