Village of Harrisville
Town of Tupper Lake Water and Sewer District Consolidation Study Public Information Meeting 8/31/17
Visit the website: http://www.danc.org/operations/engineering/tupper-lake-watersewer-consolidation-study
Project Committee & Funding Town of Tupper Lake Water& Sewer District Consolidation Committee • • • • • • • •
Patti Littlefield, Town Supervisor Samantha Davies Laurie Fuller Paul O’Leary John Quinn Paul Maroun, Village Mayor Mary Casagrain Mark Robillard
Consultant • •
Star Carter Carrie Tuttle
The project is being completed with funding assistance from the New York State Department of State.
2
Why Consider Consolidation? Town districts have been created in a piecemeal fashion over many decades resulting in a complex, inefficient, mash-up of 53 separately taxed and fiscally managed water and sewer districts. Customer services would remain unchanged as a result of consolidating water and sewer districts. District consolidation would result in efficiency gains at the Village, Town and County levels of government in the administration and management of the Towns’ existing 53 water and sewer districts.
3
Project Objective
To develop detailed a detailed Water & Wastewater Consolidation Study that answer questions that Town of Tupper Lake residents and officials have about how the consolidation process would affect residents and local governments.
4
Project Schedule Topic
Month
#1 Kick-Off Meeting: Existing Conditions Overview & Plan
December 8, 2016
#2 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Map and Inventory of Infrastructure and Equipment
January 12, 2017
#3 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Budget Allocations, Cost/Delivery of Operation & Maintenance, Per-User Costs
February 9, 2017
#4 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Tax Rates, Local Laws and Regulations, Other District Specific Details
March 9, 2017
#5 What Exists: District Comparisons - Complexities and Similarities
April 13, 2017
#6 Draft “Existing Conditions” Report
May 11, 2017
#7 Alternatives Discussion: Water and Sewer Districts
June 8, 2017
#8 Draft “Alternatives” Report & Prep for Public Meeting
July 13, 2017
#9 Public Meeting
August 31, 2017
#10 Draft Final Consolidation Study and Plan
September 14, 2017
#11 Committee Presents Final Study to Board; Board Potentially Sets Public Hearing
October 12, 2017
#12 Potential Public Hearing (if recommended)
November TBD 5
Town of Tupper Lake Water & Sewer Background
• The Town purchases water and sewer service from the Village. • The Village provides operation and maintenance for the Town’s districts in accordance with IMA (2005); 2035 expiration. • The Village bills Town customers monthly according to a rate schedule that is established by the Village. As “outside Village customers” Town customers pay more that Village customers. • The Town bills Town customers annually on County tax bills for district and/or maintenance fees. Bills are vary based on the district. • The Town manages the finances for each district individually, in 6 accordance with municipal law.
Water/Sewer Existing Infrastructure
7
What Exists – Town Water Districts • There are 28 Water Districts in the Town • 12 districts were taxed for maintenance and/or debt in 2016. • 16 districts were not charged a maintenance fee and had no debt in 2016. • Water districts range in age and were constructed over the last 95 years with the oldest district dating back to the early 1920s and the most recent district being constructed in 2004. • Town-owned system components include 94,308 ft. of mainline water pipe, main line valves, hydrants, and corporation/curb stops. • 744 parcels in the Town are served with water. 8
9
What Exists – Town Sewer Districts • There are 25 Sewer Districts in the Town • 14 districts were taxed for maintenance and/or debt in 2016. • 11 districts were not charged a maintenance fee and had no debt in 2016. • Sewer districts were constructed over the last 47 years with the oldest district dating back to 1970 and the newest district constructed in 2006.
• Town-owned system components include 109,214 feet of sewer mainline and manholes. • 718 parcels are served with sewer.
10
11
What Exists – Special Cases • Parcels Receiving Water and/or Sewer Service Not in District – Thirty-four parcels are presently receiving water and/or sewer service but are not assigned to a district. • The Sunmount facility is located within the Town and is not in a district. The Village had a separate agreement with Sunmount that was renewed annually through 3/31/16; that agreement was discontinued in 2016 at the Sunmount’s request.
