Town Board, 11-5-2020

Peekskll Sewer System

In order to conform to the requirements of the town’s procurement policy, the board authorized an RFP for engineering services to develop the next phase of the work plan needed to satisfy the DEC consent order.

Peekskill Sewer System

The board was advised by representatives of EDR that the proposed work plan required as part of the state consent order could cost an estimated $700,000. They explained that the major variable would be the extent of the pipe cleaning that might be required and that this amount would not be known until the work started.  Having been advised at the previous meeting of a possible $150,000 cost, the board wanted to know why the increase. In response, Mr. Quinn explained that his earlier $150,000 figure was based only on the per mile cost for tving the pipes and did not include the cleaning, dye and smoke tests. The $700,000 estimate also includes EDR overseeing the work

Supervisor Slater explained that the cost would be  paid for only by the 6,333 parcels in the Peekskill District and that because the separate sewer districts connected to the Peekskill system don’t have a fund balance the project would have to be funded by a  BAN, bond anticipation note.  He did not indicate what the cost, either per year, or per taxpayer, would be.

The board is also seeking legal advice whether the earlier resolution that authorized EDR to do the I&I study also allows the board to have EDR proceed with implementing the step 2 work plan or whether a new RFP will be required.

As the consent order requires the town to submit the work plan to the DEC by October 30, the board okayed sending the plan while it has further discussions on how to finance the project. The board acknowledged that the town has no choice but to proceed with the project.

Peekskill sewer district/I&I Study

Town Engineer Quinn and representatives of EDR, the town’s consulting engineers, discussed a preliminary work plan to address the problems in two areas that were identified in the earlier study.  The plan, which is still in draft form, would include tving  and cleaning as needed the sewer lines and using smoke and dye tests to identify problems.  The plan would not include any additional rehabilitation work that might be necessary based on the former work.  Mr. Quinn estimated that the tv task could cost in the neighborhood of $150,000 but that it’s not possible to even estimate what any future rehabilitation projects might cost.  The board asked EDR to submit its report to the board so that members have the opportunity to review the plan in more detail; their concern was the overall potential cost.

 Hallocks Mill sewer extension

Mr. Quinn advised the board that given the county’s concern that the high cost of low pressure hookups would result in too few homeowners connecting to the sewer system, the town has decided, and the county has given preliminary ok, to a plan for the town to purchase the necessary pumps at an approximate cost $ 1 million. The total project cost will not increase, however, because the money for the pumps will come from the $2.5 million contingency amount that was included in the project’s budget. (the contingency amount as 20% of the total cost.) For homeowners needing low pressure hook ups, this would reduce their $12,000-$15,000 hook up by $7,000.

The town and county will now proceed with several bureaucratic steps that are needed before the county can release the $10 million East of Hudson Funds. 

Supervisor Slater advised residents not to expect shovels in the ground for another two years.

Hallocks Mill future sewer district projects

Mr. Quinn advised the board that he is continuing  to plan for the upgrade of four district pump stations and also to begin an I&I study in 2021.

Peekskill Sewer District

(scroll down to 12-3-2019 for background)

The town’s consulting engineer reported on the results of the Inflow and Infiltration flow study that was done as part of the town’s compliance agreement with the DEC.  The study found that two out of 12 possible areas showed high flows and needed further investigation to determine the cause of the flows; the problem could be defects in the pipes that would show up by sending tv cameras through the pipes or the need to clean out the pipes.  The DEC has 60 days to review the report and during that time, the engineers will develop a work plan on how to address the problem. As per the agreement with the DEC, the town has 18 months to resolve the problem.

Town Engineer Quinn advised the board that one of the problem areas was in the Hunerbrook area that has been experiencing high flows. He suggested that if the cause of the high flows can be resolved, the town could avoid the need to increase the capacity of the Hunterbrook pump station and that that, in turn, would provide additional sewer capacity for new development in the sewer district.

The consultant’s flow report will be posted on the town’s web site.

Hallocks Mill sewer Extension

Supervisor Slater advised the board of two issues that have been holding up progress on the extension plan and the county’s release of the $10 million East of Hudson money that will finance the $14.3 million project.

The first issue, which he said has been resolved, is that town has had to assure the county that it would make the money in excess of $10 million available.

The second issue that remains unresolved is how to deal with the 120 properties (out of 315) that will need low pressure systems, at an estimated cost of $15,000, to hook up and the county’s concern that the cost will mean that many homeowners will not hook up.  The county wants the town to include the cost of the pumps, which Mr. Quinn estimated would cost $7,500 to $8,000, be included in the overall cost of the project. If this was done, it would add approximately $1million to the total cost of the project. (Note: it was not clear what the additional installation costs for electrical and plumbing work would be and whether those costs would also be folded in to the total cost of the project. It was also not clear whether homeowners who would be able to hook up with a less costly gravity installation would also receive some form of subsidy.)

To address the problem, and to avoid having to bond $14+ million for the project, Supervisor Slater proposed that if the town included the cost of the pumps in the total project cost, that the town ask the county to pay the first $10 million worth of construction costs and that the town would then only have to borrow the balance. The board agreed with the supervisor’s suggestion which the town should take in its ongoing discussions with the county.

On related issue, the board discussed when it should proceed with an infiltration and inflow (I&I) study of the existing trunk lines that will be needed as part of the town’s plan to get a 2.5 mgd SPDES permit. Mr. Quinn suggested that the project could be carried out next spring.  The implication was that the larger SPDES permit would be needed to allow phases 2 & 3 of the extension to proceed; Supervisor Slater said that the town should not short change these residents and should look at the “bigger picture.”

Councilman Diana said he had some questions and reservations about the plan but did not elaborate what they were.  And Mr. Quinn anticipated that it could take up to 8-10 months before the issues with the county were resolved.

Hallocks Mill Pump Stations

Mr. Quinn advised the board that the county Department of Health has given its approval to the changes made at the Jefferson Park and Jefferson Valley pump stations. The contractors can now complete the final work at the new stations. Once the new pump stations are operational and tested, the old pump stations can be demolished.  He anticipated that the construction project could be closed out September 1st.

