June 2020 Sewer Committee Report

Early in January we were notified that we would be awarded an additional $ 5 million grant. These funds would bridge the gap between the previously available funds and the rebid construction contract proposals. The Towns could not act until the formal paperwork was issued after review by the NYS Comptroller and by the time this was received, we were unable to hold the required public hearing because of the pandemic. On Monday May 18 the Town held a brief special meeting to reschedule the public hearing to add the grant dollars to the total project cost. The public hearing will now be conducted at 6:30 on June 4th. There will be both a Zoom meeting for people to participate online as well as an in-person opportunity which will be conducted with appropriate precautions at the BHBL High School gymnasium.

The next step after the public hearing would be for the Town Board to formally vote on the proposal. This will occur on Tuesday June 9th. Assuming the board approves the resolution, this would then be subject for 30 days to a petition for a permissive referendum. Forcing a referendum would cost the town money it does not have given the pandemic driven budget challenges. The original sewer district vote was 280 in favor, 135 opposed in Ballston and 53 in favor, 27 opposed inn Clifton Park so a rejection of the grant by referendum would take a major swing in voter opinion given the grant would allow the cost to each resident to be the same as originally proposed in 2015.

The supervisor has prepared two excellent videos about the project and the next steps. Links have been posted on the main page of the sewer project at www.ballstonsewers.com.