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Champlain trustees approve transfers and project invoices; board discusses raising water and sewer rates
Summary
The Village of Champlain Board approved a series of interfund transfers, accepted additional invoices and approved project invoices for a water main replacement and wastewater disinfectant work; trustees discussed higher electricity and bond costs and directed staff to model rate scenarios for water and sewer.
The Village of Champlain Board approved multiple budget transfers, accepted additional invoices on the warrant and approved two project invoices for water and wastewater work, and then debated whether to increase utility rates to avoid drawing further on fund balances.
Clerk-Treasurer Mary presented a list of interfund transfers the board moved to approve, citing adjustments among retirement, legal, planning and supply accounts to cover current-year expenses. A motion to approve the listed transfers was made, seconded and approved by roll-call. The transcript shows the approving roll call with trustees recorded as saying “aye.”
The board then approved a revised warrant that included $6,986.02 in additional invoices, bringing the total warrant to $33,001.02 (amount as recorded in meeting materials). Separately, the board approved a Barton & Loguidice invoice of $1,154.50 for the main water-line replacement project and a Barton & Loguidice invoice of $3,320.50 for wastewater treatment plant disinfectant improvements; each payment was moved, seconded and approved by roll call.
During the superintendent and budget discussion, board members and Mary reviewed fund-balance projections and operating costs. Mary reported the water fund balance had moved from roughly $36,800 last year to about $53,300 in the coming year and said electricity and payroll increases were major drivers. She also reported that sewer costs rose with an added $50,000 bond payment, increasing sewer expenditures from about $58,000 to around $70,600 in the budget year.
Trustees discussed restoring revenues by “chipping away” with modest annual rate increases rather than deferring large increases. The board asked Mary to produce scenario sheets showing the revenue impacts of small increases (examples discussed included quarter-rate increases such as $0.25 or $0.50 and the effect of raising service charges from $37.50). The board scheduled a follow-up budget meeting for Monday, April 20 at 5 p.m. to review those scenarios and finalize rates before the budget adoption deadline.
No formal vote to change rates took place at this meeting; the board directed staff to prepare options and reconvene.