Hallocks Mill Sewer Project

The board again grappled with the issue of whether to go ahead and set a public hearing to create the new district before getting a commitment from the county about releasing the $10M EOH funds.  Supervisor Slater advised the board that earlier in the day, based on additional information provided by Michael Quinn, the town engineer, the DEP gave the $14.3 project its approval; he hoped that this would convince the county.  Mr. Quinn advised the board the town needed two steps to proceed with the project: the resolution creating the project and a resolution authorizing the bonding. He said that passing the resolutions would not cost the town any money and that they could be rescinded in the event the county failed to release the $10M. The town will consult with bond attorney on the next steps.

Hallocks Mill Pump stations

Mr. Quinn and a representative of GHD, the company overseeing the rehabilitation of three pump stations, reported that while one pump station is now operational, the Health Department (DOH) has issued  violation notices for the other two pump stations because some aspects of what was constructed differed from the approved plan.  Mr. Quinn advised the board that the differences were minor and that some of the issues raised by the DOH actually conformed to the plan it had previously approved. The town will argue its case at a February 11 hearing.

The board tabled a resolution that would have set a February public hearing date for the formal creation of the district pending a discussion at next week’s work session on how to deal with the county and DEP’s concern that not enough property owners will actually hook up to the sewer line. Supervisor Slater explained that in a conference call with the DEP. the agency cited a provision in the town code that required hookups within 90 days if a sewer line was available. He said that Mr. Quinn was reviewing the positive responses to the petition to see how many of the Yes votes required  the more expensive low pressure hookup. 

Hallocks Mill Sewer Extension

Mr. Quinn advised the board that of the 318 petitions that were sent out, 225 (70%) were returned and that of those returned, 88% said Yes, and that the yes votes represented 62% of the district’s assessed value – well above the 50% required by the state comptroller.

He said the next steps were for the board to pass a resolution certifying the results and for the board to pass a resolution authorizing the project and the amount to be borrowed.

The latter resolution generated discussion and concern. The project is estimated at $14M, with $10M coming from the East of Hudson Fund and $4M to be borrowed by the town. But Mr. Quinn said that last summer, the county had raised concern that there wouldn’t be a sufficient number of homeowners hooking up because of the $15,000 hook up cost for the roughly 100 property owners who would need low pressure hookups.  He said that the county was on board with an earlier $20M plan that would have sewered more homes but that the county needs to okay the revised $14m plan and agree to a new IMA (Intermunicipal Agreement) before the money can be released. Quinn will be meeting with the DEP this week to get its okay for the $14M plan with the hope that this will persuade the county to give its approval to the scaled back plan.

If the county does not provide all of the $10M, the town would have to borrow more money and that would require a new petition as the petition that the homeowners signed was based on a $4M borrowing.

Mr Quinn advised the board that the county has been discussing making funds that have set aside to assist homeowners with septic problems available to lower the cost of the low pressure hook ups but no decisions have been made to date.

The town comptroller also has to review the potential  $4M borrowing and its impact on the tax cap.

The supervisor said he would be working with Mike Kaplowitz, now working for the county, for assistance to move the project forward.  And Mr. Quinn said the town would work with the state’s EFC (Environmental Finance Corporation) regarding low inte rest loans and/or any grants that would lower the borrowing costs.

Hallocks Mill pump station resolution. The board rescinded the 12/3/19 resolution for the design of upgrades to four Hallocks Mill pump stations and the Farm Walk Pump Station in the Peekskill distrist and said it had questions about where the funds would come from.

Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District. The board rescinded the 12-3-19 resolution passed December 3, 2019 that would use money from the Yorktown Sewer (aka Hallocks Mill district) and passed a new resolution that will take the funds from several sewer districts that are part of the Peekskill district.

 Hallocks Mill Pump Stations. The board approved a resolution hiring Environmental Design & Research, D.P.C. at a cost of $363,616 to prepare plans for the upgrade of four Hallocks Mill pump stations, plus prepare recommendations for how to address problems at the Farmwalk Pump Station that’s in the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District.

Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District. The board approved  a resolution hiring Environmental Design & Research, D.P.C. at a cost of $119,900 to undertake an Inflow and Infiltration study pursuant to the consent agreement with the DEC.

The board dicussed three seprate sewer issues. Use a keyword search to locate earlier disucssions about each issue.

Hallocks Mill Sewer Extension

The town engineer gave the board an update on petitions. Of 313 sent to homeowners, only 81 or 26% have been returned. Residents have until December 19 to return their petitions.   Petitions that are not returned will be considered a NO vote.  A second mailing will be sent next week. Supervisor Gilbert and Councilman Patel said they would go door to door and the supervisor invited Supervisor-elect Slater to join him.

Mr. Quinn said the county is still considering providing some form of assistance for hook ups but no details were available.

Inflow & Infiltration Study for Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District

The town had 10 responses to an April, 2019 RFP.  The RFP was needed to comply with a consent order the town signed with the DEC.  The board earlier had interviewed four firms and will approve a resolution at the next meeting to hire one of the firms at an estimated $120,000 cost. 

Hallocks Mill Pump Stations

In December 2018 the board advertised an RFP for designing the rehabilitation of four additional pump stations.  Three bids were received ranging from $364,000-$367,000. The board had an extensive discussion of how these projects could avoid the problems the town experienced on the first three pump station upgrades and also the pros and cons of using the same firm it anticipates giving the I&I contract to versus using an equally qualified second firm at basically the same price.  It was not clear if the board was ready to award a contract.

(See below.) A representative of GHD explained the major unanticipated problem that delayed the completion of the construction: the discovery of an unknown abandoned underground storage tank at the Jefferson Park pump station.  Councilman Diana said that GHD should have known about the tank, but the GHD representative said that the 2015 contract did not have provisions for unknown tanks. He said that the company’s 2015 contract was to cover 12 months of construction but that the project is taking an estimated four additional months and that the company has to cover its costs. While the added cost, based on the original contract, is $21,850/month, he said the company would only bill the town for time expended.

