OBSERVER Photos
by Braden Carmen
Silver Creek resident Michael Shearer recently addressed the Village Board for a second time regarding a debt service increase to water bills in the village.
SILVER CREEK — A month after addressing the Village Board regarding an increase to the debt charge on water and sewer bills in the village, resident Michael Shearer returned to continue discussion on the issue.
Shearer spoke in February on the topic for approximately 10 minutes with Deputy Mayor Kathy Tampio presiding in the absence of Mayor Jeff Hornburg. At his most recent visit, Shearer discussed the topic again for just over 17 minutes with Hornburg, Tampio, and Water/Sewer Superintendent David Voigt responding to his questioning of the total debt owed by the Village.
“I’m old school,” Shearer said. “If you’re going to take money out of my wallet, I want to know how, why, where, what, all of that.”
Hornburg explained the village’s debt service payments stem from three separate projects – the Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) project, a major renovation to the Water/Sewer Treatment Plant, and waterline replacement throughout the village. The debt service increase that sparked Shearer’s interest in the matter pertains to the Village’s Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) project, which was mandated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) through a consent order issued in 2012.
Due to the cost of all five phases of the project — as mandated by the DEC — the annual debt cost is $459,294.43. That amount is shared by the village’s 1,333 customers. A total debt service charge per customer amounts to $344.56 per year.
An increase to the quarterly debt charge of $21.14 to each resident’s bill was approved by the Village Board upon the recommendation of the village’s accountant, Bahgat and Laurito-Bahgat. The quarterly debt charge was previously $65 per customer, but has raised to $86.14 each quarter — an annual increase of $84.56 to each customer.
As for the other debts, the Water/Sewer Treatment Plant was updated in 2014 after not undergoing any substantial changes since its installment in the late 1960s. The cost to bring it up to standard in 2014 was approximately $6.2 million. Additionally, waterline improvement projects throughout the village totaled over $3.4 million. Those two figures combined with the I&I project of approximately $3.2 million amounts to nearly $13 million in all, which is why the debt service charges span 30 years.
Tampio also explained that water and sewer debts and revenues are separate from the Village’s general fund. She added that the Village purchases water from the Erie County Water Authority, which has recently raised rates. “We’re going to do our best to keep water rates where they are,” Tampio said.
Upon explanation from the Village Board, Shearer said, “Thank you for answering all my questions. … I’m still not happy about the $86, but who is?”
The Village Board later expressed relief that flooding concerns in the village were addressed this winter. A layer of ice on the creeks this year was much thicker than in recent years, but the Village, the Town of Hanover, and Chautauqua County managed to clear enough ice to allow the creeks to drain properly without flooding.
“I’m very happy to see that we didn’t experience a lot of flooding and we were able to get that ice out to the lake,” Tampio said. “I’m thankful for that.”
The harsh winter has likely contributed to several water line breaks in the past few months. Voigt estimated 5-6 notable water breaks this winter.
Also of note, the membership application of Michael Crouse Jr. to join the Silver Creek Emergency Squad was approved by the Village Board. Two budget transfers were also approved – $25,000 from the Village’s miscellaneous reserve account to cover garbage pickup and $3,000 from the rip rap reserve account to cover the cost of the Fourth of July celebration.
The next Mobile Food Pantry event, sponsored by the Silver Creek Food Pantry, the Village of Silver Creek, and Feedmore WNY, will be on Tuesday, March 25 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the village municipal parking lot. The event is free of charge to residents of Silver Creek and other nearby communities.
The next meeting of the Silver Creek Village Board is Monday at 7 p.m. at the Village Hall.
