Osceola City Councilmen weren’t afraid to publicly let their feelings be known during a Sept. 15 meeting.
A letter to the editor from the House Government Oversight Committee about Clarke County Reservoir Commission’s Squaw Creek Watershed project drew anger from the city council.
“Our integrity was challenged. And, if I read this letter, I can assume that the intent of the entire law was against one county, one jurisdiction — us and us alone. Because we are inherently liars and cheaters and thieves,” said Councilman Dr. George Fotiadis.
The letter to the editor ran in the Thursday, Sept. 17, edition of the Osceola Sentinel-Tribune, but was available online as of Tuesday, Sept. 15.
The letter from the committee of Chairman Rep. Kaufmann, Vice-Chair Rep. Heartsill, Rep. Pettengill, Rep. Baudler made itself clear it was against CCRC and its reservoir project.
The project
CCRC is in the process of building a reservoir project located in northwest Clarke County.
The reservoir is to provide a water supply for Osceola and Southern Iowa Rural Water Association (SIRWA) with an 816-acre lake, which could provide 2.2 million gallons of water per day.
West Lake, the current water source, doesn’t meet the needs of Clarke County and SIRWA.
However, there have been many legislative setbacks, including the most recent one from July.
CCRC is dealing with a change in Iowa law on eminent domain, which created language that changed the law on use of eminent domain for the creation of public water supply surface water reservoirs throughout the state.
Eminent domain is the government’s power to take private property for public use by a state.
However, this doesn’t stop the CCRC from purchasing land from willing sellers in the project area, which is currently going on.
City council reaction
Councilman Dr. Fotiadis said he wants a solution to the water problem. He sees growth happening in Osceola, but there needs to be an emergency contingency plan about providing water and an emergency shut off, especially with businesses, in a drought.
Fotiadis predicted West Lake wouldn’t be able to survive a 20-year drought, which he said hasn’t happened since 1988. He said conversations about possible scenarios need to be happening with SIRWA.
“The entire southern Iowa community needs to be aware that we may no longer be a net water producer, like we are now. And, in fact, may become a net water consumer if we have not other output,” Fotiadis said.
He emphasized drought preparedness, especially if an El Niño weather pattern is in the forecast for this winter, and what it could mean for future summer seasons.
“I don’t want a room full of angry people, including two big employers, saying, ‘By the way, we’re leaving and our lawyer’s going to call you about damages because you couldn’t provide water,’” Fotiadis said.
More frustrations
Councilman Dennis Page had frustrations with the letter because it claimed the reservoir commission didn’t look at water source alternatives, just the Squaw Creek area.
City officials mentioned there is documentation to prove otherwise with the work CCRC did in the progress of the reservoir project.
“We looked at those,” said Mayor Fred Diehl, who also represents the city on the commission. “How would you like to be subject to Des Moines’ water and get a letter of shut off like their doing to some of the towns right now?”
Councilman Dave Walkup said he has given full support for the CCRC’s project and its current progress of buying land
“This letter was just salt in the wound,” Walkup said. “… I’m sorry. This is political and it’s just a waste of time. It’s not positive. It’s not going to help anybody. All it is is putting salt in the wound.”