At the suggestion of the town attorney, GHD will provide the town with the details of its billing and that the details will be compared with the terms of its contract.

Town Engineer Quinn gave the board an update on the status of the replacement project for three pump stations, all of which should be ready to become operational by either this month or December. However, GHD, the engineering consultant hired in 2015 to oversee the project is requesting additional money to oversee the final stages of the project. The engineer estimated the cost at $87,000 based on a monthly cost of $21,850. Ed Mahoney, who oversees the operation of the sewage treatment plant and the pump stations advised the board that at this final stage of the project, it did not make sense for town staff to complete the final tasks.  The board had an issue with the cost and asked that the company to appear before the board at its next meeting to explain the need for the additional money

Mr. Quinn explained that as the project progressed, there were unexpected delays and unanticipated  design issues that needed to be addressed. The project was supposed to have been completed by August, 2019.

The meetings will be held on Saturday, Nov 2 from 1-3pm and on Monday, November 18 from 6-8pm. Both meetings will be held in the Nutrition Center in the ACCC.   Although he voted for the meeting dates, Councilman Lachterman initially said that he thought the meetings should not be held until after Election Day

The board voted to hold one or two information meetings to begin the legal petition process to establish the new sewer district for 315 parcels. However, when Councilman Lachterman said he would not be available on the two proposed dates, the future dates of the meeting were left open.  In response to questions from Councilman Lachterman about the availability of $10million from the DEP to help finance the $14.3 million project, Supervisor Gilbert assured him that the money has been committed to Yorktown.

Supervisor Gilbert said he hoped the petition to create the new sewer district would be circulated in the fall.

Town engineer Quinn and Ed Mahoney, assistant superintendent at the treatment plant, gave the board an update on multiple issues for both the Hallocks Mill and Peekskill sewer districts.

Hallocks Mill

Flow levels: levels have begun to level off to the more typical 0.9 mdg after eight months of high flows due to wet weather.  Because of the high levels, DEC is requiring the town to prepare a Flow Management Plan that can identify ways to reduce flows.

Increasing SPEDES permit to 2.5 mdg from current 1.5 mgd.  As part of the plan to get DEC to approve the higher permit level, the town needs to explore ways to lower the plant’s phosphorus level. Mr. Quinn suggested that the town hire a consultant to explore the phosphorus issue and also identify measures that would improve the plant’s operation. In response, Councilwoman Roker said the measure would be a show of good faith and Supervisor Gilbert said that the DEC might consider giving the town a conditional approval for increased flows based on the town’s commitment to undertake certain measures. He said the DEP is supportive of the town’s efforts to increase its SPEDES permit.

Pump station upgrades.  The work is going slower than expected. The package replacement station for Walden Woods was damaged when delivered and the town is working with the contractor and supplier to address the issue.

Sewer extension project: The town has submitted a grant application to help lower the cost; it expects to know whether it will receive the grant by the end of the year.  Without the grant, Supervisor Gilbert estimated the bonding cost to the 315 homeowners to be $750/year.  He said he has been advising those homeowners looking at a one-time $12,000-$15,000 hook up cost that they could postpone hooking up to the sewer line; based on this information he advised the board that he was optimistic that the homeowners would support the project.   Supervisor Gilbert also advised the board that as an alternative to laying out the $10 million East of Hudson money and having to pay interest on the borrowing while it waited for the county to reimburse the town, his office was working on an draft IMA (Intermunicipal Agreement) that would have the county pay the contractor directly.

Councilman Roker spoke about the need for an informational meeting for the affected homeowners, at which time they could also sign the required petition for creating the sewer district.

Repairs at the plant: In response to issues raised in a Department of Health inspection report, the consultant hired by the town has reported on what needs to be done to address the violations.

Future capital projects: for 2020 the engineer would like to proceed with a project that would interconnect two emergency generators. Plans for the estimated $550,000 project have been drawn up. The engineer would also like to begin planning for the replacement of the remaining pump stations, including the Mohansic pump station, the district’s first pump station built in 1961. Const5ruction could begin in 2021.

Work order system: Mr. Quinn advised the board that after some delays due to consultant staffing issues, the program is moving along and he expects it to be functioning soon.  His staff, along with staff from Water and Highway, will receive the required training.

Peekskill Sewer District

Consent order: (See Town Board 5-14-2019.) As a follow up to the DEC consent order regarding a series of more than 20 violations between roughly 2014-2016, Mr. Quinn advised the board that the town had received 10 proposals in June in response to an RFP soliciting ideas on how to remedy the problems. After reviewing the proposals, he suggested that the board interview, all on the same day, four of the firms.  He said the RFP deliberately left the scope of work up to the vendors as long as the scope met EPA requirements.   One of the measures would be an inflow and infiltration study at locations to be determined. The study would take 10-12 weeks and the town is obligated by the consent order to provide the DEC with results by August, 2020.  One of the priority areas may be the Hunterbrook district as that is one of the oldest.

Mr. Mahoney advised the board that the sewer line along Route 6 between Hill and Lee Boulevards that frequently became clogged, causing spills and violation notices, has been cleaned up and is working normally now.

Hunterbrook pump station: Mr. Mahoney advised the board that new parts are being installed at the pump station and that the new flow meter has been ordered but has not yet been delivered. After only 20 years in operation, the pump station is at or reaching its capacity even though the district property owners are still paying off a 30 year bond.

For both districts:

Mr. Quinn advised the board that it needs to review how the town’s multiple sewer districts in both the Hallocks Mill and Peekskill system pay for the maintenance of their systems. The issue, he said, was one of fairness and that property owners in the Hallocks Mill district should not be paying for services provided to the Peekskill districts.

