City Rejects Talks on Substantive Issues; Ronald Wastewater Asks Court to Resolve the City’s and the District’s Disputes About the Interlocal Operating Agreement

On June 12, 2013, Ronald Wastewater District sent a letter to the City of Shoreline requesting a meeting to discuss, in a spirit of mutual respect, areas of concern in the Interlocal Operating Agreement (IOA). The meeting would have been held on July 11.

On June 20, 2013, the City of Shoreline rejected the request. Their letter instead invited the Board of Ronald Wastewater to “discuss assumption transition planning,” reducing the meeting agenda to this topic only with a new date of August 12. In other words, no discussion of the areas of concern, but rather Ronald Wastewater District was invited to acquiesce to an assumption process that it believes is mistaken and requires a public vote.

As the City’s letter states, there is a “clear distinction between the District’s interpretation and the City’s regarding the intent of the IOA, how it is to be executed, and the State law.” Ronald Wastewater District agrees, and is discouraged that the City is unwilling to consider any dialogue that might resolve these honest differences and work with the District towards a mutually acceptable solution.

On the evening of June 25, 2013, Ronald Wastewater District’s Board of Commissioners directed District staff to work with legal counsel to ask the Court to resolve the disagreements about the IOA and state law that requires a public vote before any assumption.

Click on the link below to see District Resolution 13-15.

 http://www.ronaldwastewater.org/downloads/RES%2013-15.pdf

Ronald Wastewater District is a locally controlled municipal government that has provided sewer service to its ratepayers since 1951.