• A portion of the Adirondack Mercy Medical Center is located within the Town and it’s not in a district. The facility was connected to water and sewer through the portion of the facility within the Village.
12
Water/Sewer Finances & Rates
13
Financial Summary - Water • 21 water districts are debt free at the time of this report and 1 additional district (WD#15) will be debt free in 2017. • Combined water district debt was $564,945 (FYE16). • WD#3 will have new debt in 2017 as a result of an ongoing capital improvement project; estimated to be $200,000. • WD#15 will pay off $4,700 debt balance in 2017. • WD#7 has two outstanding loans: 1) $46,746 paid off in 2019; and 2) $192,916 paid off in 2031. • WD#8 has outstanding debt of $48,279 paid off in 2019. • WD#16 owes $24,304 paid off in 2019. • WD#17 and WD#17-Other have outstanding debt of $248,000 paid off in 2035.
• Combined fund balance was $67,098 (FYE16)
14
Financial Summary - Sewer • 18 sewer districts are debt free at the time of this report and and 2 districts (SD#8-2 and SD#16) will be debt free in 2019. • Combined sewer district debt was $2.4 million (FYE16). • SD#5 has two outstanding loans : 1) $213,333 paid off in 2021; and 2) $86,327 paid off in 2035. • SD#8-2 has two outstanding loans: 1) $25,989 paid off in 2019; and 2) $2,000 paid off in 2017. • SD#16 has outstanding debt of $10,975 paid off in 2019. • SD#17 has outstanding debt of $53,875 paid off in 2035. • SD#17-1 owes $136,698 paid off in 2035. • SD#17-2 owes $59,881 paid off in 2035. • SD#23 has the largest outstanding debt of $1.85M paid off in 2038.
• Combined sewer district fund balance was $35,017 (FYE16). 15
Water & Sewer Rates (Village Portion) • The Village’s rates are established by Code: • Chapter 50 “Water Rents” Section 50-6 “Flat Rate Schedule” and Section 50-7 “Metered Service Rate”. Rates were last updated 5/18/16. • Chapter 41 “Sewer Rents” Section 41-3 “Rental Rates”. Rates were last updated in 1996. • The minimum charge for a single Village household is: • Water - $21.20/month or $254.40/yr • Sewer - $22.00/month or $264/yr • The minimum charge for single Town household is: • Water - $28.40/month or $340.80/yr • Sewer - $27.20/month or $326.40/yr 16
Water & Sewer Rates (Town Portion)
• The Town bills each customer their portion of the debt and operation/maintenance for their respective district on annual property tax bills: • Debt • Water Debt Per Unit – Ranges from $0/unit to $270.99 • Sewer Debt Per Unit – Ranges from $0/unit to $384.76 • O&M • Water O&M Per Unit – Ranges from $0 to $45 • Sewer O&M Per Unit – Ranges from $0 to $85 Total Combined Rates for Water ranges from $340.80 to $636.79 and for Sewer ranges from $326.40 to $746.02 17
Water/Sewer Local Law Summary
18
Village/Town IMA for W/S Districts • Issue: Existing agreement is dated and does not fully describe current arrangement between Village and Town • Recommendation: – Review/update all existing terms/language – Ensure all customers and districts are included
19
Town Sewer Use Law Issue • The Town does not have a Sewer Use Law that governs all its districts • IMA suggests that Town customers must follow Village’s law Recommendation: • Review existing Village Sewer Use Laws and update to ensure compliance with current requirements (SPDES permit, stormwater interconnection issues, etc.) • Draft new Town-wide Sewer Use • Law will supercede any prior resolutions, requirements noted in district formation documents, etc. 20
Town Water Use Law Issue • The Town does not have a Water Use Law that governs all its districts • IMA suggests that Town customers must follow Village’s law Recommendation: • Review existing Village Water Use Laws and update to ensure compliance with current requirements • Draft new Townwide Water Use • Law will supercede any prior resolutions, requirements noted in district formation documents, etc. 21
Town Connection Protocol for Homeowners/Contractors Issue • The Town and Village do not have a single document to provide to homeowners or contractors that detail the approval process for new connections • Having this protocol will help ensure consistency and that new connections are done in accordance with the Village/Town requirements, that connection fees will be collected to cover expense, and that new services are properly documented Recommendation: • Draft new connection protocol 22
