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Accusations
flow at a hearing on Detroit's water Amid
cheers and jeers, court papers are served October 10, 2002 BY CECIL ANGEL Even before the public hearing began Wednesday in Warren
on a bill to regionalize control of the Detroit Water and Sewerage
Department, there was a foreshadowing of tension. As they waited for the meeting to get under way, Jeff
Thompson, who lives in Dearborn Heights, and Russ Bellant, a Detroit Human
Resources Department employee, sparred over the proposed takeover. Bellant, with voice slightly raised, said an auto company
isn't taken over because it keeps raising car prices. Thompson, equally
animated, shot back: "I don't need cars to live." In short, the two-hour hearing shaped up to be a Detroit
versus suburbs scuffle. Accusations flowed from speaker after speaker: racism,
incompetence, mismanagement, greed, disenfranchisement. Among the 180 people in the auditorium on the Macomb
Community College campus were lawyers, water department employees, students,
retirees, homemakers and politicians -- some running for office. They either
testified, quietly listened or responded to the parade of speakers with
applause, cheers or jeers. "This bill is a racist attack on Detroit," said
Susan Ryan, a water department employee, "to take over the assets of the
City of Detroit and to maintain segregation." She said the 1,300 members of AFSCME Local 207, which
represents water department workers, had voted to authorize a strike. "We will strike to fight this. Do not test us,"
she said. The first person to speak was Warren City Attorney George
Constance. "There's no oversight or control of the Detroit
water department," he said. As Constance spoke about unreasonably high water rates,
incompetent employees and a $35-million loss of water, caused by leaks, that
he said is passed on to consumers, Detroit activist Marie Thornton held up a
sign that read: "No More Takeover Detroit Water Belong to Detroit."
Constance concluded by announcing that the City of Warren
filed a lawsuit Wednesday over water rates. He walked over to Victor Mercado,
the department's director, and served him with court papers. Mercado smiled weakly as he took the papers. His turn at
the podium was next. State Rep. Leon Drolet, R-Clinton Township, a constant
critic of the water department and a leading supporter of the bill, chaired
the hearing. Earlier Wednesday, he said it was urgent to get the bill passed
in November. Under the bill, a 10-member regional water board would be
created. The Detroit City Council and Detroit's mayor, the Oakland
County executive, the Wayne County executive, the governor and the Oakland
County and Macomb County commissions would select the board's
representatives. The board would have say over all contracts and the
day-to-day running of the system, which provides water to 125 communities in
southeast Michigan. The bill also calls for a regional authority with
representatives from all the communities being served by the water
department. The population of a community would determine the weight of its
vote. Gov. John Engler has promised to sign the bill but its
passage is a ways off, Drolet said. The bill could be doomed if Democratic
Attorney General Jennifer Granholm becomes governor, Drolet said. It would
have to pass before she took office in January "if we want suburban
representation," he said. But if Republican Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus wins in
November, then it will not be important that the bill pass this year, he
said. Posthumus has said he supports giving suburban customers
more say in the system's management. Granholm has said Detroit Mayor Kwame
Kilpatrick should have more time to make improvements. Drolet said he hopes the hearing will help drum up
support from outstate lawmakers. He said the bill would be fine-tuned based on findings
from the hearings. Two other hearings have been scheduled: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday
at the Royal Oak Public Library, 222 E. Eleven Mile; 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at the
Detroit Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers. Contact CECIL ANGEL at 313-223-4531 or angel@freepress.com. |