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City, Caledonia Twp. begin water talks
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Friday, February 24, 2006 10:29 AM EST
After several years of unsuccessful negotiations, city of Owosso and Caledonia Charter Township officials say they are now optimistic they can reach a deal to supply city water to the township.
Representatives from the city and township met Thursday afternoon with Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce President Joe Borgstrom and 85th District State Rep. Richard Ball (R-Bennington Township) to discuss developing an agreement to provide city water to the township.
“I'm pleasantly surprised and very optimistic,” said Caledonia Charter Township Supervisor John Orin. “We've agreed to let the past remain in the past. There have been many failed attempts. We'll wait and see and, hopefully, we can get something worked out.”
Owosso Mayor Linda Robertson agreed Thursday's talks went well.
“The spirit of cooperation is evident on both the city's and township's sides,” she said. “I don't think we could be any more optimistic than we all are.”
Robertson said city officials will provide the township with several options for supplying city water to its residents.
“We're going to put together a couple of different approaches,” she said “It might be water district agreements, a retail sale agreement, a wholesale water agreement or a combinations of the two.”
Ball has said he believes finding a way to provide city water to Caledonia and Owosso charter townships is the key to spurring economic growth in the mid-county region.
In October, the Owosso City Council and Owosso Charter Township Board approved an agreement stating each entity would work toward an agreement to supply water to a medical office park being constructed on North M 52 in Owosso Township.
The agreement also set a one-year time frame for the city and Owosso Township to begin negotiating the terms of a broader water agreement.
Robertson said she, too, believes a water deal will help revitalize the sluggish local economy.
“We are all on the same page,” she said. “We believe working out a water agreement Š will promote development.”