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Glens Falls water and sewer electrical upgrade near complete; council raised bond authorization to $20 million as city pursues grants
Summary
Officials said the water and sewer electrical upgrade is about 90–95% complete, the Common Council approved a $6 million increase in the bond authorization to make the project a $20 million authorization, and staff submitted an Environmental Facilities Corporation funding application on Sept. 12 while beginning the annual budget process.
City of Glens Falls Water and Sewer officials reported Sept. 15 that the department’s electrical upgrade work is roughly 90 to 95 percent complete and that the Common Council has approved an increase in bond authorization that changes the project's authorized size to $20 million. The presiding official said the council’s action increases the bond authorization by $6 million to allow the city to pursue grant opportunities and that the change is an authorization rather than immediate borrowing. "The council's approved the bond, anticipate, bond sorry. In case anticipation note. Not that we're pursuing it, but now we can go after the grants to see how much we might be able to get from the different sources," the presiding official said. Board members also discussed a funding application submitted to the Environmental Facilities Corporation on Sept. 12; the presiding official confirmed the EFC application had been filed and appeared in the meeting notes. The board reported network and accounting systems (Munis) were recently unavailable, which delayed invoice processing; staff said systems are now restored. Officials described the 2025–26 budget process as starting with Deputy Controller Wendy Baird and staff preparing a draft and anticipated presenting to the Common Council beginning Sept. 22. The presiding official said staff requested a one-week postponement of that presentation to verify current-year numbers now that access to accounting systems has been restored. The board discussed personnel cost assumptions for the draft budget, noting the current collective-bargaining reference for CSEA employees includes an approximate 3 to 3.5 percent increase plus $0.25 per hour in recent negotiations; the presiding official said these figures are being entered into budget projections but that final negotiated amounts are determined by the contract process. No formal board action was taken on bonding, EFC funding, or the draft budget during the meeting; staff were directed to continue grant pursuit and finalize the draft for council presentation.
