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Town engineer warns of large gap in water and sewer revenues; work session set
Summary
Town engineer Robert Rauch said preliminary water/sewer modeling shows a roughly $310,000 shortfall driven by project costs and existing debt; commissioners scheduled a detailed work session and approved televising sewer lines to check for leaks and sediment.
Robert Rauch, the town engineer from RAUCH, Inc., told the Town of Queenstown Commissioners on April 9 that an initial water and sewer rate study is "more intensive than expected," and that preliminary figures show a substantial gap between projected revenue and expenses. Rauch said his preliminary model, which factors current service at 447 equivalent dwelling units plus debt retirement and the Old Wharf project, "estimates revenue of $649,000 vs. expenses of $959,920." He recommended a follow-up work session to refine assumptions and options, including possible increases to debt-service fees and consumption rates.
Commission President Al Hardee and Commissioner Tom Willis agreed to a dedicated work session with Rauch on April 11 at 2:00 p.m. to review the study in detail. The study’s revenue timing also depends on when anticipated revenue from the Wheatlands development is received, Rauch said.
The meeting also covered operational constraints at the wastewater treatment plant. Town Manager Amy Moore said the plant’s emergency generator is awaiting a replacement part; staff filed an insurance claim that might apply but would carry an approximately $10,000 deductible. Moore said the town’s original generator maintenance agreement was limited to basic items and staff will propose a more comprehensive preventative-maintenance plan for commissioner review.
On capacity and system condition, Commissioner Tom Willis reported a discussion with wastewater operator Greg Smith that the current WWTP site could be expanded from about 200,000 to 400,000 gallons per day but that the town lacks sufficient emergency storage. Willis proposed televising sewer lines along Del Rhodes Avenue from U.S. 301 to the pump station to check for cracked lines and sediment that might be contributing to pump-station problems. Willis moved to authorize the TV inspection; President Hardee seconded, and the motion passed 2–0.
Rauch and staff said the timing of rate adjustments and any fiscal measures will be clearer after the April 11 work session and once project costs and revenues (including Wheatlands receipts) are reconciled. The commissioners did not adopt rate changes at the meeting; the work session is the next procedural step.
