Letter to the Editor: Water rate increase

This editorial is about the Newton water rate increase and more so how it was handled.

Waiving the second and third reading is almost criminal, or whatever other adjectives you want to use. The second and third reading has its reasons for existing. One of those is to keep the council from doing something stupid, like not realizing the long-term affects. Obviously, the Newton City Council gave no thought to how it would affect local area residents, who live outside the city limits, but consider Newton home. If they had, they might have realized where those local area people will most likely do their purchasing in the future. From the barbershop, the gas station, the farm store, to the grocery store. For IRUA customers who live between Newton and other cities, the decision to just go to Pella, Marshalltown or Altoona was just made very simple.

What is Newton going to do with an overproducing water plant, if IRUA partners with another town that needs a water treatment plant, and all at once Newton has 60 percent more capacity than they are using?

The school board reversed their school decision. The Newton City Counsel needs to come to their senses and handle this correctly. Work it out with the IRUA, in a way that benefits all. Not ram it through, as has been done.

David DeRouchey

(IRUA Customer since 1979)

Newton