$14,606.17 In Police Budget to Last until October, No Protection Eminent, Glenavy Project repayment may be Guaranteed by Tax Assessment

The Council met on May 19th in a Special Session to discuss budget and finance problems. Several items were on the agenda, however the main topic was the Glenavy Sewerage Rehabilitation Project loan repayment. The Project is not officially complete and the Contractor has not been paid the final payment for completion. There were several small problems that needed to be repaired before completion would be granted. With the current budget situation it is important that the project be repaid with guaranteed funding that will not burden the community as minimally as possible.
The Glenavy Sewerage Project was important to stop the ground water inflow to the wastewater plant. After a flow study, conducted by Floyde Browne Engineering, it was found that the Glenavy subdivision contributed the largest amount of II. The EPA did not mandate this project, however they did strong arm the community to repair this problem and reduce II. It was important to reduce the water infiltration, because it attributed to the current system overflowing at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and without it's reduction it would have been more difficult to accurately design a new plant, which was mandated by the EPA, in which Lynchburg was under findings and Orders. The EPA also noted that it was required in order to receive any DEFA funding in the form of 0% loans or grants available through their agency.
THe options to fund the repayment were 1. Pay in full 2a. Assessment to Property in Glenavy (143 Parcels at approx. $29.19 per year) 2b. Assessment to property throughout entire Village (963 Parcels at approx. $4.34 per year) 3. Raise Sewer portion of Utilities Invoice (550 to 625 Customers) 4. Income Tax
I specifically asked to to make sure that they looked at all options and came to a conclusion that they believed was the most sensible and responsible with the information they had. If nothing was done, the Utilities Department would be forced to raise the Sewer portion of the Utilities Invoice for the 550 to 625 customers that receive a utilities invoice. I believe this was an opportunity to visit other options that had not been taken into consideration in the past. Ultimately a decision could be made that would affect the future utilities invoice and make it quickly reduce over time or raise in the near future. The outcome of the meeting was to pursue an assessment to 963 parcels, at est. $4.34 per year for 20 years. There will be a public hearing on June 27th at 12pm(noon) Some of the positives of the project and the assessment as discussed are Every property would pay an equal share that is fair. The benefit for the entire community are as follows. There is a reduction in water infiltration, which reduces the plant overflows and more possible enforcement complications with the EPA which could include fines and mandates. It allows the entire community to receive funding through DEFA, the funding branch of the EPA. This could be federal monies, 0% loans, and/ grants. Some of the Negatives that are understood and came out from the discussion are as follows, the Council understood their will be an added burden to the property owner by an additional estimated $4.34 per year, that there was misinformation originally portrayed that the project would not cost anything. In fact it costs $114,500 over the next 20yrs, after $150,000.00 grant. The biannual payment is $2086.50 or $4173.00 per year.

No Protection from Criminals Eminent
The Police Department only has $14,606.17 to last until October. The Council will meet in a Special work session next Tuesday May 26th at 6:30pm. The Highland County Sheriff may be there and if not available will be at the next regular Council Meeting. Due to funding reduction around the county, law enforcement has been reduced and the existing officers are overburdened as crime rises. Greenfield has reduced its force, closed its jail, and shut down its dispatch. The county has taken on that burden. The County has also had a budget reduction and has less officers and manpower to attempt to cover more. Ask yourself - What is your safety worth? The problem is crime is on the rise, as protection is being decrease. What is safety from criminals and protection of your family worth?

Please attend the next meeting. There is an open forum at the end of the regular council meetings. Please submit concerns in writing or come in on Saturday if it is something the Mayors office can help with.