Utility merger delayed, planning continues
A plan to merge city and county utilities did not meet a June 30 deadline, but the delay is expected to be short-lived.
The merger is expected to be completed by the end of July, and the newly formed Columbia Adair Utility District will provide water and sewer services in Columbia and Adair County.
Columbia Mayor Pat Bell said the city would continue providing services until the merger is complete. He said he intended to bring up the issue at Tuesday night’s city council meeting but forgot.
Bell said the city’s budget would need to be amended to reflect the continuation of employees into the new fiscal year, which began July 1.
Bell said he did not know how the delay would affect employees who are transferring to the utility district, since the agreement between the city and county stipulated that city employees would maintain their salaries and benefits. However, the city provided a 5 percent raise for the new fiscal year and the water district provided a 3 percent pay increase to employees.
Once the merger is complete, city and county customers will pay the same rates. The merger will allow the district to upgrade obsolete water lines within the city limits.
Lenny Stone, director of the county water district who will also direct the newly merged entity, said he is developing a 10-year-plan to renovate the city’s utility system.
Stone expects to have the plan completed by the end of the year. Throughout the remainder of the year he will be busy surveying and analyzing the city’s system to see what repairs and replacements are needed.
The utility district is expected to merge with the Columbia-Adair County Water Commission in the near future. The commission owns and operates a $14.5 million water plant that went into operation in 2008.
In addition, Stone said the utility district will open a new office location near the new parkway exchange close to Wal-Mart. The property has been purchased and construction is expected to begin next year.
