Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trustees weigh Westchester Joint Water Works payment and question timing of lead‑abatement plan
Summary
Trustees debated a roughly $1.578 million payment to Westchester Joint Water Works tied to a consent decree for lead‑service replacement work; residents and trustees raised concerns the Joint Water Works had not yet submitted a detailed plan, but counsel said the village’s stipulated payment obligation remains.
Trustees reviewed the audited vouchers and discussed a payment of roughly $1,578,000 to Westchester Joint Water Works that is tied to a long‑running consent decree.
Resident and frequent commenter Stuart Teacert questioned whether the Joint Water Works had submitted the detailed lead‑service‑line replacement plan required by the stipulated settlement and whether the village should hold funds until a state or court approval was confirmed. ‘‘Do you have the plan? Have they fulfilled the requirement of the stipulated settlement?’’ he asked.
Village Attorney Bob responded that the consent decree requires establishment of a fund and that the village and the joint utility are bound by stipulated deadlines; he noted that the plan had been submitted to the state and that the village could be subject to stipulated penalties if it failed to meet its payment obligations. Staff said they would try to confirm the submission dates and obtain copies of the plan for the board.
Several trustees said they were uneasy about continuing to rely on Westchester Joint Water Works for timely updates but recognized that the payment obligation arises from the consent order. One trustee suggested the village hold funds briefly to earn interest while confirming plan approvals; the village attorney said interest on the fund would accrue and be allocated proportionally among the municipalities involved.
The board approved the audit and related payments with the acknowledgment that staff and counsel would report back with documentation on the plan’s submission and approvals.