Pump Stations: Remediation of leaks

The board authorized the $13,000 of emergency work that had already been done and because the estimated cost of the remaining remediation work at both pump station sites will exceed $35,000, the board gave the town engineer the okay to prepare bid specs for the future work. (Note: this is a correction from the CIY 7/16/20p19 summary that indicated that the board had authorized the additional remediation work.)

Pump Stations: Remediation of leaks

The board authorized a budget transfer of $45,000 from the Yorktown Sewer fund balance to the  pump station maintenance and repair budget line to remediate two fuel leaks that were discovered as part of the project to replace the Jefferson Park and Jefferson Valley pump stations. The existence of the tanks, that were not being used, was not known to the town and they were not listed on the inventory of tanks that the town routinely inspects.  The spills were reported to the DEC and all contaminated soil has been excavated and is currently stockpiled on each site. The authorized funds will be for the soil removal.

Sewer extention project

The board authorized the submission of a grant application under the 2019 Wastewater Quality Improvement Program for a $1.7 million grant  that, if awarded, would lower the cost for bringing sewers to 315 parcels currently on septic systems. The overall project cost is estimated at $14.3 million, with $10 million coming for already committed funds.  

Proposed professional services agreement for studies at the sewage treatment plant

Pending a memo from the town engineer, the board tabled voting on a resolution that would have authorized the supervisor to sign an agreement with the engineering firm of Tighe & Bond for $14,300 to develop series of improvement plans for the plant that the DEC and DEP are requiring as part of the town’s request to increase the plant’s SPDES permit that controls the amount of sewage the plant can treat. Due to the heavy rains over the past several months, the plant has exceeded its 1.5 MGD permit level.

Councilwoman Roker wanted more time to study the agreement, one of two proposals submitted to the Engineering Department.  Under the town’s procurement policy, the town board can authorize professional service agreements of under $15,000 based on a recommendation of the department head. Proposals in excess of $15,000 need three quotes or an RFP.

The agreement would include an inflow and infiltration study, a plan to reduce the phosphorus level in the plant’s effluent and a plan to reduce the temperature action limit.

Sewer Extention project

Town Engineer Quinn gave a status report on the sewer extension plan.

The size of the project has been reduced from a possible 450 parcels to cover 315 existing houses at a total cost of $14.3M with $10M coming from money set aside in the East of Hudson Fund and $4.3 M to be bonded and paid for by the benefitted property owners.  The areas to be sewered includes 65 in Sparkle Lake, 29 on Sunrise Street and 221 in the Birch Street area although the specific streets in the 325 parcel Birch area were not identified. 

A video of the  presentation is available on line  at https://www.yorktownny.org/townboard/meeting-videos.

More details about the project are available at

https://www.yorktownny.org/engineeringandsewer/hallocks-mill-sewer-extension-project

Mr. Quinn said he anticipated that petitions would be sent to homeowners within 1-2 months and that he would submit a copy of the petition to the board for its review before it was sent to homeowners.

Proposed change in sewer rents

Town Engineer Quinn has proposed amending the town code relating to how parcels connected to sewers in any of the sewer districts that are part of the greater county Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District or the town’s Hallocks Mill district are charged for O&M based on their water usage. The fee is referred to as the “sewer rent” charge. For parcels in the Peekskill district, property owners pay a tax to the county for the operation of the treatment plant in Peekskill but the sewer rent charge covers the cost for the town maintaining the sewer lines that hook up to the county lines as well as the operation and maintenance of  pump stations.  Noting that the code was last changed in 1982, he pointed out several anomalies, including the fact that different parcels pay different amounts and some do not appear to pay anything.  He also explained that the sewer rent received from the Peekskill parcels is not covering the town’s cost to maintain the sewer lines and pump stations.

In an effort to bring revenue into line with actual expenses and close an existing gap, and also to establish a fee that is the same for all parcels, he is proposing to increase the sewer rent to $1.90/1,000 gallons of water used.  Currently, parcels in Hallocks Mill district pay $1.20/1,000 gallons; some in Peekskill pay a flat $15 yearly fee while others pay $1.50/1,000.

For those who pay no sewer rent charge or only a flat $15/year, Supervisor Gilbert acknowledged that there would be some “sticker shock.”

The engineer has drafted amendments to the existing code to reflect the change in cost.  The board is expected to votye at its next meeting to refer out the draft law for comment and set a public hearing date.

Pump stations

The board approved Town Engineer Michael Quinn’s request to advertise an RFP to hire an engineering consultant to study and design the upgrade of four additional pump stations in the Hallocks Mill Sewer District.  At the request of Councilwoman Roker, the RFP will be advertised to a broad list of consultants and not just the ones the engineer is familiar with. The decision to proceed with the actual construction of any of the upgrades will be made at a future date and will depend on the availability of funds. Taking steps to upgrade these aging pump stations will help the town in its future negotiations with the DEC regarding a larger SPEDES permit for the treatment plant.

O&M Revenue

The discussion of a proposed local law changing the town code regarding the collection of O&M revenue was postponed as some board members hadn’t seen the paperwork prepared by the town engineer.

Sewer Extension project

Adopted a SEQRA negative declaration, a procedural step needed before applying for the EOC sewer funds being held by the county.

Hallocks Mill Sewer extension district

Former Supervisor Michael Grace took exception to a comment he said he had read that the financing plan for sewers he proposed last year was not legal.  Calling that “bad advice” he defended his plan, adding that if he was still supervisor, there would have been shovels in the ground. Supervisor Gilbert took exception to the shovel comment and said that Mr. Grace’s plan was not viable.

In response to his comments, Susan Siegel (the person writing this summary), advised Mr. Grace to watch the video of the 6-12-2018 meeting during which the town’s long time bond counsel said that his plan was not legal. 

Hallocks Mill Pump station bid award:

Approved an amendment to the resolution  passed the previous week for the upgrade of three pump stations that corrected the total amount of $2,345,000.

