Commission accepts CSWD trailer-reserve payment into wastewater capital restricted fund

The Town of Richmond Water and Sewer Commission voted July 21 to accept a trailer-replacement balance from the Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) and place the money into the town’s wastewater restricted capital fund.

Staff described the history: when CSWD members previously owned trailers a per‑ton charge included a replacement fund; after regional changes and Casella assuming disposal operations the per‑ton charge was reduced and CSWD proposed returning accumulated trailer‑replacement funds. A staff figure given in the meeting placed Richmond’s share at about $30,008.55.

Commissioners debated whether to keep the money restricted specifically for trailers or to place it into a broader wastewater capital reserve. One commissioner warned against creating narrowly restricted accounts when larger capital needs are imminent, while another argued the money was already set aside for trailers and could be reserved for that purpose. After discussion, staff recommended deposit into wastewater capital restricted funds to preserve options; the motion to accept the funds and deposit them into the wastewater restricted capital funds passed.

A read motion shown in the transcript was: "So I move to accept the funds from the CSWD Trail Reserve Fund and to place those funds into the wastewater restricted wastewater capital funds." Staff will record and manage the deposit under wastewater capital restrictions and report back on any subsequent reallocation requests.

The commission did not identify a separate vote tally in the record beyond the chair’s recording that the motion passed.