Other Issues: Sewer Grinder Pumps Issue • Ownership and maintenance responsibility for GPs is not consistent, or well documented Recommendation • Consider standardizing ownership and maintenance responsibility for GPs and lateral piping from GP to sewer main as Town’s responsibility • Consider standardizing on the make/model of GPs to ensure all future connections are similar • Town should have spare parts/pumps available and consider annual preventative maintenance test/inspection 23
Consolidation Alternatives
24
Alternatives Identified The Committee has identified the following consolidation alternatives to further consider for implementation: Alternatives
Water
Sewer
Complete Consolidation of all Districts
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Consolidation of Districts into two categories: 1) those with debt; and 2) those without debt/or soon to be debt free
Scenario 3
Scenario 4
25
Scenario 1 – Consolidation of All Water Districts • Total EDUs billed for water service = 771 • Total 2016 Expenses and Appropriations = $69,832 • Total Town Cost Per EDU If Consolidation Occurs = $90.57 for all EDUs
26
Water District Consolidation Scenario 1 $350 Pre-Consolidation Town Annual Cost/EDU S1 - Full Consolidation $300
Town Water Charges/Yr
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
$0
27
Scenario 2 – Consolidation of All Sewer Districts • Total EDUs billed for sewer service = 786 • Total 2016 Expenses and Appropriations = $182,404 • Total Town Cost Per EDU If Consolidation Occurs = $232.07 for all EDUs
28
Sewer District Consolidation Scenario 2 $500 Pre-Consolidation Town Annual Cost/EDU $450
S2 - Full Consolidation
$400
Town Water Charges/Yr
$350
$300
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
$0
29
Scenario 3 – Consolidation of Debt-Free Water Districts • Debt-Free Districts – All debt-free districts will all be consolidated. – Expenses for Debt-Free Districts = $11,457 – EDUs = 430
• Districts with outstanding debt include: WD#7, WD#8-2 (pd. In 2019), WD#16 (pd. In 2019), and WD#17&17Other. These districts will all remain “as is”. – These districts will be consolidated with debt-free districts as their existing debt is paid off – Total consolidation would decrease number of districts from 28 to 6 30
Water District Consolidation Scenario 3 $350.00 Pre-Consolidation Town Annual Cost/EDU $300.00
S3 - Debt-Free
Town Water Charges/Yr/EDU
$250.00
$200.00
$150.00
$100.00
$50.00
$-
Water District Number
31
Scenario 4 – Consolidation of Debt-Free Sewer Districts • Debt-Free Districts – All debt-free districts will all be consolidated. – Expenses for Debt-Free Districts = $6,289 – EDUs = 227
• Districts with outstanding debt include: SD#5, SD#8-2 (pd. In 2019), SD#16 (pd. In 2019), and SD#17, SD#171, SD#17-2, and SD#23. These districts will all remain “as is”. – These districts will be consolidated with debt-free districts as their existing debt is paid off – Total consolidation would decrease number of districts from 25 to 8 32
Sewer District Consolidation Scenario 4 $500 Pre-Consolidation Town Annual Cost/EDU
S4 - Debt-Free
$450
$400
Town Water Charges/Yr
$350
$300
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
$0
33
Conclusions • The Town of Tupper Lake’s 53 water and sewer districts have evolved over decades into a complex and administratively cumbersome system to manage. • By consolidating districts, consistent water and sewer laws would be established to govern all districts, administrative functions could be streamlined, and efficiencies gained at the Village, Town and County with respect to the management and billing of Town water and sewer customers. • From an infrastructure management perspective, through district consolidation, the Town could more sustainably manage its water and sewer infrastructure by establishing operating reserves to plan for upcoming infrastructure maintenance and replacement. This would allow the Town to stabilize rates and eliminate the need for inter-fund borrowing to deal with end of year deficits. 34
Next Steps • Town will decide whether to proceed with consolidating all districts or only those that are debt-free. • Existing Conditions and Alternatives Reports will be finalized and presented to the Town Board for approval. • Implementation plan for district consolidation will be developed for Town Board approval. • Funding applications will be submitted to assist with implementation.
