Both boards meet at 7 p.m. Monday to approve their portion of the funding for the Yadkin Valley Sewer Authority (YVSA). The formalization of the funding schedules for each town will be put to a vote after Nicole Johnston, YSVA executive director, offers the specifics of the steps needed to get the YVSA to the “stand-up date,” which is March 15.
Ronda’s town board approved the funding schedule in February.
After March 15, all sewer customers in the tri-cities will be billed for sewer usage based on rates developed and administrated by the YVSA.
At the meetings tonight, the boards will hear and decide on whether to approve the funds, or reserve money, the YVSA will need as an operational cushion if there is an unexpected major repair expense. Johnston will meet with Jonesville commissioners at 7 p.m. She will then meet with Elkin town commissioners once finished there.
Johnston said the reserve money, if approved, will come from each town’s budgets through fiscal year 2012.
Ronda’s reserve portion will be $10,000 the first two years and $5,000 the third; Jonesville’s portion will be $50,000 the first two years and $25,000 the third; and Elkin’s portion is $100,000 the first two years and 50,000 the third year.
To help pay for the $6.2 million in repairs and upgrades, most of which will come in the form of grants, sewer rates for the customers of the three municipalities will be affected.
Town of Ronda sewer bills will decrease and Elkin and Jonesville’s will increase.
YVSA secretary/treasurer and Elkin Finance Director John Holcomb said the increases will be much less than if each town would have made the much-needed repairs and upgrades to their systems independently.
“Currently, the rates in Elkin are $6.18 per one thousand gallons of wastewater usage with an administrative fee of $1.40 (per customer). The Jonesville rate includes a minimum bill of $14.36 with a 2,500 gallon allowance and has a rate of $2.88 per thousand gallons over the minimum,” said Johnston.
Johnston also said the proposed rates will be for a minimum bill of $14 for 2,000 gallons of water usage and $6.50 per 1,000 gallons over the minimum allowance.
Ronda’s current minimum sewer bill will decrease from $17 to $14, which will include an allowance of 2,000 gallons.
Final approval of the rates is scheduled for the next YVSA meeting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 10, at Elkin Town Hall.
Johnston said if the reserve money is not approved, the YVSA rates will have to be re-evaluated.
The Elkin and Jonesville town meetings and the YVSA meeting are all open to the public.
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