Wayne residents mixed on water/ wastewater district

Jul 08, 2009 at 02:43 pm by Observer-Review


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Wayne residents mixed on water/wastewater district

WAYNE—The Wayne town barn was filled with residents for a public informational meeting on the possibility of forming a water or wastewater district, Saturday, July 4.
Supervisor Dawn Dowdle explained that the project came about when many Sylvan Beach residents wanted to build off of their houses, but could not. The wells and septic systems are too close to allow setback variances.
“Those people came to me about improving water quality,” she said.
The end option the town started looking into was forming a water district, waste water district, both, or neither. She explained the decision, and cost, will be borne by the property owners in the proposed district. The current proposed area also extends south of Sylvan Beach on the west side of Waneta Lake going until the town line.
Dowdle said to get to that part, though, the town needs to follow a certain process. After getting a feel for what the property owners want, the Wayne town board will decide to form either or both districts. Paul Chatfield, with Chatfield Engineers, said then a petition could force a vote by property owners. However, he added if a petition with more than 51 percent of the property owners in favor of a district were created, no vote would happen and the district would form. J.C. Smith, with New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, said a petition already received by the board was too soon. Dowdle added it did not say what the residents wanted, just that they wanted to vote. She said the board hopefully would be voting on forming the district based on public reaction at the July 14 meeting.
Chatfield talked about the two possibly districts. The water district would have an estimated project cost of $4,191,500. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan would currently be for $3,204,000, with an interest rate of 2.75 percent. Chatfield explained that back in August of 2008, the interest rate had been higher with 4.5 to 4.75 percent. The cost per buildable parcel per year would be $746 for 38 years (the length of the USDA RD loan), plus operation and maintenance. The total cost includes a $972,500 USDA RD grant and a $15,000 applicant contribution. For property owners in the district there would also include a one-time hookup cost of $925. Chatfield said more information about costs would be available if property owners went to vote.
A water district would require a water supply and a storage tank. Chatfield said there was no definite location for either. Dowdle said the town did not want to spend more money doing tests yet until there was a vote. Chatfield added the project would include putting fire hydrants in every 500 to 600 feet along roads in the district.
Chatfield said the wastewater project would cost an estimated $6,103,000. The USDA RD loan for this would be $5,088,000 with the 2.75 percent interest rate over 38 years. The cost per buildable parcel would be $1,264 per year. The cost also includes a $1,000,000 USDA RD grant and the $15,000 applicant contribution. The one-time estimated hookup cost for this project would be $1,125. This project would require a treatment plant. Again, Chatfield said no location was set yet.
A few Tyrone residents were present and the question about their properties being able to hook up to either district was asked. Dowdle said since their properties were outside the town of Wayne, Tyrone would have to get involved. She did say, either district could be expanded on at a later date and that Tyrone was already invited to connect.
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