35
Potential Funding for Implementation • The Citizens Re-Organization Empowerment Grant (CREG) program assists local governments with consolidation – Funding of up to $200,000 – Non-competitive, open round grant program – 10% local match required
• The Local Government Efficiency implementation program provides funding of up to $200,000 per municipality for consolidation of services. – Consolidation of Village and Town water/sewer services would be eligible for $400,000 – Competitive program, annual solicitation through CFA – 10% local match required
36
Project Schedule Topic
Month
#1 Kick-Off Meeting: Existing Conditions Overview & Plan
December 8, 2016
#2 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Map and Inventory of Infrastructure and Equipment
January 12, 2017
#3 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Budget Allocations, Cost/Delivery of Operation & Maintenance, Per-User Costs
February 9, 2017
#4 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Tax Rates, Local Laws and Regulations, Other District Specific Details
March 9, 2017
#5 What Exists: District Comparisons - Complexities and Similarities
April 13, 2017
#6 Draft “Existing Conditions” Report
May 11, 2017
#7 Alternatives Discussion: Water and Sewer Districts
June 8, 2017
#8 Draft “Alternatives” Report & Prep for Public Meeting
July 13, 2017
#9 Public Meeting
August 31, 2017
#10 Draft Final Consolidation Study and Plan
September 14, 2017
#11 Committee Presents Final Study to Board; Board Potentially Sets Public Hearing
October 12, 2017
#12 Potential Public Hearing (if recommended/required)
November TBD 37
Questions or Comments? Carrie Tuttle DANC Director of Engineering 315-661-3259 [email protected]
Kevin Schwenzfeier Department of State Local Government Specialist 518-474-7632 [email protected]
Star Carter DANC GIS Supervisor 315-661-3261 [email protected] 38
Visit the website: http://www.danc.org/operations/engineering/tupper-lake-watersewer-consolidation-study
Project Committee & Funding Town of Tupper Lake Water& Sewer District Consolidation Committee • • • • • • • •
Patti Littlefield, Town Supervisor Samantha Davies Laurie Fuller Paul O’Leary John Quinn Paul Maroun, Village Mayor Mary Casagrain Mark Robillard
Consultant • •
Star Carter Carrie Tuttle
The project is being completed with funding assistance from the New York State Department of State.
2
Why Consider Consolidation? Town districts have been created in a piecemeal fashion over many decades resulting in a complex, inefficient, mash-up of 53 separately taxed and fiscally managed water and sewer districts. Customer services would remain unchanged as a result of consolidating water and sewer districts. District consolidation would result in efficiency gains at the Village, Town and County levels of government in the administration and management of the Towns’ existing 53 water and sewer districts.
3
Project Objective
To develop detailed a detailed Water & Wastewater Consolidation Study that answer questions that Town of Tupper Lake residents and officials have about how the consolidation process would affect residents and local governments.
4
Project Schedule Topic
Month
#1 Kick-Off Meeting: Existing Conditions Overview & Plan
December 8, 2016
#2 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Map and Inventory of Infrastructure and Equipment
January 12, 2017
#3 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Budget Allocations, Cost/Delivery of Operation & Maintenance, Per-User Costs
February 9, 2017
#4 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Tax Rates, Local Laws and Regulations, Other District Specific Details
March 9, 2017
#5 What Exists: District Comparisons - Complexities and Similarities
April 13, 2017
#6 Draft “Existing Conditions” Report
May 11, 2017
#7 Alternatives Discussion: Water and Sewer Districts
June 8, 2017
#8 Draft “Alternatives” Report & Prep for Public Meeting
July 13, 2017
#9 Public Meeting
August 31, 2017
#10 Draft Final Consolidation Study and Plan
September 14, 2017
#11 Committee Presents Final Study to Board; Board Potentially Sets Public Hearing
October 12, 2017
#12 Potential Public Hearing (if recommended)
November TBD 5
Town of Tupper Lake Water & Sewer Background
• The Town purchases water and sewer service from the Village. • The Village provides operation and maintenance for the Town’s districts in accordance with IMA (2005); 2035 expiration. • The Village bills Town customers monthly according to a rate schedule that is established by the Village. As “outside Village customers” Town customers pay more that Village customers. • The Town bills Town customers annually on County tax bills for district and/or maintenance fees. Bills are vary based on the district. • The Town manages the finances for each district individually, in 6 accordance with municipal law.
