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Baker Water and Sewer GID outlines audit timeline and multi‑million dollar infrastructure projects
Summary
Baker Water and Sewer treasurer updated the committee on delayed audits, recent grant‑funded projects and the need to split large projects across SRF phases; he asked for help finding auditors and said federal/state grants are driving work.
The treasurer for Baker Water and Sewer GID updated the Committee on the status of late audits and described two multi‑million‑dollar infrastructure projects funded by federal and state grants.
Terry Stedman told the committee the 2024 audit by Alpine Summit was submitted and that he had sent a signed audit engagement letter for the 2025 audit; he expects Alpine Summit to complete the 2025 audit within a week of receiving remaining documentation. Stedman said the district had received extensions and that earlier confusion over whether the CPA or auditor would file documents with the Department of Taxation had contributed to delays.
Stedman described two projects: the Layman Creek residential water system (approximately $4.3 million) addressing Clean Water Act violations across roughly 36 parcels, and the Baker Township infrastructure project (estimated about $12.4 million) to replace and upgrade aging plant and meet EPA/NDEP standards. Because of State Revolving Fund limits ($2.5 million per project), the larger project has been broken into four phases. Stedman said the district has expended ARPA funds ($1.6 million) and has approximately $2.5 million in the state revolving fund reserved for the Layman Creek project.
The treasurer described Baker as a small, remote community (roughly 120–140 people and about 104 service connections) that lacks scale to hire many professional consultants and asked the committee to consider auditor recommendations and coordination with nearby jurisdictions (Ely) to reduce mobilization costs.
The chair pressed the treasurer on the need to complete the 2025 audit on time; the treasurer asked for flexibility in sourcing auditors and said he would follow up with local authorities and return to the committee in August.
No formal enforcement action was taken; the committee suggested Baker pursue auditors in nearby municipalities to reduce travel and mobilization costs.
