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Board agrees to move forward on intermunicipal water agreement but must secure DEC permit first
Summary
Mount Morris trustees authorized proceeding with an intermunicipal agreement and discussed adopting a 15% outside‑user water rate; the DEC requires a water‑withdrawal permit and an engineering report before retail service to the town can begin, and the village and town are negotiating transfers of reserve funds cited in the draft IMA.
The Village Board of Mount Morris discussed and signaled support for an intermunicipal agreement (IMA) to assume lease and operational responsibilities for the town water and sewer systems, but trustees emphasized they must secure DEC authorization before billing town customers.
Chair (S1) read a DEC notice advising the village that providing retail service to Town of Mount Morris Water District No. 1 requires a DEC water‑withdrawal permit and an engineering report as part of the application. The DEC reviewer told the board that there is no permit fee but the engineering report is required and the application review typically takes two to three months. "She thought of around 1000 dollars, but she wasn't — don't hold me on that," the chair said relaying the DEC staff's estimate (S1).
Trustees discussed how the application cost might be apportioned and whether the town would pay the engineering expense. The draft intermunicipal agreement circulating to the boards proposes transferring town water and sewer capital reserve funds (the draft lists $48,925 and $50,180) to the village as consideration; trustees noted those balances may have changed and that the town board would confirm the accounting at its next meeting.
The board also discussed adopting an outside‑user policy that would bill town water accounts at 15% higher than village end‑user rates, noting the 15% differential is the low end of New York State Office of the State Comptroller guidance (which recommends 15–20%). Chair (S1) said the 15% differential would be added to the village rate and capital charge where applicable.
Trustees agreed to prepare a resolution authorizing the IMA contingent on DEC authorization and to continue coordinating with the town, county planning staff and village engineers to establish rates and finalize numbers before signing. Several trustees urged updating the draft figures and asked staff to get firm quotes and a clear schedule for the DEC permit and municipal actions.
