Let's Keep Talking About BWL

"The community needs a deep look at alternatives and a robust discussion. What it does not need are hasty decisions that could have unforeseen consequences."

The Lansing State Journal is right: we need a robust regional dialogue on the issue of BWL governance. It has long been my position that a regional utility should be governed regionally and that all ratepayers should have a meaningful voice in that governance. In the wake of last December's ice storm, I called for the addition of voting representatives on the BWL's Board for East Lansing and other customer communities. Ultimately, Lansing voters were asked to approve an amendment to the Lansing City Charter that provided for nonvoting representatives. That amendment was overwhelmingly approved by 65% of Lansing voters. While I continue to believe that East Lansing residents should have a voting seat at the table, a nonvoting representative was a step in the right direction. Now it appears that additional changes to the Lansing City Charter may be proposed that will undo these modest steps forward before they are even fully implemented.

If the BWL effectively becomes a City of Lansing department, without an independent governing board, customer communities will have no means of making their voices heard or holding the utility accountable. These are serious issues that deserve a thorough regional discussion. This is no time to shoot from the hip.

Read the State Jounal's full article, first published on January 25, 2015, here.

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