On Wednesday, Mayor John Engen met with representatives from Algonquin Power and Utilities of Ontario, Canada, to discuss their mutual interest in acquiring Missoula's Mountain Water Company.

Engen said it was a 'frank meeting'.

"I took the opportunity right off to make it crystal clear that the City of Missoula is intent on owning this water utility," Engen said. "If indeed this company steps into the rather unfortunate shoes of the Carlyle Group, again, I made it clear that part of my responsibility is to look out for the city's best interests, and I believe public ownership is in the city's best interests."

Taking a swipe at the Montana Public service Commission, Engen stated he believed the agency did not have the necessary expertise to properly regulate a local water utility.

"What we think we're discovering as we walk down this eminent domain path, is that the Montana Public Service Commission, because it regulates so few water utilities, that it doesn't have the in-house expertise to really ask the questions it needs to ask in order to regulate these utilities with the public's best interests in mind," he said "There is clearly a service piece, I won't deny that, but in this construct, the service can continue to be really poor in some instances, without any real consequence to rate, and the company's ability to make money."

Engen said the condemnation lawsuit will be in Missoula District Court before any deal with Algonquin could be finalized.

"There's a trial in March which will happen long before these folks are suggesting they can consummate a deal," Engen said. "They said they are going to try to get this done by late 2015, and we're going to be in court in the spring of 2015, and we ought to know a lot about how this is all going to shake out."

Engen commented on the continuing conversation over the mounting legal costs of acquiring the utility by saying the public's support has been strong.

"We certainly heard some concern over the legal expenses," he said. "What I can tell you that I hear in my travels across the community is, go get 'em."

Missoula Mayor John Engen

 

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