Council Delays Action on Dechlorination
The Monticello City Council heard from Richard Akin with Rindt-McDuff Associates, Inc. about financing options for the Monticello Water Plant’s new de-chlorination chambers. Waymon Cody, Water and Sewer Superintendent brought in Mr. Akin to speak before the council as to his findings on securing funding through financing and grants.
The council voted to spend $8,000 with the firm in hopes of receiving Georgia Environmental Financing Authority (GEFA) loan or getting into the SRF program. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund is a federally-funded loan program for wastewater infrastructure and pollution prevention projects, according to its website.
Mr. Akin suggested that a GEFA loan would be the best for the city as of now, due to timeliness. He said that a GEFA loan has a 2.27 percent interest rate as opposed to the 1.27 percent rate with the SRF. The interest paid on the loan would be about $35,000 over 15 years.
Mr. Akin stated that the SRF program, if eligible, had a principal forgiveness of 15 percent up to $500,000. He said that for the Monticello project, the cost is approximately $400,000, making the 15 percent forgiven around $60,000.
Mr. Akin told the council that due to time constraints and having project clearance from the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources that the SRF was going to be hard to get as the due date for application and approval is December 31, 2015. He said that the $8,000 originally approved for his firm would be saved as the GEFA loan application is standard and can be done in house.
Mayor Bryan Standifer said, “We’ve been talking through this and about this for over a year, and this is a lot of money.” He also asked about the timeline and about long-term cost savings as opposed to the tablets that are currently being used.
Mr. Cody said, “We are already working on borrowed time. I continue to be in compliance and the EPD knows that we are making strides towards a more permanent fix.”
Council woman Katherine Alexander asked “Would our timeline be quicker, being that the inspector already gets the reports? Could we possibly speed up the EPD side and be eligible for the SRF?”
Mr. Cody answered both Mr. Standifer and Mrs. Alexander stating, “As far as the EPD side, they are saying that it’s time. There will be some savings long term, as the capital upstart will be the expense. I will no longer have to do fecal testing weekly, and the maintenance on the new machines will be minimal – cleaning and light bulb replacement, but that can all be done in house.”
Councilman David Wease spoke to the council that he had done some research into three communities that had the de-chlorination chambers and had gotten little feedback as the one community that responded had not had the system long enough to see savings, etc.
Mr. Standifer asked Mr. Cody to do some research on man hours and payment if possible and to seek out his EPD inspector as to a timeline, as this is a “a lot of money for a small city, such as Monticello and any additional grants – forgiveness will be greatly beneficial.”
During the city manager’s report the council was told that the city had received no bids for the timber on Hwy. 83. Lathaydra Sands, who presented the report for an absent Peggy Billerman, stated that the bidding would remain open through December 7, 2015. She also told the council that the Turf-vac had been repaired and would be used to help city employees with leaves.
The council voted to appoint Mr. Wease as the Electric Cities of Georgia voting delegate. Councilman Larry Thurman was approved as alternate.
During the council comments all of the council members agreed they were thankful for their opportunity to serve, and grateful and for their city. There was an overall consensus that this was one of the better Deer Festival’s that the city has every hosted and that the Chamber of Commerce members should be thanked repeatedly, along with the city employees that worked behind the scenes.
Mayor Standifer stated that he was thankful and grateful for serving as Mayor and he said that the outgoing council members would be missed. He said that he learned a lot and that some hard decisions had been made, but what was right for the City of Monticello had been done. He said that the current council had been through storms but there were so many positive things that had come out of it such as sidewalks, new businesses, and a brighter financial future. He then thanked them for all of their service, and expressed his excitement to begin with new members in January.
