Friday, May 19, 2006 by Representative Bob Gibbs
Contact: Jason Warner (614) 466-2994
Gibbs to Sponsor Measure Restructuring MWCD Governing Board, Assessment
COLUMBUS: Citing concern over the current structure of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District’s Governing Board, (MWCD) and assessment proposal, State Representative Bob Gibbs (R, Lakeville) announced today that he intends to introduce legislation that will not only alter the structure of the board, but also modify the proposed assessment to begin in 2007. "The lack of transparency and accountability to the property owners of the district and the many problems cited by local officials during this process so far are quite troubling," said Gibbs.
“There is no doubt that work and upgrades on the sixteen dams in the watershed is needed. However, the plan that has been put forward, combined with the forecasted revenue generated by the assessment, leads me to believe that the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District is being handed a blank check for open ended projects at the expense of the property owners of the district,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs noted that the Muskingum Watershed’s proposed assessment will generate $270 million over the next 20 years. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, who are responsible for carrying out the maintenance of the dams, is also responsible for paying the majority share of the repairs and upgrades to the dams. The MWCD must provide a local match for the dam maintenance, which is expected to cost the district around $400,000 per year. With the assessment expected to generate between $12 and $13 million per year, Gibbs expressed concern about where the balance of the revenues will be spent and the financial impact especially on local businesses, where in many cases MWCD's proposal amounts to thousands of dollars.
“MWCD must be required to fulfill their obligations to provide the local funding for the dam upgrades,” Gibbs continued. “What happened in New Orleans last year following hurricane Katrina is an example of what can happen when no local match
is provided to support flood control. However, the current plan just leaves too many questions unanswered and must be addressed” Gibbs said.
To address the concerns the public has with the MWCD’s plan, Representative Gibbs will introduce legislation to make changes to the districts governing board and assessment plan.
Gibbs’ proposal would replace the current Conservancy Court with a Conservancy Board, consisting of a combination of County Commissioners, County Engineers and County Auditors. The Gibbs plan would also call for two ex-Officio members of the Ohio General Assembly, whose districts are located within the watershed, to serve as non-voting members of the board.
The Gibbs plan would cap the current assessment proposal at $1 million per year, until the newly form governing board reviews the overall plan and then may make necessary revisions. This would allow for the critical infrastructure upgrades to move forward as scheduled and allow time for a comprehensive review of the entire project proposal.
“I would hope that the Conservancy Court would implement this modified assessment plan and support my new board structure plan when they meet this summer, allowing for an oversight authority that will be more knowledgeable in this regard," Gibbs said.
In addition to the assessment cap, the Gibbs plan will also exempt all property which is currently tax-exempted, including churches, cemeteries, schools and government property.
“Transparency and accountability are key to this proposal; we must ensure that the public interest and safety are being address and that the Conservancy Board is accountable for the public funds,” Gibbs said of the plan. “This proposal will ensure public safety, while also safeguarding public trust.”
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