Water/Sewer Existing Infrastructure
7
What Exists – Town Water Districts • There are 28 Water Districts in the Town • 12 districts were taxed for maintenance and/or debt in 2016. • 16 districts were not charged a maintenance fee and had no debt in 2016. • Water districts range in age and were constructed over the last 95 years with the oldest district dating back to the early 1920s and the most recent district being constructed in 2004. • Town-owned system components include 94,308 ft. of mainline water pipe, main line valves, hydrants, and corporation/curb stops. • 744 parcels in the Town are served with water. 8
9
What Exists – Town Sewer Districts • There are 25 Sewer Districts in the Town • 14 districts were taxed for maintenance and/or debt in 2016. • 11 districts were not charged a maintenance fee and had no debt in 2016. • Sewer districts were constructed over the last 47 years with the oldest district dating back to 1970 and the newest district constructed in 2006.
• Town-owned system components include 109,214 feet of sewer mainline and manholes. • 718 parcels are served with sewer.
10
11
What Exists – Special Cases • Parcels Receiving Water and/or Sewer Service Not in District – Thirty-four parcels are presently receiving water and/or sewer service but are not assigned to a district. • The Sunmount facility is located within the Town and is not in a district. The Village had a separate agreement with Sunmount that was renewed annually through 3/31/16; that agreement was discontinued in 2016 at the Sunmount’s request.
• A portion of the Adirondack Mercy Medical Center is located within the Town and it’s not in a district. The facility was connected to water and sewer through the portion of the facility within the Village.
12
Water/Sewer Finances & Rates
13
Financial Summary - Water • 21 water districts are debt free at the time of this report and 1 additional district (WD#15) will be debt free in 2017. • Combined water district debt was $564,945 (FYE16). • WD#3 will have new debt in 2017 as a result of an ongoing capital improvement project; estimated to be $200,000. • WD#15 will pay off $4,700 debt balance in 2017. • WD#7 has two outstanding loans: 1) $46,746 paid off in 2019; and 2) $192,916 paid off in 2031. • WD#8 has outstanding debt of $48,279 paid off in 2019. • WD#16 owes $24,304 paid off in 2019. • WD#17 and WD#17-Other have outstanding debt of $248,000 paid off in 2035.
• Combined fund balance was $67,098 (FYE16)
14
Financial Summary - Sewer • 18 sewer districts are debt free at the time of this report and and 2 districts (SD#8-2 and SD#16) will be debt free in 2019. • Combined sewer district debt was $2.4 million (FYE16). • SD#5 has two outstanding loans : 1) $213,333 paid off in 2021; and 2) $86,327 paid off in 2035. • SD#8-2 has two outstanding loans: 1) $25,989 paid off in 2019; and 2) $2,000 paid off in 2017. • SD#16 has outstanding debt of $10,975 paid off in 2019. • SD#17 has outstanding debt of $53,875 paid off in 2035. • SD#17-1 owes $136,698 paid off in 2035. • SD#17-2 owes $59,881 paid off in 2035. • SD#23 has the largest outstanding debt of $1.85M paid off in 2038.
