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for projects. It has to help the day -to -day operations of the Water Department, just to keep us <br />functional. <br />Committeemember Dr. Varner stated, But you put it in the capital budget, though. Maybe we <br />need to separate the fund— <br />Mr. Greek continued, stating, It comes out of the same fund. So, if you start with $4,100,000, <br />just subtract $1,500,000, and that's then what you have ready for projects. <br />Committeemember Davis asked if the IURC regulated Mishawaka. <br />Mr. Julien responded that they did not. <br />Committeemember Davis asked why they did not. <br />Mr. Julien responded Mishawaka was a city that, due to its population, was able to remove <br />themselves from the IURC by adopting an ordinance. <br />Committeemember Davis asked if South Bend was capable of doing the same. <br />Mr. Julien responded that it could be done, but that it required a referendum. <br />Committeemember Dr. Varner asked, So the public would have to express that that's their wish? <br />Committeemember Davis asked, Would that be advantageous for us? <br />Mr. Julien responded, Absolutely. <br />Mr. Horvath stated, It's been brought up about every three (3) or four (4) years. <br />Committeemember Davis asked, What knocks it down? <br />Mr. Horvath responded, The concern you have —you believe you got absolutely enough <br />information to make this decision... It's always that there is one other person to look at the <br />numbers and say, "Okay, we agree with them," who are professionals at looking at numbers far <br />more than we are. <br />Councilmember Karen White asked John Julien to expand on his response to Committeemember <br />Davis's question about the advantage of not being a part of the IURC. <br />Mr. Julien responded, Indiana is one of the few states in the country that regulates municipally <br />owned utilities, because, in effect, the rate - payers select their leaders through election and have <br />control over the process through the ballot box, as to how they want their utilities led and <br />decisions made. The majority of municipalities have opted out, most of them through the process <br />of adopting an ordinance, because of the population criteria. Now, I'm a firm believer that those <br />that are closest to the problem have the best chance of coming up with the solution. It's evident, <br />