Riverbend puts off vote on resolution with city

Riverbend Water Resources District’s board of directors tabled a joint resolution with the city of Texarkana, Texas, Wednesday for its executive director to take the next step in getting a new intake structure on Wright Patman Lake.

Liz Fazio-Hale, who also serves as the district’s CEO, recommended the board not take action on the resolution until the city took a vote on it. Monday, the city also tabled the resolution, which differed from

Riverbend’s in that it gave City Manager Shirley Jaster signature authority for the intake’s required federal and state permits instead of Fazio Hale.

Ward 6 Council Member Josh Davis made the motion to table the resolution, and Ward 5’s Bill Harp asked for a workshop meeting with Riverbend. That meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

Fazio Hale told the board she was looking forward to the workshop in which she and board members could explain the area’s complicated water situation to the new council members.

“They kindly offered that we do a workshop this coming Monday night. I think that’s a great idea,” she said. “This will be the first workshop that I’ve been able to present at and do this very intense education of these members. We have to realize we’re just a city council race away from new people, and water is a very complicated topic and can be easily confused. So I take this as a very positive thing that we’re able to present and educate not only the council at this workshop, but hopefully others who will attend and ask very good questions about what Riverbend does for the community and the region.”

Board President Marshall Wood encouraged the public to attend the meeting, saying many area residents don’t understand how all the pieces fit together.

“I don’t think it’s an issue,” he told the board. “I think it’s just an education process.”

If the joint resolution is approved with Fazio-Hale as signatory, it would allow her to begin the process of acquiring a federal 404 permit and amend the current Texas Commission for Environmental Quality permit for the intake to be placed anywhere on the perimeter of the reservoir.

She said the larger picture is addressing aging infrastructure that will not support economic growth in the area.

“Even if we want to stay with the old infrastructure, that infrastructure does not provide growth in our community,” she said. “We all as a region have to get serious about whether or not, as we are putting funds into economic development areas, all those funds are just a waste if we don’t have infrastructure that’s needed in place, specifically in our case for water resources. This provides us a platform to not only talk about signature authority, which is straightforward, but also where does this region want to go? Where do we see ourselves in the future? The future is really today.”

In other business, Riverbend entered into a contract with the city of Maud, which is one of the district’s member entities.

“The service contract is very similar to the one we have with Hooks, Texas, except that Hooks contract is specific to sampling,” Fazio-Hale said. “This contract is specific to repair services on their water and wastewater distribution system. We can enter into further agreements with them, but this is the base that they asked for from us and we believe it is a good contract that protects both parties.”

The contract comes after Riverbend helped the city repair a water line over the New Year’s holidays, she added.

The next meeting is scheduled for 12 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28.