• Combined sewer district fund balance was $35,017 (FYE16). 15
Water & Sewer Rates (Village Portion) • The Village’s rates are established by Code: • Chapter 50 “Water Rents” Section 50-6 “Flat Rate Schedule” and Section 50-7 “Metered Service Rate”. Rates were last updated 5/18/16. • Chapter 41 “Sewer Rents” Section 41-3 “Rental Rates”. Rates were last updated in 1996. • The minimum charge for a single Village household is: • Water - $21.20/month or $254.40/yr • Sewer - $22.00/month or $264/yr • The minimum charge for single Town household is: • Water - $28.40/month or $340.80/yr • Sewer - $27.20/month or $326.40/yr 16
Water & Sewer Rates (Town Portion)
• The Town bills each customer their portion of the debt and operation/maintenance for their respective district on annual property tax bills: • Debt • Water Debt Per Unit – Ranges from $0/unit to $270.99 • Sewer Debt Per Unit – Ranges from $0/unit to $384.76 • O&M • Water O&M Per Unit – Ranges from $0 to $45 • Sewer O&M Per Unit – Ranges from $0 to $85 Total Combined Rates for Water ranges from $340.80 to $636.79 and for Sewer ranges from $326.40 to $746.02 17
Water/Sewer Local Law Summary
18
Village/Town IMA for W/S Districts • Issue: Existing agreement is dated and does not fully describe current arrangement between Village and Town • Recommendation: – Review/update all existing terms/language – Ensure all customers and districts are included
19
Town Sewer Use Law Issue • The Town does not have a Sewer Use Law that governs all its districts • IMA suggests that Town customers must follow Village’s law Recommendation: • Review existing Village Sewer Use Laws and update to ensure compliance with current requirements (SPDES permit, stormwater interconnection issues, etc.) • Draft new Town-wide Sewer Use • Law will supercede any prior resolutions, requirements noted in district formation documents, etc. 20
Town Water Use Law Issue • The Town does not have a Water Use Law that governs all its districts • IMA suggests that Town customers must follow Village’s law Recommendation: • Review existing Village Water Use Laws and update to ensure compliance with current requirements • Draft new Townwide Water Use • Law will supercede any prior resolutions, requirements noted in district formation documents, etc. 21
Town Connection Protocol for Homeowners/Contractors Issue • The Town and Village do not have a single document to provide to homeowners or contractors that detail the approval process for new connections • Having this protocol will help ensure consistency and that new connections are done in accordance with the Village/Town requirements, that connection fees will be collected to cover expense, and that new services are properly documented Recommendation: • Draft new connection protocol 22
Other Issues: Sewer Grinder Pumps Issue • Ownership and maintenance responsibility for GPs is not consistent, or well documented Recommendation • Consider standardizing ownership and maintenance responsibility for GPs and lateral piping from GP to sewer main as Town’s responsibility • Consider standardizing on the make/model of GPs to ensure all future connections are similar • Town should have spare parts/pumps available and consider annual preventative maintenance test/inspection 23
Consolidation Alternatives
24
Alternatives Identified The Committee has identified the following consolidation alternatives to further consider for implementation: Alternatives
Water
Sewer
Complete Consolidation of all Districts
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Consolidation of Districts into two categories: 1) those with debt; and 2) those without debt/or soon to be debt free
Scenario 3
Scenario 4
25
Scenario 1 – Consolidation of All Water Districts • Total EDUs billed for water service = 771 • Total 2016 Expenses and Appropriations = $69,832 • Total Town Cost Per EDU If Consolidation Occurs = $90.57 for all EDUs
26
Water District Consolidation Scenario 1 $350 Pre-Consolidation Town Annual Cost/EDU S1 - Full Consolidation $300
Town Water Charges/Yr
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
$0
27
Scenario 2 – Consolidation of All Sewer Districts • Total EDUs billed for sewer service = 786 • Total 2016 Expenses and Appropriations = $182,404 • Total Town Cost Per EDU If Consolidation Occurs = $232.07 for all EDUs
28
Sewer District Consolidation Scenario 2 $500 Pre-Consolidation Town Annual Cost/EDU $450
S2 - Full Consolidation
$400
Town Water Charges/Yr
$350
$300
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
$0
