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Oakland budgets water-plant operator, SCADA upgrades and a rate study amid tight enterprise margins
Summary
The town's enterprise (water/wastewater) fund shows a small contingency and staff budgeted temporary operator services, $72,000 in SCADA upgrades, and a $30,000 water-rate study as revenues and grants are tightly balanced.
Staff said the enterprise fund for FY27 is budgeted at about $10.94 million, of which roughly $3.3 million is operating revenue and $7.5 million is grant-restricted. Gabby noted that after accounting, the enterprise fund shows a residual of about $142,000 for contingency or additions.
Gabby said the long-time plant operator left the town, so the budget includes $42,000 for an operator contract with Utility Repair Experts (URE) until the position is filled. She also said SCADA upgrades were quoted at $72,000 (above the earlier $40,000 estimate) and the town budgeted $30,000 for a Raphtelis water-rate study. "We are doing a water rate study to see if we need to increase our rates to bring in more revenue," Gabby said.
Commissioners acknowledged the fund's limited margins and asked staff to monitor operating costs and grant timing; staff said some enterprise projects are grant-eligible and that rate study work could identify revenue options to pledge for future plant construction.
