Wayne County Life

March 9, 2016 Meeting Overview-Two Village Board members refuse to award Water Main Project bids GHD a well respected international engineering company and consultant to the Village of Macedon made recommendations to the Village board the company of choice to award the Water Main Project bid. Four board members were present and two of the board members refused to second a motion to award this project. What does this mean to the Village Water users? The Village board and key consultants have worked diligently for the last 1 1/2 to work with the State to apply for the NYS Water grant to help offset the borrowing amount. The Village made sure to place bids out for proposal during the winter months to get the best bid proposals. The total project is 2.62 million dollars and by awarding the bid on March 9, 2016 it brought the costs down to 1.9 million, which without the grant monies and depending on years borrowing it would cost the users any where from $22-35 per quarter increase. Yes, the Village has 45 days to award the bid, but too much is at stake with ensuring grant monies, price on construction being guaranteed, bonding this month to reimburse the Water fund in this fiscal year of cost already occured with this project. One Macedon group and mayorial candidate in agreeance with the two board members not awarding the bid. Once again, in my opinion, when the One Macedon group is unassure of things the first thing they do is discredit the integrity of the possible award winner and the consultant making the recommendation. Trustee Nelson wanted to bring up the WCWSA lease agreement during the water discussions and made it clear that without guarantee of signing of agreement there was no second motion on the floor for the water project. Deputy Mayor addressed this issue by stating that Trustees Lohse and Nelson have now made this "POLITICS" and no longer a decision based on what is best for the Village users. Then discussions began on the WCWSA lease agreement, One Macedon group, Mayorial Candidate and Trustees Lohse and Nelson wanted to blame the Village for possibly creating a problem by not having the Village sign the agreement that it will cost the sewer users the Hardship loan of $0%. Mayor Cramer explained that the new Town Supervisor made it quite clear to EFC and WCWSA Ex Director that there will be no meeting that the Town will participate in on this subject until after March 15th, which is Village Elections. A sewer committee was established back in September 2015 that were suppose to meet regularly to work out the lease agreement and when a final draft was approved by the committee then they were to present to both boards and recommend to sign. There were two meeting with discussions only, no actions and then the Town cancelled the recent one. Last week, the committee was suppose to meet again, but the Town refused to come to the table. In good faith, WCWSA, Village Engineer and two GHD representatives brought many spreadsheets, flow charts, explained the process of the Significant Industrial User, explained the severe sewer deficit because of loss of income that the Town refuses to pay the Village and the three line items that need to be placed in the sewer budget by both Town/Village which will require income which all income will go to WCWSA so, where does it come from?. The Village engineer explained that there was still alot to be work out and the importance of the Town cooperating to move this forward and until everything is in place the agreement is not ready to sign. Trustee Nelson stated that he feels it is important to sign the agreement in good faith and work out the details later. Mayor Cramer and Deputy Mayor said so, "you want us to approve and sign this agreement with out knowing the financial implication?" answer was yes in good faith. Mayor Cramer said she was confused because in the past the Town on each occasion and the reason why they felt the need to take over existing services provided Town-wide was that the Village wasn't thinking like a business without a financial plan in place and so now the Village is trying to do just that and it still isn't appropriate, yet the Town signed the agreement prior to a financial plan being in place. ***The Village Board approved the signing of the WCWSA lease agreement 3 to 1, which I was the no vote. The three board members signed the lease agreement which made the document a legal document to move forward. The Public Hearing on the Tentative Budget, comments were heard. Mayor Cramer explained that the Village board has worked hard on this budget, some tweeking needs to be done on sewer due to recent discussions with WCWSA but bottom line, the current tax rate is 5.64 and with the budget presented the new tax rate will be $5.62, a .02cents reduction. Down because assessed value is higher and the increase in the levy is only $486.00. One Macedon didn't understand, doesn't like the budget and still doesn't understand that without the Village operating/maintaining the Sewer plant that employee payroll now needs to be shifted to other departments. On a good note, the LWRP was approved which has in been progress since late 2011. DPW employee passed a very difficult test on the first try and is now a Certified Waste Water Treatment Operator-Grade 2 (Congratulations!). The Side Walk project on S. Erie Street will begin in Spring 2016, the fire bids were awarded and board approved all remaining fire equipment to now be placed into the Palmyra Municipal Auction as long as a reserve amount can be placed on certain equipment. Fire dept inventory has been completed and verified. Thank you, Marie Cramer Mayor, Village of Macedon

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