29
Scenario 3 – Consolidation of Debt-Free Water Districts • Debt-Free Districts – All debt-free districts will all be consolidated. – Expenses for Debt-Free Districts = $11,457 – EDUs = 430
• Districts with outstanding debt include: WD#7, WD#8-2 (pd. In 2019), WD#16 (pd. In 2019), and WD#17&17Other. These districts will all remain “as is”. – These districts will be consolidated with debt-free districts as their existing debt is paid off – Total consolidation would decrease number of districts from 28 to 6 30
Water District Consolidation Scenario 3 $350.00 Pre-Consolidation Town Annual Cost/EDU $300.00
S3 - Debt-Free
Town Water Charges/Yr/EDU
$250.00
$200.00
$150.00
$100.00
$50.00
$-
Water District Number
31
Scenario 4 – Consolidation of Debt-Free Sewer Districts • Debt-Free Districts – All debt-free districts will all be consolidated. – Expenses for Debt-Free Districts = $6,289 – EDUs = 227
• Districts with outstanding debt include: SD#5, SD#8-2 (pd. In 2019), SD#16 (pd. In 2019), and SD#17, SD#171, SD#17-2, and SD#23. These districts will all remain “as is”. – These districts will be consolidated with debt-free districts as their existing debt is paid off – Total consolidation would decrease number of districts from 25 to 8 32
Sewer District Consolidation Scenario 4 $500 Pre-Consolidation Town Annual Cost/EDU
S4 - Debt-Free
$450
$400
Town Water Charges/Yr
$350
$300
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
$0
33
Conclusions • The Town of Tupper Lake’s 53 water and sewer districts have evolved over decades into a complex and administratively cumbersome system to manage. • By consolidating districts, consistent water and sewer laws would be established to govern all districts, administrative functions could be streamlined, and efficiencies gained at the Village, Town and County with respect to the management and billing of Town water and sewer customers. • From an infrastructure management perspective, through district consolidation, the Town could more sustainably manage its water and sewer infrastructure by establishing operating reserves to plan for upcoming infrastructure maintenance and replacement. This would allow the Town to stabilize rates and eliminate the need for inter-fund borrowing to deal with end of year deficits. 34
Next Steps • Town will decide whether to proceed with consolidating all districts or only those that are debt-free. • Existing Conditions and Alternatives Reports will be finalized and presented to the Town Board for approval. • Implementation plan for district consolidation will be developed for Town Board approval. • Funding applications will be submitted to assist with implementation.
35
Potential Funding for Implementation • The Citizens Re-Organization Empowerment Grant (CREG) program assists local governments with consolidation – Funding of up to $200,000 – Non-competitive, open round grant program – 10% local match required
• The Local Government Efficiency implementation program provides funding of up to $200,000 per municipality for consolidation of services. – Consolidation of Village and Town water/sewer services would be eligible for $400,000 – Competitive program, annual solicitation through CFA – 10% local match required
36
Project Schedule Topic
Month
#1 Kick-Off Meeting: Existing Conditions Overview & Plan
December 8, 2016
#2 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Map and Inventory of Infrastructure and Equipment
January 12, 2017
#3 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Budget Allocations, Cost/Delivery of Operation & Maintenance, Per-User Costs
February 9, 2017
#4 What Exists: Water and Sewer Districts - Tax Rates, Local Laws and Regulations, Other District Specific Details
March 9, 2017
#5 What Exists: District Comparisons - Complexities and Similarities
April 13, 2017
#6 Draft “Existing Conditions” Report
May 11, 2017
#7 Alternatives Discussion: Water and Sewer Districts
June 8, 2017
#8 Draft “Alternatives” Report & Prep for Public Meeting
July 13, 2017
#9 Public Meeting
August 31, 2017
#10 Draft Final Consolidation Study and Plan
September 14, 2017
#11 Committee Presents Final Study to Board; Board Potentially Sets Public Hearing
October 12, 2017
#12 Potential Public Hearing (if recommended/required)
November TBD 37
Questions or Comments? Carrie Tuttle DANC Director of Engineering 315-661-3259 [email protected]
Kevin Schwenzfeier Department of State Local Government Specialist 518-474-7632 [email protected]
Star Carter DANC GIS Supervisor 315-661-3261 [email protected] 38
