SOUTHERN TIER
Aid sought to study sharing of services
OLEAN — The push to share water and sewage services is expanding outward from Olean and Allegany to seven nearby municipalities.
As a result, members of a loose partnership pursuing shared services are seeking state funds for a feasibility study.
In mid-December, the City of Olean opened talks about expanding its existing water and sewer connections with representatives of the town and village of Allegany, prompted by the economy and a looming $7.5 million debt for sewer improvements.
The first attempt in 2006 generated little interest and was not pursued by the Olean Common Council.
At the close of the December meeting, attendees decided to pursue the idea of forming a water and sewer authority.
Tuesday, the 20 people who attended were provided with a 2006 report on “Public Authorities in New York State.” Though a few officials doubted that unions and some officeholders would consent to any consolidation, most said it made sense and wanted to learn more about the grant, planning to hold another meeting in February.
Among those present at Tuesday’s meeting were representatives from the City and Town of Olean, the towns and villages of Allegany and Portville, and the Town of Hinsdale.
Besides Mayor David Carucci, who led the discussion, the meeting was also attended by City Public Works Director Tom Windus and four of Olean’s aldermen: Frank Steffen, Earl B. McElfresh, Rick Smith and Linda Edstrom.
Town of Allegany Supervisor Pat Eaton suggested the feasibility study should analyze costs of a shared water and sewer authority through the year 2020.
Windus said after the meeting that an authority is a sensible way to manage infrastructure and consolidation makes economic sense. He said the city could meet a February or March deadline for applying for up to $50,000 from the state.
He said these high-priority planning grants are not competitive and would require a local contribution of about $5,000 if approved. The money would pay a consultant to calculate the costs, debt service and how the administrative and pipeline connections between the various water and sewer systems would be made.
“It’s a way to prove what you intuitively know is more economical. A grant will prove it and give input as to how best to put it together,” Windus added.
Currently, the city’s water system stops at the Town of Allegany border and extends as far east as Weston’s Mills.
While the topic of the meeting was water and sewer infrastructure, the discussion strayed to the topic of wasted miles in snowplowing because of the need to cross boundaries of neighboring municipalities.
According to two of the attendees, Portville Village Board member and County Legislator Joe McLarney, R-Portville, and Hinsdale Town Supervisor Jeff VanDeCar, who also serves as the county’s assistant administrator, a meeting with town highway departments is being planned by Legislature Chairman Crystal Abers, R-South Dayton, to discuss sharing highway services to cut costs.
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