Franklin board mulling water supply change

It's been a while since a Franklin Water District No. 7 meeting has had a crowd larger than the seven-member board. But on Thursday, eight people showed up to get answers from the board.
The water district is considering a contract to be supplied with water from Frontenac. The water district now gets its supply mainly from Rural Water District No. 2. The reason for the switch comes mostly from the need to have more reliable water pressure.
In order to get water from Frontenac, a booster station would need to be built at the cost of about $142,000 to be split between Frontenac and Franklin. Also, eight-inch water lines would need to be put into place for a half-mile to the proposed booster station.
The crowd came to the meeting to question whether that decision was the right one, with most of their concerns regarding if, and by how much, the water bill would change if the switch to the Frontenac supply is done.
Franklin residents now pay a $16 minimum, which includes 1,000 gallons of water. Each additional 1,000 gallons of water is $5. There is also a $3 debt service fee to pay off Kansas Department of Health and Environment low-interest loans, which are used for water district maintenance and operational costs.
For example, a Franklin resident who used 3,000 gallons of water would now pay $29.
In order to pay for the proposed boosting station and water line, Franklin would have to take out additional loans, which would increase that debt service fee by an undetermined amount.
Franklin and Frontenac will meet over the next month to finalize the contract. Until then, neither Franklin water district board members nor citizens know how much the increase in debt service would be.
For example, Rural Water District No. 1 pays $24 in debt service fee, plus $3.10 per 1,000 gallons of water, according to information provided at the meeting. A resident who used 3,000 gallons of water would pay $30.20.
For another example, McCune residents pay $25.50 for the first 1,000 gallons, $7 for every additional 1,000 gallons, and pays $18.50 in debt service fee, according to the information provided. A McCune resident using 3,000 gallons of water would pay $58.
The unknown increase is part of the problem that Debbie Lenne, Franklin, had at the meeting. Lenne said a lot of her problem comes from not trusting that what Franklin water supervisors were telling their residents.
"It's scary to think they've made the decision to switch without knowing how much it is going to cost. It seems like they've already decided on Frontenac," Lenne said after the meeting. "Why not go to Arma and see what their costs are? To me, it just seemed like they talked around in circles."
Henry Ashbacher, water board manager, told the audience earlier in the meeting that Arma had been the first call he made when considering a switch, but that after looking at the numbers, Frontenac water would have been an ultimately-cheaper alternative.
Lenne asked Ashbacher to provide those specific numbers, and Ashbacher said he would provide those numbers to her by the next meeting, scheduled for Oct. 2.
Water board chairman Craig Stokes said this situation has been under consideration for a year and a half, and no meeting has had any attendance. The finalized contract, with final proposed fee increases, will be up for consideration at the next meeting.
Nonetheless, Lenne expressed her doubts about the water board's decision making.
"If it's correct and it's the best deal, then I'm OK," Lenne said. "My question is if the water pressure really will be better and if the cost is worth the increase in water pressure. I don't trust even what they're answering. I want to double check the facts."

Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 132.