Bexar Met customers vote 75-25 to dissolve the Company, 11-8
L-R: The architects of the success of the dissolvement of Bexar Met, County Judge Nelson Wolf, State Senator Carlos Uresti & Mayor Julian Castro,
Mayor Julian Castro & County Judge Nelson Wolf, KSAT-12 Reporter Charles Gonzalez interviewing Mayor Julian Castro, State Senator Carlos Uresti being interviewed, Mayor Julian Castro being interviewed, Fox News 29 Reporter Mileka Lincoln, interviews Mayor Julian Castro, Mayor Julian Castro, County Judge Nelson Wolf, Tomas Uresti, Christian Archer, KSAT-12 Reporter Charles Gonzalez, Fox News-29 Reporter Mileka Lincoln, Plaza deArmas Editor Greg Jefferson, Univison 41 Anchorman Antonio Guillen, Andres Gonzalez, Monique Diaz, Frank Burney, Ricardo Martinez, Claudia Salinas, Lani Esparza, Carlitos Uresti & wife, State Rep. Jose Menendez, & wife, workers, Don Pedro's Restaurant the location of the victory party
By Express-News Reporters Tracy Idell Hamilton & Colin McDonald
BexarMet customers overwhelmingly approved the dissolution of the Bexar Metropolitan Water District.
With almost all of the votes counted Tuesday night, the results were 74 percent in favor of BexarMet becoming part of the San Antonio Water System.
“Shoot, I don't think we can survive that,” BexarMet Board president Guadalupe Lopez said about the early results, which reflected the later voting. “Golly jeepers, I'm really shocked.”
Final results from the BexarMet service areas within Medina, Atascosa and Comal counties totaled 169 votes, with 62 percent favoring dissolution.
“This goes to show the frustration was not just among the chattering classes or the elites,” said Christian Archer, who worked on the campaign in favor of dissolving BexarMet. “This was real people turning out to vote.”
One voter firmly for the dissolution was Fran Christman.
“It's been too bad for too long,” said Christman, who lives in Stone Oak. He voted and then went to tell his neighbors to do the same, reminding them of the problems they have had with service and water pressure.
On the South Side, one voter interviewed stuck by the utility, despite its troubles.
“I want BexarMet,” said Romana Alrarado, who likes having a smaller utility. “We've had it for the longest time. When I die you can have it.”
But that smaller size, along with disjointed service areas, are among the reasons BexarMet charges more for its water than SAWS and why it has had problems providing water.
“It's out of control,” said Karen Bartling a voter from Stone Oak, who left work early to vote for BexarMet's dissolution Tuesday. “The problems just keep coming.”
BexarMet will now begin a process to become part of SAWS that could take up to five months.
First, the BexarMet board will have to canvass the results from the election, which it can do no sooner than eight days and not later than 11 days after Tuesday.
The results will then be sent to the Texas secretary of state, which will have a week to send the results to the U.S. Department of Justice. It will have up to 60 days to review the election results and, if it approves, send a letter to the Texas secretary of state.
At this point by state law, the BexarMet board will be dissolved and the management of the district will be taken over by SAWS.
While SAWS is managing the district, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will work on transferring BexarMet's assets and permits to SAWS.
SAWS anticipates that six months after Justice Department approval, BexarMet customers will be incorporated into its billing system. In five years the rates of both utilities will be the same, SAWS has said.
With almost all of the votes counted Tuesday night, the results were 74 percent in favor of BexarMet becoming part of the San Antonio Water System.
“Shoot, I don't think we can survive that,” BexarMet Board president Guadalupe Lopez said about the early results, which reflected the later voting. “Golly jeepers, I'm really shocked.”
Final results from the BexarMet service areas within Medina, Atascosa and Comal counties totaled 169 votes, with 62 percent favoring dissolution.
“This goes to show the frustration was not just among the chattering classes or the elites,” said Christian Archer, who worked on the campaign in favor of dissolving BexarMet. “This was real people turning out to vote.”
One voter firmly for the dissolution was Fran Christman.
“It's been too bad for too long,” said Christman, who lives in Stone Oak. He voted and then went to tell his neighbors to do the same, reminding them of the problems they have had with service and water pressure.
On the South Side, one voter interviewed stuck by the utility, despite its troubles.
“I want BexarMet,” said Romana Alrarado, who likes having a smaller utility. “We've had it for the longest time. When I die you can have it.”
But that smaller size, along with disjointed service areas, are among the reasons BexarMet charges more for its water than SAWS and why it has had problems providing water.
“It's out of control,” said Karen Bartling a voter from Stone Oak, who left work early to vote for BexarMet's dissolution Tuesday. “The problems just keep coming.”
BexarMet will now begin a process to become part of SAWS that could take up to five months.
First, the BexarMet board will have to canvass the results from the election, which it can do no sooner than eight days and not later than 11 days after Tuesday.
The results will then be sent to the Texas secretary of state, which will have a week to send the results to the U.S. Department of Justice. It will have up to 60 days to review the election results and, if it approves, send a letter to the Texas secretary of state.
At this point by state law, the BexarMet board will be dissolved and the management of the district will be taken over by SAWS.
While SAWS is managing the district, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will work on transferring BexarMet's assets and permits to SAWS.
SAWS anticipates that six months after Justice Department approval, BexarMet customers will be incorporated into its billing system. In five years the rates of both utilities will be the same, SAWS has said.
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