Flush the East Greenbush Sewer Fee Increase!

The 4/13/16 East Greenbush Sewer Fee Increase Public Hearing (4/13/16) drew a full house, with supporters outnumbering opposition.  I opposed.

 

Councilperson Matters appears to be the only Board Member opposing the Sewer Fee Increase proposal.  Good for you, Mary Ann!  

The proposal would pay the $700,000 WWTP debt payment, which begins in 2017, using fund balances ($400,000/year) and fee increases (worth $300,000/year) over the next four years. 

I see the opportunity to resolve many Sewer District issues and I’ve provided the Town Board with a strategic plan which:

• Converts the General Sewer District to an Assessed-Value tax basis;
• Replaces the four $400,000/year annual WWTP debt payment fund balance usage ($1,600,000) with one or more hits totaling $700,000;
• Shifts funding of the $400,000+ in annual payments to the Rensselaer County Water and Sewer Authority from fees to taxes; and
• Supports debt and capital improvements with taxes and day-to-day Sewer District Operations& Maintenance
   
  with fees.

I also proposed investigating the allocation of the RCWSA payments and Sewer O&M, ensuring equity among the Districts.

The end result isn’t pretty, with combined Sewer tax and fee increases of General +35.5%; Hampton Manor +27.1%; Couse +31.8%; Third Avenue +18.0%.  But Sewer District funding would be correct and defensible, with fund balances remaining $900,000 larger.  These increases could be implemented over 1, 2 or 3 years, per the Town Board’s preference.

There will be another Public Hearing on 4/28/16. Tell the Town Board to Flush the Sewer Fee Increase and do this right the first time! 

Otherwise, the Sewer Fee Increases will be approved, the Town will continue raiding $400,000/year in fund balances and everything will be right in East Greenbush.  Until those fund balances run out!  Then what, folks??

Pete Stenson
East Greenbush