Most Greeley Citizens dislike what we see happening in Bittersweet Park and other parks in the City of Greeley. But is there anything that we can do about it?
The City is discouraging water use by existing customers, which includes our parks, to provide for an avalanche of new customers and growth. That is also what the purchase of Terry Ranch was about, to provide cheap water to developers. So, existing customers, expect to make do with less water for more money!
In Saturday’s Greeley Tribune, Water Department Director Sean Chambers stated that the City would be replacing 12,500 meters this summer so that YOU can get a more accurate (higher) water bill. You see, the old meters are “supposedly” not measuring all the water you use. So expect your water bills to go up if you are lucky enough to get a new meter. But don’t worry, Chambers said, “if there is an increase it would be less than 10%”. Another cost to Greeley customers down the road will be the expensive “point of use” ion exchange or reverse osmosis residential water treatment systems necessary on each home to assure that you are getting quality water if, or when, that Terry Ranch water gets to your faucet.
An article in Friday’s Greeley Tribune stated that Greeley has “the two biggest commodities with the land and the water, but they also have the willingness to grow”. Greeley “is “actually embracing growth”. I think in 10 years, you won’t even recognize Greeley as it is today. And Greeley will be developing with the promise of a new water source, Terry Ranch, that has no firm yield, as stated when Fort Collins turned down that alternative to a mountain reservoir enlargement, Halligan Reservoir, which is well on its way to being permitted by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The Terry Ranch purchase also involves a private company, Wingfoot (Talkot Capital, Akin Family) in our water affairs, who will be taking millions, or billions, of dollars from Greeley water.
If all of this disturbs you as much as it does me, then one thing you could do is help us with our petition drive to give the Citizens of Greeley the right to vote on Critical Water Issues. Save Greeley’s Water has been circulating two petitions to amend the City Charter to 1) require a vote of the people before the City can sell our water rights or water facilities and 2) to require a vote of the people before the City can buy recycled waste-water or ground water AND PROVIDE IT to the citizens through Greeley’s water system.
If we can get 3,101 verified signatures, these charter change amendments will appear on the November 2021 ballot for your consideration. You will have the chance to vote on whether YOU want to have a vote on Critical Water Issues.
Save Greeley’s Water needs 15-20 additional petition circulators. Each petition section has room for 50 signatures. It is really easy, and you could obtain those 50 signatures by walking 2-3 blocks in your neighborhood, taking it to work with you or providing it for your friends or church group to sign. We would provide all the information necessary to help you do this, and all you need to do after you obtain the 50 signatures is to fill out an affidavit at the back of the petition and have your signature notarized.
As a Scottish philosopher, Edmund Burke said back in the 18th century, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” City Government is the government closest to the people and if we default on our citizenship, then we really can’t complain about what the City leaders do to us.
Please help us with our petition effort. We have 4 weeks left before our deadline. A LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT on the part of the MANY CITIZENS OF GREELEY could give us all MORE SAY IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
Contact me and we will see that you get the materials that you need.
Thank you for your consideration. God bless you and GOD SAVE GREELEY!
Save Greeley's Water 