To Print/View this communication in PDF form click the below link:
June 2017 Communication
Dear Water User Coalition member,
The Water User Coalition, (WUC) Advisory Council would like to thank the many coalition members that voiced their concerns to the North Harris County Regional Water Authority, (NHCRWA) about a planned 20 page, printed publication as being an excessive expense with minimum impact. To the NHCRWA’s credit, the printed publication will be cancelled and will be done in a digital format available on the NHCRWA website. The WUC welcomes and encourages input from our fellow water board members. Individuals can make a difference. Please take a moment to read a letter sent to two NHCRWA representatives concerning the above subject matter, by Gordon Landwermeyer.
Al and Jim –
I thank you for your continued good work for the RWA. It is a real public service for which you are not paid nearly enough.
I ask you to consider the wisdom of the Waterlines becoming a 20-page magazine and to evaluate the cost versus the benefit thereof. Please determine the total cost for an issue – preparation, printing, mailing, etc. Divide that cost by the number of issues that will be mailed to see just how much each RWA resident will pay for the copy that is delivered to him or her. After the RWA Board sees that cost, I ask if they think this is a good expenditure for us. I also ask you to share that information with me. After all, each of my Westador constituents will be paying this and it should not be a secret kept from them.
Without being argumentative, I challenge you to print a short questionnaire on the first page of the magazine which states that the RWA tries diligently to spend their money wisely. Follow that by telling the cost of each delivered copy and ask them to advise their wishes to the RWA by email. I would be very surprised if as many as 10% will do this and surprised again if as many as 10% of those who do respond will ask that this expenditure be continued.
As you consider and evaluate this matter, I ask you to keep the following in mind.
1. In our current busy world, we are inundated with printed matter. I estimate that my mailbox averages eight pieces six days a week and that 80% of that goes directly to the recycle bin without being opened.
2. I am very pleased that RWA activities are a major item for you and for Payne Communications. Please remember that this does not apply to 99% of our residents. Perhaps it should, but we cannot control them and a magazine in their mailbox is not going to accomplish much more than do our current good information sources.
3. I think that I heard the estimated cost of the magazine as $500,000. There is a real danger when you are dealing with $1.2 billion in current projects that $500,000 may seem like a small item. It is not.
4. Yes, the RWA needs to try hard to keep our residents informed of RWA matters. You and Payne Communications are doing an excellent job with this. I would be very pleased if we could cause them to read and understand what is already available, including the website. More is not needed.
5. There is still a perception among some MUD directors that the RWA does not really evaluate our concerns. This may turn out to be an excellent example that you can use to show that the RWA does in fact take our concerns seriously.
6. The above perception, which is not good for any of us, is encouraged by items such as shown at the Public Comments on age 6 of the April 3 RWA minutes. The question was asked “what the new format of the Waterlines newspaper is estimated to cost?” “Ms. Payne stated that the cost for the Waterlines newsletter is already in the Authority’s approved budget.” Surely you can see that this is not an adequate response.
7. Now please don’t be irritated by the above. Reread my opening line. I really do mean it. Just because we are good does not mean that we can’t and perhaps shouldn’t be better.
Gordon Landwermeyer