Letters, Faxes, E-mails

To the Editor:
I was reading the Sunday Shawnee News Star regarding the Shawnee-Tecumseh contract for raw water. I am trying to understand why Shawnee would give away the pipeline it solely owns to Tecumseh. I can only read and understand what I see in the paper, as no other notices or information seems to be available to the public. It’s my understanding the original contract called for Tecumseh to pay a minimum monthly amount proportionate to the capital and maintenance cost incurred by Shawnee.
 I read this to mean Tecumseh would pay monthly an amount in order to purchase a portion of the pipeline (capital), and 15 percent of the operation and maintenance cost associated with the Shawnee water treatment facility. The amendment reached last month would give Tecumseh direct access to raw water, and would relieve Shawnee of its obligation to provide treated water to Tecumseh. The amendment further states it would free Tecumseh from any operation and maintenance cost, and would give them the option to sell any portion of their shares to other communities. Now we all know that we do not have any water to spare, have we forgotten the drought of years past?
 The amendment further states if approved, the ensuing raw water line from Wes Watkins, Shawnee Twin Lakes would be jointly owned by Shawnee and Tecumseh. In my opinion it looks like Tecumseh has out maneuvered our Shawnee team, and Tecumseh is getting a pipeline and right-of-way for nothing. If this is true, then the people of Shawnee should get up in arms and ensure that we are not giving a pipeline that is worth millions of dollars away, as we desperately need the necessary funds to fix the existing Shawnee Water Treatment plant and its pipeline systems.
If the people of Shawnee would get as interested in the problems that are really going to alter the ability to allow the city to grow and prosper, as they do with petty issues, we could get our leaders to get more accomplished. I have addressed the Shawnee City commissioners directly, and written a letter to the editor on the matter of giving away the pipeline to the city of Tecumseh, and asked to be enlightened-and still no response. Hopefully, no response is not my answer. I would appreciate a call from any of the city commissioners that are willing to enlighten me on the proposed contract amendment.
Warren Rutherford
Shawnee