Proposed Hallocks Mill Sewer extension district

Town Engineer Quinn and a representative of GHD, the outside engineering firm that is handling the issue, presented the latest plan for sewering approximately 660 existing houses on septic systems in six neighborhoods: Sunrise Street, Sparkle Lake, Birch Street area, Ridge Street area, Broadview Street and Carolina Road. It was explained, however, that based on the flow limitations in treatment plant’s current DEC SPEDES operating permit and current flows, only about 450 of the 660 houses could be sewered in a Phase 1.  While the 450 include the first three neighborhoods, if some of those homeowners don’t want sewers, the town could reach out to the other three neighborhoods to reach a total of 450 connections.

GHD also explained that as part of the plan, both  the aging Crystal Lake pump station would have to be upgraded  and some of the existing sewer truck lines need to be upgraded as flows exceed their capacity during period of heavy rains, causing potential undesirable backflows.

Pending several decisions the board has to make, it was not possible to give the affected homeowners a sense of what sewers would cost.  The town’s bond counsel did say, however, that a financing plan proposed last year (see  meeting summary for 5/17/2017 below) was “arbitrary and capricious” and  therefore not feasible. Councilwoman Roker said that the homeowners needed to know what sewers would cost them before they decided to petition the town to be included in a sewer district.

The decisions the board will have to make include.

--Whether to proceed now with the available $10M from the East of Hudson fund or wait until more outside funding can possibly be secured that would lower the cost to the homeowners.

--How to allocate the $10M among the homeowners that would be part of the district.

--How to handle the anticipated $10,000-$17,000 one time hook up cost for approximately 200 homeowners who would have to tie in to a low pressure system as opposed to a gravity system that would service most of the houses.

--How to handle to cost aspects of the project within the confines of the tax cap.

No decisions were made at the meeting, but the board was urged to prepare cost estimates so that homeowner interest in being sewered could be determined.  Supervisor Gilbert appeared inclined to proceed with the $10M available now and not wait for more possible funding. He advised the board that Yorktown ran the risk of losing the funds if it did not act to use them soon.

Hallocks Mill pump stations

In a reversal of a previous decision, the board decided to keep the Jefferson Park pump station in the Hallocks Mill sewer district and award the bid to build a new pump station. The vote came after the town’s bond counsel said that in the absence of state legislation needed to take the 37 homes out of the Hallocks Mill district – which could take a year to enact – the homeowners would have to pay taxes to both the Hallocks Mill and the Peekskill districts.  Ed Mahoney, the sewer superintendent, explained that the existing pump station is so outdated that parts aren’t even available and that something had to be done soon.

The board voted to award the bid to replace two pump stations but held back taking any action for the Jefferson Park pump station pending more discussions. The board wants to look at the numbers again relating to the Jefferson Park pump station, holding out the possibility that the town could save money if the facility was diverted and if the cost was paid for by the Hallocks Mill district. Asked during a second Courtesy to explain how the Hallocks Mill district could pay for the diversion, Supervisor Gilbert said the answer was too complicated to explain in two minutes. Councilwoman Roker said she still was confused about the numbers but that she was open to considering an idea proposed by Councilman Lachterman  (that neither explained) and that a public meeting on sewers should be scheduled.

The focus of the discussion was how to deal with the Jefferson Park pump station and whether to replace it with a new pump station or build a gravity line to divert the sewage to Peekskill. Mr. Quinn said that replacing the station would cost $490,000. Last year, the town’s engineering consultant estimated that the new diversion pipe would cost $325,000, plus there would a cost of $50,000-$75,000 to decommission the existing station.  Also the plan needed easements.

The focus of the discussion was how much it would cost the 37 homes if they were part of Peekskill and how much revenue the Hallocks Mill district would lose.  Also at issue, with no clear answer, was who would pay the $88,000 buy-in to Peekskill: the 37 homeowners over 10 years or the Hallocks Mill District, and who would pay for the cost of the diversion pipe.  Depending on who paid these costs, the total cost to the 37 homeowners could be more or less than the $570 current Hallocks Mill tax.

Councilwoman Roker said all this information had to be made available to both the 37 homeowners, as well as all the Hallocks Mill homeowners; she said this should have been down last year when the switch was first proposed. Once this information is made available, and including both options, replace or divert, the town will have to let the public know.  It was not clear exactly if a public hearing might be needed. There was a consensus though that time was of the essence and that the diversion option would take longer because it  required the okay from the county. Supervisor Gilbert noted that Cortlandt Supervisor Puglisi told him she had no objection to 37 additional houses switching into Peekskill. Somers and Peekskill would also have to weigh in.

Pump stations

The low bid to upgrade the three pump stations is $1,995,000 for the general contractor and $350,000 for the electrical work.  However, the total cost will be reduced by about $500,000 if the Jefferson Park pump station is rerouted to the Peekskill system which would eliminate the need for the pump station.

The money for the project could come from the sewer district’s fund balance, currently at $5.5 M, or it could be bonded, or a combination of both. Councilwoman Roker cautioned that if the project was financed from the fund balance, funds might not be available to finance the upgrade of other pump stations in the sewer district. Mr. Quinn advised the board that there is state grant money for this type of project but that the town’s application last year was rejected. Both Mr. Quinn and the town’s bond counsel agreed that given the town’s demographics, it was not likely that the town would receive state money in future grant rounds. Bond counsel estimated that the going interest rate for a 30 year bond would be 4-4.25%.

Jefferson Park pump station: Regarding the Jefferson Park pump station, Mr. Quinn advised the board that  the original resolution to switch the neighborhood to the Peekskill system that was approved by the board last year stated that 21 houses were involved while additional information  indicates that the correct number is 37.  The board will have to send an amended resolution to the county. He estimated that since the county has already started its review of the switchover request, the  issue could be resolved in 3-4 months. 

How the rerouting would be financed remains to be determined. The 37 homeowners would have to pay a $90,000 buy in to the Peekskill district over a 10 year period. It was also not clear if any money in the Hallocks Mill fund balance could be used to finance the project, and if so, how much. The town’s bond s counsel will look into this issue, along with projected costs of bonding and the amount of the lost revenue to the Hallocks Mill district once 37 properties are removed from the district. The switch would be subject to a  permissive referendum although it was not clear if the referendum would only be for the 37 houses or the entire sewer district.

