Needing time to think : Council holds off on disbanding commission
Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008
TONTITOWN - The hunt for Mick Wagner will continue past Tuesday night after the City Council tabled an ordinance that would abolish the Water and Sewer Commission and create a Water and Sewer Committee.
By creating a committee, the city would be keeping its water and sewer affairs out of the hands of Wagner, former commission chairman and current commission consultant.
According to City Attorney Mark Dossett, the primary difference between a commission and a committee is that a committee operates under the City Council and a commission operates on its own.
Alderman David Sbanotto said he'd like the issue to go to a citywide vote to let residents decide.
"I think that's the best route to go," he said.
Dossett said there is a method the council can use to do that, but he was unsure on the details at the time and needed to research it.
Alderman Henry Piazza brought to the council the ordinance to abolish the commission. He said there have been a lot of problems in the city and thinks Wagner, hired at $ 2 a year by the Water and Sewer Commission, is the root of those problems.
"There's too much corruption in this little town," Piazza said.
Alderman Becky Alston said there's no way the city could run the system out of a committee. She said the council is a legislative body, not an administrative body.
"Keeping the commission keeps (water and sewer ) out of politics," she said.
Mayor Joe Edgmon said if the commission is disbanded he isn't sure who would be on a committee or who would handle the day-to-day responsibilities.
Those are questions that need to be answered before a decision is made, Alston said.
Alderman Ken Robertson said the council needs to make decisions that are best for the city regardless of personal opinions.
"It doesn't change the fact that (Wagner ) is helping the city tremendously by being as blunt as he is," Robertson said. "We have made huge progress because of his efforts, and it is becoming in this action very much a personal vendetta. Several people have said tonight, ' We don't have a problem with the commission, ' but we're abolishing the commission."
He said the commission is set up to be nonpolitical for a reason: because sometimes it needs to make decisions that the council doesn't necessarily agree with but may be best for the water and sewer system in Tontitown.
Several people spoke in defense of Wagner and the commission Tuesday.
Fire Chief Mike Zulpo, also a member of the commission, said Wagner is a good man and citizen. Zulpo said he doesn't have enough time to run the commission and Wagner does a good job of it.
"He does not turn his face. When he has something to tell you, he'll do it to your face," Zulpo said. "I guarantee you will not be stabbed in the back by Mick Wagner. I have time to go to the meetings once a month and read the e-mails (Wagner ) sends each day."
Commission Chairman Bill Brandt begged the council to keep the group as is.
"Don't throw the baby out with the bath water," he said.
If the group is disbanded, the five commissioners would not want to be on the committee created in its place, commission member Gene Baker said.
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