Pictured at the Monday, July 16 meeting of the Turkey Creek Sewer District are administrative assistant Pam Bauer and Karen Williams. Customers will experience changes as a result of the district switching to a third-party billing service due to the retirement of Bauer and Pam Johns. Additionally, the board talked about finalizing a two-year sewer improvement bond. Lilli Dwyer took the picture.
Cromwell At its meeting on Monday, June 16, the Turkey Creek Regional Sewer District board reviewed bond closure and billing adjustments beginning in July.
On Tuesday, June 17, engineer Jeff Hersha declared that TCRSD will close on a bond anticipatory notice, or BAN. The BAN is being pursued by TCRSD as a substitute for State Revolving Fund money for wastewater and water projects. It won’t be known until later this summer if the district will be deemed grant fundable.
According to Hersha, a bond anticipation notice functions similarly to a bridge loan. This merely enables us to, first and foremost, pay some expenses for equipment that they have already acquired, until we learn from the SRF if or how much cash is available through their process, or if we ultimately have to go privately.
First Internet Public Finance Corps. is offering a $1,866,000 bond with a 4.125% interest rate. The equipment covered has an anticipated 30-year lifespan, and the bond is for 20 years. The equipment consists of upgrades to the Buttermilk Point lift station and the new rotors that are presently being added to the sewer facility. The estimated total cost of such initiatives is $2.2 million.
The two-year BAN gives TCRSD time to choose how to finance its improvement programs in light of the SRF findings.
Improvements to the pump station have not yet begun. According to Hersha, this category was included to support the BAN’s expense.
Administrative assistants Jane Bauer and Pam Johns will both retire at the end of July, according to a statement made by Vice President Bob Dumford. Because of this, the district will be using outside firms to handle invoicing and payroll.
According to Dumford, (Johns and Bauer) cannot be replaced.
Gemini Billing Services of North Manchester will handle billing beginning with the July 15 billing cycle. Unless a customer chooses paper bills, this switch will allow credit card payments. The TCRSD office will no longer accept payments.
Pay Professionals of Greenfield will handle payroll as of July 1. In order to hire a new staff member to take phone calls and interact with consumers by that date, Superintendent Tim Woodward is evaluating applicants.
Customers will shortly get a letter informing them of this change. Notice of the rate increase from $71.85 to $79.05, which will take effect with the July monthly bill, will also be included in the letter.
Woodward reported in the superintendent’s report that the Enchanted Hills water facility had a minor leak. Plans have not yet been finalized, but there may be a temporary water shutoff as Woodward shuts down the facility for repairs later this fall.
Additionally, he stated that by next week, one of the plant’s oxidation ditches ought to be operational again, ready for the Fourth of July weekend’s heavy flows. While Mason Engineering installs new rotors, the ditch has been out of service. Until the other oxidation ditch is drained and work resumes after July 4, the project will be put on hold. By September 1, Woodward anticipates that development will be completed, increasing plant capacity by 62%.
The next TCRSD meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 21 at 7 p.m.
