Sewer project moves forward

BERNE — The town’s sewer project is moving forward but this month some who are involved in the project raised questions.  

The town has been working on the project since the state deemed it was necessary.  Some houses built in the hamlet over a century ago had septic systems inadequate for modern use, which were polluting the Fox Creek and local wells. 

Over a quarter of a million dollars has been spent so far. 

In May, Berne was expected to request bids.  Which Berne Councilman Peter Vance this week called “a big forget it.”  He said plans should be “on the street” and that the town should have received bids.  Vance said at the board’s May 14 meeting that there was “significant slippage” with a December schedule. 

Vance and Michael Vincent, a planning-board member who has been active with the sewer project and with a senior-housing project proposed by Jeff Thomas, raised concerns about scheduling.  Thomas has said his project depends on having municipal service.  Vincent said he had met with the state’s departments of conservation and transportation, took pictures, and did everything way ahead of schedule. 

Berne Supervisor Kevin Crosier said that the hold-up was with Lamont Engineers. 

“Currently, the plans and specs for the collection and the treatment facility have been sent out to the regulatory agencies and we’re currently waiting for their comments back,” said Crosier.  “We’re hoping that won’t take that long because Lamont had originally reached out to these agencies to see if they had any concerns about the preliminary designs.” 

After plans and estimates come back, said Crosier, the town board will meet and discuss putting the project out to bid. 

“Obviously, the longer we wait, the more it could cost,” he said. 

Crosier told The Enterprise this week that the town has received comments from the state’s Department of Transportation and is awaiting word from the state’s Environmental Facilities Corporation and Department of Environmental Conservation, and Rural Development.

A meeting on the sewer project was held last Thursday.

“I’m concerned about this,” said Vance this week.  “It’s been dragging on.” 

Vance, a former zoning-board chairman who was elected to the Berne Town Board last fall, said he is putting together a schedule and acting as a member of the project team, which consists of Crosier; Milan Jackson of Lamont Engineers; members of the town’s planning board; Dave Smith, who is working on a sewer-use ordinance; and Fred Testa of the state’s Environmental Facilities Corporation.

“There’s been progress made but, any time you’ve got multiple actors, somebody really has to keep track of [scheduling] or else some things slip up,” said Vance this week.

He said estimates are now old and you have to look at them “with a somewhat jaundiced eye.”  Crosier said earlier this month he had talked to Dave Miller with Rural Development about some projects in other parts of the state costing less than estimated and in other areas, “they were way over.” 

Estimated to cost $2.4 million about four years ago, the Berne sewer project would serve homes in the Berne hamlet.  It includes a collection system that gathers waste from residences and a wastewater treatment plant.   Nearly four years ago, the town received a grant from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation for $750,000.  Berne also received $500,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Service. 

The need for wastewater treatment was identified over a decade ago, in 1996, after the county’s health department conducted a sanitation survey, which showed some homes had bad septic systems that were contaminating well water.  And, some wastewater in the hamlet was being discharged into a creek that runs through the hamlet.  

Also earlier this month, resident Susan Hawkes-Teeter, who lives in the hamlet, asked officials how much money has been spent to date and how much residents of the district would have to pay for work already completed should the sewer district not be completed.

Crosier said he couldn’t give “an exact number.”  He estimated $68,000 to $72,000 and the contract with Lamont Engineers at $194,000, plus some other work.  Crosier said those costs are included in the total estimate of the project. 

“All of that is money that’s going to be expended in this project that will be required to be paid back,” he said. 

A resident asked whether grants would cover costs if the project doesn’t go through.  “No,” said Crosier. 

“So, 100 households would owe, like, over $200,000?” she asked.

“That would be correct,” Crosier said.