A revised agreement between the three cities that own and manage the Center Creek 201 Wastwater Treatment Plant was accepted on first reading Monday by the Webb City Council.

It’s a new document that combines several previous agreements that have been adopted since Webb City and Carterville voters approved construction of the treatment plant in 1988.

One of the earlier documents allowed Oronogo to join Webb City and Carterville as the third owner and to share operating expenses.

Costs were initially divided based on population. It became more fair when flow meters were installed to measure exactly how much is coming from each city. 

Webb City’s sewage amounts to about 85% of what enters the plant so it pays 85% of the cost.

The Center Creek 201 Board is responsible for the plant’s operation, maintenance and upgrading. Board members include the three mayors and representatives from each city.

Center Creek 201 Board of Directors

Webb City Mayor Lynn Ragsdale

Carterville Mayor Alan Griffin

Oronogo Mayor Charles Wilkins

Aaron Rice – Webb City

Rod Surber – Webb City

Gary White – Webb City

Ed Sumpter – Webb City

Larry Wald – Carterville

Brian Bowman – Carterville

Bob Russell – Oronogo

REASON FOR THE NEW AGREEMENT

Work on the revised agreement began last year when Duenweg Mayor Russell Olds told the board that his city was exploring the possibility of piping its sewage to the Center Creek 201 plant instead of Joplin.

As a result there is a provision in the agreement setting forth a method for another city to become an owner of the plant. But it is not specific to Duenweg.

Acceptance of a new joint owner would have to be approved by each of the three city councils.

Center Creek 201 Board members were favorable to accepting Duenweg, however, Duenweg’s plan has apparently stalled.

Ownership of the plant is only open to cities.

That issue came up when Carterville Mayor Alan Griffin told the board that a group of his citizens want to sell the city water and sewer systems to Missouri American, the company that supplies Joplin’s water and operates the water and sewer systems in Purcell.

As Ragsdale told city council members Monday, the new agreement specifies that the cities “cannot sell their ownership in the plant.”

Also on Monday, the Oronogo Board of Aldermen approved the agreement on both readings.