Sewer  extension project

While the recently completed engineering study focused on 670 parcels in several neighborhoods, Supervisor Gilbert noted that given the current excess flow capacity in the treatment plant, there would only be capacity to have about 350 additional houses hook up.  Councilwoman Roker said that the unsewered homes that potentially would be part of the project needed to be kept informed as early as possible about the planning. Financing for the project was not clear.   Mr. Quinn added that the DEC is concerned about the need to address the aging pipes in the system and that he would be suggesting an aggressive infiltration and inflow plan.  

Developer Phil Sanders would like to develop two lots at the corner of Hickory Street and Granite Springs Road, both of which are in a wetland. In order to develop the site, he wants to connect the parcels to an existing sewer line in a public/private partnership where the town would supply the materials and he would install them. He does not want to wait until the town’s plans to bring sewers to Hickory materialize. The board appeared to have no problem with the concept, Supervisor Grace calling it a “no brainer” if someone else wanted to pay for the sewer line, but that more legal work had to be done. It was not clear from the discussion if other existing houses in the area would be able to tie into the line. Mr. Tegeder noted that if the amount of disturbance to the wetland exceeded one acre, the DEP would have to become involved.

The town authorized the submission of a grant application for the two Hallocks Mill pump stations under the NYS Water Infrastructure Improvement Act.

The board approved a $315,000 contract with GHD Consulting Engineers to begin design work on sewers for the three focus group neighborhoods, plus an evaluation of the Crystal  Lake pump station. The funds will come from theYorktown Sewer District fund balance. The resolution included a provision that that the town “wishes to include in the extension project “the Ridge Street subarea, Broadview subarea and Carolina Road subarea, but it was not clear exactly what planning the consultants would do for these areas. In response to questions during Courtesy of the Flor, Supervisor Grace said that it was still undecided whether the plans for the 361 home Birch Street focus neighborhood would be to hook up to the Hallocks Mill treatment plant or be switched over to the Peekskill Sewer district; he said the “buy in” homeowners would have to pay to become part of the Peekskill district was not significant.

 In response to a question about when the town would move forward on replacing two pump stations in the Hallocks Mill Sewer District, Supervisor Grace said the town was still fine tuning what areas would be included in the plan to sewer 450 homes, adding that he would reach out to different neighborhoods. He said that NYS had a new grant program that could potentially lower the cost to homeowners and that since the town has a plan, it was way ahead of other municipalities in the competitive grant process. He also said that the town was taking a look at moving some of the 361 properties in the Birch Street focus neighborhood into the Peekskill neighborhood and hooking them up to the Chelsea pump station.  (Note: the supervisor never answered the question about the status of the pump station upgrades.)

Supervisor Grace said the next step was to hire an engineering consultant to begin developing the actual design plans to sewer the three priority areas.  He said the town could solicit design proposals but the job would like go to GHD, the firm that has done work on the sewer district in the past.   In response to a question, the supervisor said the board didn’t need to approval of 51% of the property owners slated to be sewered because they were already part of an established district. He added, though, that he’d walk the neighborhoods.

The supervisor also said he was looking into whether Birch Street (or some of the streets in the Birch Street neighborhood; it wasn’t clear) could be switched to the Peekskill sewer district and tied into the Chelsea pump station. He said this would provide additional capacity for other Hallocks Mill unsewered streets.  A resolution to seek engineering proposals may be on the board’s next meeting agenda.

Supervisor Grace explained the “broad strokes” of his plan to construct sewer laterals for approximately 450 existing homes, including the Sparkle Lake neighborhood, Sunrise Street, and 351 homes in the “Birch St” area that encompasses several streets.  He estimated that out of 1,024 unsewered parcels in the sewer district, it was feasible to sewer only about 700 and that the remaining 250 unsewered would have to wait until the town gets a variance from the DEP that would pave the way for the town to get a permit from DEC to treat more sewage at the treatment plant on Greenwood St. (The plant can physically treat 2.5 million gallons per day (mgd) of sewage, but the current SPDES operating permit is capped at 1.5 mgd.)

The Supervisor acknowledged that with a total of 26 unsewered subareas, only some can be sewered at the current time and that there’ll be winner and losers. He said he hopes to meet with the different neighborhood to learn how interested they are in being sewered. The result could be deleting some streets and adding others to the list of 450 homeowners to be sewered.

To make the cost of constructing the sewer lines more affordable for the 450 homes, the supervisor explained that he plans to spread the cost of the roughly $19 million project over the entire sewer district that includes 4,000 already sewered property owners.  (Only $9 million would have to be bonded as $10 million will come from money set aside for Yorktown in a special East of Hudson fund.) The supervisor said that the $19 M cost figure includes a 30% contingency which he anticipated would be less once final plans were developed.

The capital cost differential would be $1,167 each for the 450 homeowners versus $111 if the cost was spread over the 4,450 homeowners. In addition to the capital cost, there is an annual operation and maintenance tax that is $577 in 2017. Also, properties connected to the sewer plant pay a surcharge on their water bill ($1.20/1,000 gallons); he added that this rate hadn’t been increase since 1996 and he would be looking into whether this should be raised.

The supervisor anticipated that once 450 properties were hooked up to the treatment plant, the operation and maintenance tax would decrease by about $50 so that the net increase to already sewered taxpayers would be $61/year.

The supervisor’s justification for charging the already sewered for the cost of sewering the 450 homes was one of equity.  Using two side by side maps, he said that while the unsewered property owners paid for the 1970 expansion of the treatment plant, they were never allowed to hook up to the plant. But, over the same period of time, many properties that hadn’t paid for the sewer plant expansion were able to hook up.  When a homeowner asked whether an unsewered property would have to pay for the sewers for the 450, the supervisor’s answer was, “there are a lot of moving parts” to the issue.

