Bitter, Kathy Request to Address CouncilJune 5, 2008
RE: Water supply to Miller Road
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council Members:
I am requesting the following issue to be brought before you at the June 16, 2008 city
council meeting. I am available to speak to address the issue or answer questions, if
needed.
We would like city water made available on our street, Miller Road. Miller Road is at the
bottom of Kelly Lane at the intersection of Manson, Old Mill and Kelly Lane. We realize
there are some difficulties, mainly the fact that the street is very narrow. Water was
brought partway down the street in 2004. We have heard from the water department that
money is an issue and they need more people to agree to sign up before they will commit
to bringing it further. When they brought water in 2004 they passed three homes and
didn't require them to hook up, nor did they even ask if they wanted to at that time. It
was brought 600 feet at a cost to the city of about $55,000 for one homeowner. Miller
Road is unique in that several of the homes here are built a long distance from the road
and most likely would never hook up because the homeowner cost would be very high
compared to repairing or re-drilling a well. There are many of us closer to the road that
would like the option of hooking up to city water in the event that our wells fail or other
circumstances arise. We are requesting the water come approximately 660 feet, or to
accommodate as far as 1500 Miller. The proposed addition would cost about $58,000.
Although there are nine or more homeowners in between there are only four, in my
opinion, who would ever hook up. The water department has denied us twice due to lack
of commitment by homeowners to hook up now. The current rate for the homeowner is
$11 per linear foot of frontage. Together the four homes [Sabers at 1441 (150 feet);
Bitters at 1460 (140 feet); Davis at 1480 (107 feet); Allen at 1500 (150 feet)] have a
combined linear footage of frontage of 547 feet. This at most would bring the city $6017
toward the project.
Currently the Davis family has unsafe water and is looking at thousands of dollars in
repairs to their well. Mrs. Davis has health issues that make safe water imperative. It is
unfortunate that they may be forced to spend money on a well and still not have access to
the wonderful water Dubuque is known for. They are probably the only family that
would commit to hooking up immediately. Their cost would be $1177 to the city. That
leaves the city without $4840 it would like from the other three homeowners right now.
This seems unlikely that this amount of money would stop a project of this size.
What also must be remembered is that all of these residents are currently paying city
taxes. We have city sewer, but as you are all aware, the city water is a wonderful asset.
We feel we are paying these taxes without the amenity. There probably are not many
homes in the city, paying city taxes, that don't at least have the option to have city water.
I spoke with Brant from the water department and he was very helpful. He said that the
water department's goal is to have everyone possible hooked up. Although the
department sees this project as unworthy, the residents do.
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Secondly, when the water was brought in 2004 the repair work to the street was~~ pooh
leaving very large sunken areas in front of 1233 and the community mailboxes.~t~vvoulc~ ,~
be very nice if the city would finish this work. Since our street is very narrow, ~ this ~
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area is full of water or ice it is dangerous. ~` ~--F-1
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Respectfully, _ C ~
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Kathy Bitter
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1460 Miller, Dubuque, IA 563-583-4170 m ~