Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Churchville schedules Nov. 20 hearing on stormwater authority as officials weigh fees or a bond
Summary
Officials said outstanding stormwater repairs in Churchville total about $4.2 million and previewed a Nov. 20 public meeting to hear comment on a proposed stormwater authority that would assess fees by impervious area; a municipal bond was discussed as an alternative financing option with illustrative annual debt service near $200,000.
Churchville officials said the borough faces more than $4 million in outstanding stormwater repairs and will hold a public hearing on Nov. 20 to gather input on a possible stormwater authority that could create a dedicated fund and charge fees based on impervious surface.
At the open house a committee member described how the authority would use Equivalent Residential Units (ERUs) to assign fees: nonresidential properties would be charged based on impervious surface while residential fees would be set at a residential ERU. "Because of the fee, it's assigned based on use," the committee member said, noting that non‑profits would also be included in the fee schedule.
Officials presented a possible financing alternative: issuing a municipal bond to cover roughly $1.1 million in stormwater and other capital projects. A bond manager’s illustrative estimate presented at the meeting put annual debt service in the vicinity of $200,000 per year. The presenter cautioned the meeting presentation was not a formal bond authorization but an illustration of how the borough might accelerate projects without imposing a new authority fee immediately.
Why it matters: the borough currently funds MS4 stormwater compliance and maintenance from the general fund. An authority would establish a dedicated revenue stream intended to reduce future emergency repairs and improve water quality, but it would create a new ongoing charge tied to property impervious surface or ERU calculations. Councilors and staff said detailed rate analysis, legal design and public comment are needed before a final recommendation.
Next steps: the council will hold a special public meeting on Nov. 20 to hear from residents and expects more detailed discussion in the Dec. 1 budget workshop and subsequent council meetings.
