New Revenues Among PMUA Updates

A surge in development will bring new revenue to the PMUA, Executive Director Dan Williamson told the authority's board of commissioners Thursday.

Sewer hookups for new homes and apartment buildings will yield $2,130 per unit, he said. for example, the developer of an 80-apartment building under construction off Roosevelt Avenue will need to pay $170,400 in sewer connection fees. The sewage will flow into one large pipe connected to the sewer system.

The authority is trying to get information from the city on which approved development projects are actually under construction, to make sure all are properly charged the fees, he said.

Sometimes there is a lag between land use board approvals and construction, often for reasons of financing. The 80-unit building was approved in 2008, but construction only began this year. Other proposals include a 148-unit complex on West Second Street, 20 units on East Second Street and possibly 200 new units on South Avenue.

Connection needs are measured in EDUs, which Williamson explained Thursday as "estimated daily use," but which Plaintalker has understood to mean "equivalent dwelling unit." Whatever the term, each new one-family home or apartment will be subject to the connection fee.

Williamson gave several other updates Thursday:
- He said the Cottage Place building damaged in May by a drunk driver has been repaired and renovated.
- The Rock Avenue transfer station's scale house was repaired by the authority's maintenance staff at a savings over hiring outside workers.
- Revenue from collection fees at the transfer station have increased from $333,000 in 2005 to $1.5 million so far this year.

The authority now provides services to nine municipalities and one outside board of education, another source of revenue, although final disposal costs take 80 percent of the income. The authority nets between $200,000 and $250,000 from the operations, which cover bulky waste, vegetative waste and recycling.

On rates, there was a 7.3 percent reduction in 2012, which did not change in 2013. The authority hopes to reduce or at least stabilize rates this year. There may be a need to shrink the work force, Williamson said.

The 2015 budget will be delayed due to burdens on staff from illness and having to deal with three audits, Chief Financial Officer Duane Young said. State agencies demanded masses of records within strict time frames, displacing staff from budget work. Commissioners asked whether temporary help could be hired, but Young said the work was really not suited to such assistance. The authority does rely on its auditing firm to help with budget preparation, he said. The new deadline for the budget is December 21, he said.

The authority received a $1.1 million premium from the Joint Insurance Fund, but it also had its buildings sharply devalued by the JIF after an inspection. Previously the JIF relied on the asuthority's own valuation of its buildings.

The authority is also launching a pilot program in two city zones to allow residents a choice of receptacles for trash and recyclables, depending on household needs. Residents would be able to choose between 96-gallon and 64-gallon containers.

For more information on solid waste and sewer services, see the PMUA web site.