In a related issue, the supervisor said he was abandoning an earlier plan to reroute the sewage currently being treated at the Chelsea pump station that’s in the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District to Yorktown treatment plant.  He said he didn’t want to take up any of the remaining capacity at the Yorktown plant while there were more unsewered homeowners

In an item not on the agenda, the board discussed changes in the existing sewer permit policy. As currently written, once a sewer permit is issued, it never expires, even if the permit is never used. (The permit is to allow hook up to the town’s sewer system.) Mr. Quinn said the town has open permits dating back to the 1960s.  One of the problems with open permits is that town has no way of knowing how many potential hook ups there might be the town’s treatment plant that has a fixed capacity. Under the proposed new law, permits will only be good for one year. (Note; it actually wasn’t clear from the discussion whether the new policy is already in effect or whether an exiting law has to be amended.)  Councilman Lachterman suggested that while a one year period might be sufficient for a single single family house, it might create problems for a subdivision where the project might not be completed for more than a year but the developer would need to be assured access to the plant.

Susan Siegel, the person writing this summary, again asked the town to provide the legal basis for charging 4,000 sewered taxpayers for $18 million worth of sewer improvements that would not benefit them.  There was no response from the board or the town attorney. Councilman Bernard said that the issue would be discussed at the May 2^nd board meeting.

Mr. Quinn advised the board that he has made some minor modifications to the bid specs that were advertised last year and suggested that for $16,000, the consulting engineer could prepare a new set of bid specs, adding that if the town wanted to get the project done in 2017, it had to begin soon. The bids on the previous specs that were advertised last September came in at $1.9 million but the board never awarded a bid.

Supervisor Grace said rather than proceed with a bid for just the two pump stations, he preferred to wait until the town had a financial plan and timetable for how it was going to deal with 11 pump stations. He said that the town had made representations to the DEC that it would rehabilitate its pumps stations in exchange for the DEC renewing the sewage treatment plant’s SPEDES operating permit. The only other plant that the supervisor specifically mentioned by name was the Chelsea pump station on Farm Walk Road that has a history of problems and that the DEC wants replaced. 

A reference was made to a May 2nd meeting dealing with sewer issues with the supervisor indicating that by that time the town  should have a budget in place that   would cover everyting.

Susan Siegel, the person writing this summary, asked the supervisor and town attorney for a response to her February letter that asked for clarification of whether the 4,000 already sewered taxpayers in the Hallocks Mill sewer district could be charged to sewer improvements that did not provide them with any benefits. In his response, the supervisor talked about other sewer issues but did not address Ms. Siegel’s question. He said that letters would be going out soon to the 450 unsewered homeowners and that the letter would be followed with an informational meeting.

In response to questions from Susan Siegel, the person writing this summary, the supervisor elaborated on his plans to extend sewers to 450 unserwered houses in the Hallocks Mill Sewer District, and replace three pump stations, one of which is currently in the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District.   

The supervisor explained that he plans to finance the projects, estimated to cost about $20 million and to be constructed over time, with $10 million available from the East of Hudson funds and $10 million from borrowing.  The bond issue would be paid for by ALL taxpayers in the Hallocks Mill Sewer District  --  those already sewered (about 4,000), the newly sewered (450) and the 80-100 properties currently serviced by the Chelsea pump station that would be rerouted to the Hallocks Mill District from the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District. 

The supervisor explained that by making one large district of about 4,500 homes, the cost of all the projects would be about $30 per parcel and that combining the different districts would be the only way the individual projects would be affordable for some homeowners.

The supervisor said that he was still working out the details of how the projects would be financed. Ms. Siegel asked that the affected homeowners be kept informed during the preliminary planning, especially the homeowners who would be switched from the Peekskill district into the Hallocks Mill District because this could increase their sewer costs.

The supervisor said that letters would be going out to homeowners in three unsewered Hallocks Mill neighborhoods to determine their interest in being sewered.

Town Board, 12-19-2017

The board voted to advertise for bids for the revised specs for the Jefferson Valley, Jefferson Park and Walden Woods pump stations.

Walden Woods and Jefferson Valley: Mr. Quinn advised the board that because the DEC permit for these upgrades expires at the end of 2018, the board should proceed now with the projects. (See below about previous bid history.)  The board voted to hire GHD to make some changes in the previous bid specs.

Jefferson Park: The board passed a resolution asking the county to start the process for transferring the 26 homes serviced by the pump station to the Peekskill Sewer District. However, Mr. Grace said that the properties would be  kept in the Hallocks Mill district after the transfer was made.  (Note: the resolution may also have authorized GHD to prepare bid specs for the retouring of the sewage.)

Town Board, 1-3-2017

 Susan Siegel, the person writing this summary, repeated the question she asked at the previous meeting about the status of the bids to replace two pump stations. She said the sewer district fund balance had $6.2 million, more than enough to cover the full cost of the $2 million project and not create problems with the tax levy/tax cap.  She also asked for clarification on the “global approach” to the sewer problem that Supervisor Grace had talked about at the previous meeting, noting that the pump station project had nothing to do with creating a new sewer district for 450 unsewered houses as the projects would be paid for by different taxpayers.

In response, Supervisor Grace repeated that he was planning a global approach to the different sewer issues, adding that the plan would include all pump stations in the Croton Watershed, including the Chelsea pump station that is currently in the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District, and that the available $10 million in East of Hudson funds could be used for all the projects. He said the board might ask the bidders to extend their bids, or just use the bids that were received as guidelines for what the project might cost. In the meantime, he said the board is gathering data and seeking legal opinion from bond counsel. He anticipated a decision within the next month or so.

Susan Siegel, the person writing this summary, asked about the status of the bids to replace two pump stations.  In response, Supervisor Grace said that the board was taking a “global approach” to sewer district issues that included both the pump station replacement project and sewer extensions to currently unsewered neighborhoods. He did not explain further.

