Arlington Mayor Dr. Robert Cluck

September 26, 2007
Improving City’s Storm Water Drainage System Is All About Protecting Our Community

I share the opinion of many that local government’s number one priority is and should be public safety. Protecting families, neighborhoods and businesses from flood water is a big part of our city’s public safety responsibility, along with providing police and fire protection.

Over the years Arlington has periodically flooded. So far in 2007, more than 150 properties reported being flooded. Earlier in 2005 we had appointed a nine member Citizen Policy Review Committee to study storm water issues and make recommendations. The committee spent seven months researching the problem and discovered that a lack of funds was a key component holding up progress. The CPRC Committee’s first recommendation was to increase storm water utility funding.

The city council agreed. After a public hearing, citizen input and a great amount of discussion, the city council approved an increase to the storm water utility fee, effective October 1, 2007. I am convinced the increase will allow us to greatly improve our storm water drainage system, making our entire community safer.

The members of city council did not relish the idea of raising the storm water utility fee. We all recognized that many of our citizens live on a fixed income and that raising any fee would normally be a last option. The increase for the storm water utility fee, which is the first in thirteen years, is minimal, with a family residence seeing a small initial increase of 70 cents per month beginning October 1st and increasing 75 cents per month each year through 2011.

Because we are asking everyone in the community to pull together and help us improve our storm water drainage system, the Arlington Independent School District will also be required to pay an increase in their drainage fee for impervious surfaces. We are not asking anyone to do something that the City isn’t doing. We will pay the required fees for our own facilities.

Unfortunately, our school district is upset about the city council’s decision. The Arlington School Board has publicly threatened to withhold all storm water drainage payments and file an expensive lawsuit against the city. There has even been a letter sent to the parents of Arlington students from the district stating that the city might turn off water used by students and teachers if the district withholds payment.

A bit of perspective is needed.

It is not uncommon for school districts, including those in the Metroplex, to pay storm water utility fees to city governments. Simply put, there is nothing out of the ordinary with the fee or the increase. In fact, the School District has already been helping by paying their storm water utility fees for the last thirteen years

And, the storm water utility fee increase is small. Based on Arlington School District data, the total utility fee the district is being asked to pay equals one tenth of one percent (.1%) of their current budget. As a comparison, imagine a family spending $50 for school supplies. If the bill for school supplies was increased one tenth of one percent, the family would pay five pennies more.

The City of Arlington partners with the School District and pays for many services that directly benefit the district, its employees, teachers and students. The City stations school resource officers at all junior high and high schools. A total of 13 officers are stationed at the schools with the City and school district sharing the cost for the SRO’s salaries and benefits. The City will pay over $200,000 in 2007-2008.

The City also provides aggressive enforcement of school zone traffic laws as well as the crossing guards who ensure safety for students along busy roads around schools. The City has budgeted $500,000 for the 2007-2008 school year to station 89 crossing guards at school zones throughout the city. And the partnership doesn’t end there. The City provides programs, interlocal agreements for the use of park playgrounds and open spaces, marks and maintains school zones, provides library services, and has designated schools as a top priority for security.

And finally, no matter what you hear or read, the City will not interfere with the education of our city’s children by turning off water that is used inside school buildings. The notion of such an action is patently ridiculous.

There is little question our School District is one of the best. The City is proud to partner with the District on many initiatives. And of course, the District is an important partner on a personal level; the City has hundreds of employees who have children attending Arlington public schools. We care deeply about the services and benefits our school district personnel provide all our citizens.

Our goal at the City is not to antagonize or otherwise upset the School District. Our goal is to improve our city’s storm water drainage system. In order to improve this important component of public safety, everyone in our community must come together and share to protect our community. Protecting everyone depends on everyone’s participation, including participation by our School District.

Robert N. Cluck, M.D.
Mayor of Arlington