JAY — Selectpersons will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 9, at the Town Office on sewer rates before the board sets the rates for 2022-23.
The rate would go into effect on July 1. A regular Select Board meeting will follow the hearing.
The current sewer rate is $315 for a minimum use charge for up to 3,200 cubic feet of water usage, plus 9.5 cents per cubic-foot that exceeds the minimum use.
“This rate generated enough revenue to cover 100% of the Sewer Department’s annual (operation and maintenance) budget for 2021-22,” according to sewer Superintendent Mark Holt’s information provided to the board in April.
The “gross” Jay sewer budget for 2022-23 is $513,900. The “net” sewer budget for the period is $451,500.
The difference between the two is that the “net” sewer budget takes into account the revenue to be received from Livermore Falls for its share of the shared sewer superintendent’s wages, benefits and his associated shared expenses, according to Holt. The “gross” budget does not factor in Livermore Falls’ share.
Holt’s possible sewer rate options are to keep the current rate, which would generate an estimated $500,100 in revenue. It would cover 97.3% of the budget without Livermore Falls’ share or 111% factoring in Livermore Falls’ share.
Another option is to cover the budget without factoring in Livermore Falls’ share with the current minimum use fee of $315, plus 10 cents per cubic-foot that exceeds the minimum 3,200 cubic feet of usage. It would generate an estimated $515,000 in revenue and would cover the “gross” budget for 2022-23 operation and maintenance.
A third option is to cover the “net” budget with the current minimum use fee of $315, plus 7.5 cents per cubic-foot used over the minimum use. It would generate an estimated $450,500 in revenue and cover plus or minus 100% of the “net” budget for operation and maintenance costs.
The final option listed is to cover the “net” budget by lowering the minimum use fee to $260, and keep the current fee of 9.5 cents per cubic-foot of usage exceeding minimum use. It equals an estimated $454,000 in revenues. It would cover 100%-plus or minus of the operation and maintenance budget portion after factoring in Livermore Falls’ share, according to Holt’s information.
Currently, any operation and maintenance costs not covered by sewer users in Jay is paid for through general taxation, as is debt service.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story