Quincy officials meeting with legislators

QUINCY — Quincy city officials are getting mixed responses from state legislators as they attempt to obtain $600,000 from the state for the city’s reclaimed water project.

Mayor Jim Hemberry and City Administrator Tim Snead told councilmembers about meetings with legislators, and their plans to meet with more this week at a recent city council meeting.

The city is trying to raise $2.1 million for the second phase of its reclaimed water project. The first phase, completed in 2009, carries water from the municipal wastewater plant to the Microsoft data center to use in its cooling towers. The second phase extends the pipe to the Yahoo!, Intuit and the future Sabey data center as well as Columbia Colstor.

The 12 legislators Snead and Hemberry met with two weeks ago gave mixed responses, ranging from, “‘You know what our budget situation is,’ to ‘Well where do you think we’re going to find that money?”

“Some of them (were) very positive,” Hemberry said.

The state is facing a $2.6 billion budget shortfall for the 2010 supplemental budget.

If the city is unable to obtain any state funds this year, they plan to keep asking, Hemberry said.

“Even if we don’t get this particular round, maybe we’ll have to go back again next year. Whatever the process may be, but I think if we keep our faces in front of them, pretty soon they’re going to get tired of seeing us,” he said.

Hemberry and Snead are meeting with more state officials on Wednesday and Thursday to seek money for the project. Hemberry added they plan to meet with a member of the governor’s staff.

“I think they need some education on exactly what’s going on here,” he said. “If we can get the governor’s office to understand a little bit better about what’s happening, and if we can get her support if will certainly help.”

The mayor noted the project wasn’t included in either of Gov. Chris Gregoire’s budget proposals.