Town Engineer Quinn said he needed more time to review the bids. Discussions will also be needed with the comptroller and the town’s bond counsel to review how to finance the project.  (Note:  The CIY observer did not hear any cost figures mentioned.)

The bid specs for the two pump station projects totals 750 pages. Although the town had listed the bids on the Empire State Bid system and interested contractors can download the documents, the town needs to have hard copies in town hall.  GHD, the sewer consultant will prepare a copy at $100 a piece. For starters the board authorized having GHD produced 10 sets.

Town Board 6-7-2016

A representative of GHD, the  consulting engineering firm hired to design the rehabilitation of three aging pump stations, Jefferson Park, Walden Woods, and Jefferson Valley, made a presentation on the plans that are almost, but not 100% complete project.

The project will be paid for by taxpayers in the Hallocks Mill Sewer District (aka Yorktown Sewer District) with a combination of cash of borrowing.  In response to a question as to what the estimated cost of the project will be, Town Engineer Michael Quinn said he didn’t want to publicly discuss costs as doing so might impact the bids.

The Department of Health is currently reviewing the plans. Once that review and the SEQRA review is completed, the town will advertise for bids.

For the two smaller pump stations, Jefferson Park that services 26 houses, and Walden Woods that services 120 houses, the existing buildings housing the pump station will be demolished and new ones erected.  The buildings will have vinyl siding and shingle roofs and the supervisor said that neighborhood residents could have input on the colors. The plans include new pumps, electrical and HVAC systems, emergency generators and other upgrades.  Two residents living next to and across the street from the Jefferson Park pump station had issues with the size of the new building and objected to the proposed fence that was being planned as a security measure.  Supervisor Grace said that the fence would be eliminated and the new building surrounded only by shrubs.  He doubted, however, the feasibility of the residents’ suggestion that the pump station could be eliminated by rerouting the collection system. But, Supervisor Grace said he was willing to meet with the residents on site to review their idea.

The rehabilitation of the Jefferson Valley station that services 630 houses will make interior changes to the existing building, plus exterior changes.

Town Board 11-12-2015 (budget review meeting)

The town expects a report by the end of November on the cost of replacing three YS pump stations. Preliminary estimates are $3-$4 million for the three facilities. All three will be done at the same time.  After staff and then the town board reviews the plans, the town can go out to bid and construction can begin in mid 2016, with an anticipated one year completion date.   While I suggested that the YS $5.6 million fund balance (as of 12/31/14) could pay for a good part of the project, Supervisor Grace indicated his intention to bond the project with some money coming from fund balance.

The department will be asking to shift unused money in its 2015 budget to purchase two new vehicles. The board was generally agreeable and the resolution is expected to be on next week’s agenda.

Town Board, 9-27-2016

In an item not on the agenda, the board approved a resolution (the text of which was not written) to spend $15,000 for GHD, the town’s sewer consultant, to lobby the DEP for more money for sewers for the unsewered homeowners. The town wants the DEP to give Yorktown some of the East of Hudson money that has been earmarked for other northern Westchester towns in the belief that the money would be better spent in Yorktown.  (In the mid 2000s, $10 million was earmarked for 5 towns.  One town has used its money and two more have projects pending. The release of the money has to be approved by the other northern Westchester towns, the county legislature and the DEP.) Supervisor Grace said that if the DEP makes more money available to supplement Yorktown’s $10 million share, the town would be able to provide sewers at no cost of about 450 residents.  The town was expected to meet with a representative of the DEP tomorrow.

Town Board 6-21-2016

In response to comments and questions from residents from Sunrise Street and Elizabeth Road on the status of extending sewers to their neighborhoods, Supervisor Grace provided an update on the sewer situation, advising residents that “we’re getting there.” (See June 7, 2016 discussion below.)  He advised the residents that based on his recent trip to Albany no money would be available from the state and that state officials advised him to look to NYC for additional funds.  Depending on whether additional funds could be found, he said the town was looking at both a “no cost” and a “low cost” option which he said could be in the neighborhood of $1,500/year (annual operation and maintenance plus the bonding cost for the construction of the sewer laterals) to sewer 300-500 houses.

In response to the residents’ comments about the need to begin discussin how to allocate the $10 million of East Hudson to help defray the cost, the supervisor said it wasn’t  necessarily true that the town would be getting $10 million from the fund (he called the $10 million figure “folklore” and a “legend”) and that discussions were in progress with other northern Westchester supervisors about how to divvy up the remaining money the county is holding in the East of Hudson fund.

When Supervisor Grace said that the town would prioritize “hot spot” neighborhoods for inclusion in a single non contiguous sewer district, residents of Elizabeth Road asked that they be considered.

The supervisor did not respond to the request from the Sunrise residents that a letter be sent to all unsewered homeowners to update information on their interest in being sewered.

In an item not on the agenda, the Board voted 5-0 to authorize the supervisor to sign a contract with local engineer Dan Ciarcia for up to $15,000 to do a study dealing with certain aspects of the Yorktown Heights sewage treatment plant and also the possible diversion of a portion of the flow into the Yorktown plant to the Peekskill plant. The study would look at cost per gallon for flows and also some of the critical Hallocks Mill areas in need of sewers. The money would come from the Yorktown Heights Sewer District budget, but Councilman Bianco asked if any of the DEP money

Supervisor Grace explained that he has had meetings with the supervisors of Cortlandt and Somers, the mayor of Peekskill and county officials about diverting some of the flow currently going to the Yorktown plant to Peekskill in order to open up capacity at the Yorktown plant for new hook-ups. He also said that he has had meetings with the DEC and DEP and that they were open minded about taking a second look at extensions into the Yorktown plant.He is also considering re-routing the Mohansic pump station that is in need of rehabilitation, to Peekskill instead of Yorktown.

During Courtesy of the Floor, Susan Siegel (the person writing this summary) suggested that the Town seek proposals from other vendors who might be interested in doing the study, including the engineering firm that has worked on previous studies for the Yorktown plant.