If the City Council decides to “sell” Kewanee’s water and sewer systems to a private company, a number of city workers would be affected.
And since those workers are members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the staff of that union is watching what happens.
Josh Schipp, staff representative with AFSCME Local 31, to which Kewanee municipal employees belong, saw a report on The Kewanee Voice that local officials are seeking bids on the purchase of the wastewater treatment plant, the two reverse-osmosis water treatment plants and the entire sewer and water infrastructure in the city.
“First and foremost, we’re concerned with the affected workers,” Schipp said.
Last year Schipp attended City Council meetings where the hiring of LRS to pick up Kewaneeans’ garbage and recycling was discussed. He spoke at some of the meetings, seeking to ensure that the workers’ interests were protected.
In that case, the city didn’t lay off the four workers who collected and hauled garbage and recyclables. Instead, they were transferred to other duties.
This time, though, that outcome isn’t so clear. Mayor Gary Moore said this week that while every effort will be made to find jobs in the city for all the people who now work on the water and sewer systems, city officials couldn’t guarantee there will be city jobs for everyone.
Schipp said AFSCME was involved when the city of Rock Island was considering hiring the Illinois-American Water company to take over their city utilities.
“Our advocacy (in Rock Island) was really community-based,” he said.
Contracting out the water and sewer operations could mean higher city utility bills, Schipp said, and the City Council might have little if any control over that.
Schipp said AFSCME is now in contract talks with Kewanee officials, and their current contract provides for those talks to include consideration of privatization.
Friday at 4 p.m. was the deadline for submitting bids on operating the wastewater and water plants, and alternatively for taking over the entire water and sewer systems. The council is to consider any bids at its March 24 meeting.
