Officials from both the city of Texarkana, Texas, and Riverbend Water Resources District say Monday's workshop at City Hall was a success, and they will continue to work together to get a new intake structure on Wright Patman Lake.
The workshop was held at the request of the City Council so new members could better understand a joint resolution Riverbend proposed, with its executive director and CEO, Liz Fazio-Hale, to be the signatory on federal and Texas Commission for Environmental Quality permits for the new water structure.
Riverbend sent a resolution to the city with Fazio-Hale as signator, but the resolution the city considered the week before had City Manager Shirley Jaster as signator for the TCEQ permits. The city tabled the resolution, as did Riverbend's Board of Directors, which met Wednesday.
During Monday's workshop, city water liaison Steve Mayo presented an amendment to the resolution, which Fazio-Hale said they are still working on.
"We are working on specific language so that everybody will be comfortable," she said, adding that she expects a final draft very soon. "We are going to get there. We want it to be unanimous and for everybody to feel comfortable. I have no doubt that we will get there."
Texarkana is one of the district's 16 members, with Riverbend serving as its representative for studies being conducted on the lake by the Army Corps of Engineers to determine if and how high the water level can be raised. The city also passed a resolution in April supporting Riverbend's seeking water rights in the reservoir up to the ultimate rule curve of 228.64 feet, the operational level specified in the contractural obligation between the corps and the city.
"The intent for Riverbend was a really simple resolution to just allow me to work on those applications for the new intake," Fazio-Hale said. "Somehow, there was suggestion for (Jaster) to have some of that authority. What it amounts to is who's on first base. We just all want to get to have Riverbend on first base on behalf of Texarkana and all the member entities. You really need someone in these type of things taking the lead."
Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Bob Bruggeman said it was important they all work together because a new water intake structure is important to everyone.
"We want to certainly work together on these matters," he said, adding that city staff members, including Jaster and city attorney Jeff Lewis, were working with Mayo on the final draft of the resolution. "We've been working with them and also with Liz Fazio-Hale and representatives from Riverbend to work on the wording of the resolution to the extent that both Riverbend and the city will be comfortable with the resolution as far as a cooperative agreement. I'm very optimistic."
The mayor added that if things go as planned, it will be on the city's Feb. 12 agenda.
"The intake is something that's important," he said. "We are making sure that the wording related to that is in the right manner. Overall, at the end of the day, we want to work in harmony and work toward a common goal."
Ward 6 Council Member Josh Davis also said he thought the workshop benefited both groups.
"The meeting was very informative for the new council members," he said. "Everybody was able to take away more information from the workshop than they previously had.
"Liz provided a large amount of information. Ultimately, at the end of the day, we're looking at new intake on Wright Patman. I think we're all going to take the necessary steps working together and see something like that come to fruition."
Fazio-Hale said Riverbend could take action on the resolution during their next meeting, scheduled for Feb. 28.