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<br /> <br />ECC <br />UGENE ITY OUNCIL <br />AIS <br />GENDA TEM UMMARY <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Joint Meeting: Eugene Water & Electric Board Water Rights <br /> <br />Meeting Date: June 7, 2010 Agenda Item Number: 1 <br />Department: Intergovernmental Relations Staff Contact: Brenda Wilson <br />www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-8441 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />ISSUE STATEMENT <br /> <br />This joint meeting is to provide the Eugene City Council and the Eugene Water & Electric Board <br />(EWEB) an opportunity to discuss EWEB’s water rights issues and the proposed sale of water to <br />the City of Veneta. <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />Late last year, EWEB informed the City Manager about EWEB’s interest to sell water to Veneta <br />in order to certify part of EWEB’s third water right and to help ensure that the water in this water <br />right would be available to Eugene residents in the future when needed. In mid-April, EWEB <br />and the City of Veneta signed a water-sale contract. EWEB then submitted the contract to the <br />Lane County Circuit Court for validation. <br /> <br />On May 12, 2010, the council was presented with background information on the water sale and <br />the court process. While the council appeared to support the certification of EWEB’s third water <br />right, many questions were raised about the sale and the certification/perfection of water rights in <br />general. The council was asked to submit any additional questions they had on the issues to staff <br />for response. The questions and responses are attached as Attachment A. A project overview <br />prepared by the City of Veneta is also attached as Attachment B. <br /> <br />At the May 12 meeting, the council directed staff to schedule (1) a joint meeting with the EWEB <br />Board of Directors before the council takes up this issue for decision; (2) a public forum, with <br />EWEB’s involvement, in order to provide information to the public about the proposed sale of <br />water; and (3) following that forum, a public hearing on EWEB’s proposed sale of water to <br />Veneta. In order to provide more time for the process directed by the council, EWEB filed for a <br />30-day extension of time in which to file an appearance in the validation case. The deadline to <br />do so is now June 30, 2010. <br /> <br />The public information forum has been scheduled for June 8, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council <br />Chamber. The public hearing will be scheduled in the near future. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Z:\CMO\2010 Council Agendas\M100607\S1006071.doc <br />