In a letter from City of Sherman attorneys to City of Howe’s attorney James Tidwell, Sherman confirmed the termination and cancellation of the wastewater agreement between the two cities, effective April 30, 2023. The initial partnership between the two cities on wastewater dates back to 1968.
According to the letter from Sherman, on April 29, 2021, Sherman sent a letter to Howe Attorney James Tidwell and Howe’s city administrator providing notice of multiple events of default of the contract for not paying in a timely manner. Also, attached was a 2-year notice of cancellation of the contract based on the verbiage within the terms. A recent Howe agreement with a developer allowed the debts to Sherman to be paid in full recently. However, this does not alleviate Sherman’s direction of severing the contract and ending Howe’s wastewater treatment by May 15, 2025.
“Sherman appreciates Howe making efforts to pay the amounts it promised and was required to pay under the Agreement in response to that written demand. However, in the two years since that written demand, Howe has failed to provide evidence that it has taken necessary actions to establish alternative means for wastewater treatment and processing, as required under Section II of the Agreement,” the letter states, dated May 3, 2023. The letter goes on to say, “Sherman is no longer willing to reserve capacity in its wastewater system for the benefit of Howe to the detriment of Sherman citizens, businesses, and other ratepayers.”
The document was released by Howe City Councilwoman Sarah Myrick on her Facebook page (listed below) who stated the citizens of Howe have a right to know the (wastewater) situation is not resolved. Howe Mayor Bill French stated on his campaign for re-election Facebook page on April 20, 2023 that he had discussed with Sherman Mayor David Plyler regarding the ongoing relationship and that Sherman will not cancel the existing wastewater treatment agreement with Howe.
“According to Mayor Plyler, there is not, nor has there been, any recent or ongoing discussions to terminate the agreement and stop serving Howe’s sewage and wastewater needs. Any statements to the contrary are rumor or misinformation,” stated French two weeks ago.
Myrick sent the Howe Enterprise the following quote, “Howe faces challenges but together, we will work through them. I respect my neighbors enough to communicate with them to the best of my ability, even when I don’t have all the answers. The mindset that leadership doesn’t need public input to solve problems has no place in our city hall.”
Sherman’s most recent letter to Howe outlines several guidelines for the termination of the contract which is to be placed in front of the Howe City Council.
Howe has a city council and mayor election this Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 7 am to 7 pm at 700 W. Haning Street.
