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Water power district suffers setback Shady Cove council votes against citizen proposal to utilize mountain springs By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune SHADY COVE - The proposal to pipe mountain springs into town looks dead in the water. Thursday's standing-room-only meeting threatened to boil over as the council voted not to create a resolution endorsing the petition presented by the citizens wanting to form the Upper Rogue Water and Power District. Wearing an Upper Rogue Water and Power sign taped to his cap, chief petitioner Will Hardy said he was disappointed in the council's decision. "It was probably foregone," he said. Shady Cove relies on 900 private and shared wells for its 2,315 residents. In drought years, many wells are low or dry. The city's voters twice rejected bonds to build a water system that would have used treated Rogue River water. Two groups in Shady Cove are backing two different water projects - Upper Rogue Water and Power supports the use of springs located on Board Mountain, about three miles out of town; while The Organizing Committee to Create the Shady Cove Water District proposes drawing and treating river water. The Shady Cove Water District proposal, spearheaded by Arthur Smith, goes before the Jackson County Board of Commissioners Feb. 20 to decide district boundaries. The board tabled the decision last week after learning that Will Hardy had submitted a petition for the Upper Rogue Water and Power District. Hardy said he recently learned that he needed the City Council's endorsement before proceeding. During Thursday's council meeting, the council members expressed concern that there had not been a sufficient collection of facts. "We said that we support (your proposal), but it is years away. You don't have answers. Mr. Smith has answers. He's ready to go," said Mayor Tom Anderson, adding, "You don't have a system, you have an idea." The mayor suggested that Hardy and Smith work together on a water solution. Hardy said he thought Smith's proposal would cost the residents too much money. "Our goal (is) to have an affordable water system," he said. By seeking private funding in addition to looking into generating hydroelectric power, he said he thought his group had some ideas for keeping costs down. "You have another income potential that can take the load off the homeowners," said Hardy. Anderson also said that if Smith's proposal succeeds in getting on the May ballot, a second district proposal may only serve to leave the city with no successful water resolution. He said he worries about a growth moratorium being imposed if the water issue remains unresolved. "This has been a very, very hot subject in Shady Cove for 10 years," Anderson said. Hardy said he plans to pursue the option of using the springs. "We'll continue with our efforts," he said. "I'm a believer." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.