Journalist Nelda Holder interviewed Representative Tim Moffitt recently to attempt to get a grip on why he wanted to wrest the water system from the City of Asheville. When the legislation was first proposed, along with attempts to create a regional authority to take the airport away from the city and some other asset-seizing measures, people asked, “If it’s not broken, why fix it?” After all, the city started making repairs to the water system after dissolving the regional water agreement that was described by bond raters as “dysfunctional.” The board was so ungainly, no decisions could be made.

Well, Moffitt said he was motivated to do something when the city suggested raising water rates. Furthermore, he did not like the way the city spoke of the water system as a way to control growth. He said if members of council wanted that kind of control, they should run for county commission seats. Moffitt first proposed re-creating some kind of regional, independent/governmental authority, but his bill was transmogrified into a mere study bill. For the lengthy story, most of which kind of rambles, click here.