The plan that envisions transforming Fountain and Monument Creek into a recreational waterway should not assume that land owned by Colorado Springs Utilities would be made readily available to this effort without first considering how the ratepayers of this community will be compensated. That’s right, this land was originally purchased using ratepayer funds and not from taxes collected by our municipal government. If Utilities must relocate operations to accommodate this development, then the municipal government should purchase the land and pay for the relocation of utility operations. Relocation of utilities operations should not be a financial burden of the ratepayer.

Once again, we have the fox watching the hen house. The City Council “lauded the ideas” of this plan without even mentioning that compensating ratepayers will need to be a part of this plan. With City Council serving also at the Utilities Board and the regulatory body for increasing utility rates, we as ratepayers should be concerned about rates increasing to indirectly support this project. Perhaps it is time again to push for separate governing bodies to oversee Utilities Operations and Rates. Alan Goins

Colorado Springs