Chief of Operations Jamie Etheridge said the tax has been contributing about $1.8 million a year for various expenses. Proceeds from the tax have gone toward the purchase of city maintenance equipment used for improvement to roads. The tax also helps support the city鈥檚 sewer system and Etheridge said that without the tax, the city would have to significantly raise the sewer service fee paid by residents. He pointed out the tax money is also applied to maintaining drainage in the city.
Of equal importance, Etheridge said, was the ability of the city to match state and federal grants with funds derived from the sales tax. 鈥淚f the tax is not renewed, the city would experience an annual loss of about $740,000 in providing sewer service. Further, we would lose our ability to provide matching funds for the various grant opportunities that become available. Renewal of the sales tax is critical if we are to continue the services that are now available to our citizens,鈥 he said.
In other business, the council unanimously approved two resolutions that have become part of gaining approval for federal grants for which the city might apply. The first resolution assures that members of the public with an ADA-recognized disability who seek accommodations to participate and vote in an open meeting of the city will be provided with a means to participate through teleconferences, video conferences or other, 鈥渧iable alternative method鈥 of being able to participate in a public meeting.
The second resolution formally adopts a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of a disability. Etheridge explained that the U.S. Congress requires that an individual with a disability not be excluded from participation in the any of the programs, services or activities that are available to other citizens.
At the same meeting, Etheridge presented the annual Municipal Water Pollution Prevention Report that is required by the state鈥檚 Department of Environmental Quality. The report was prepared by Wendy Montalbano who was director of the city鈥檚 water and sewer departments for a number of years. Montalbano has since moved to another city but her report was prepared before her departure.
The lengthy report said the city meets all state requirements needed for treatment of wastewater.
Discussing the city鈥檚 wastewater treatment facility, Etheridge said the reflected that the city had not significantly made improvements since 2012 and that the age of some of the equipment is of concern for the city. 鈥淒espite the age of our plant, our staff is still meeting requirements and we are doing what is required in treating our wastewater. However, looking ahead, the city is going to have to plan on finding the funds to upgrade some phases of our wastewater treatment system,鈥 he said.
During the past year the city has almost reached completion of the sewer line extension and lift station south of Interstate 12, Etheridge said, adding that this will service commercial, residential and school customers in the area which was annexed into the Walker city limits.
