FULTON – The Fulton Common Council met last night, Tuesday, November 16, to vote on a lengthy agenda and discussed the city’s intention to seek funding to improve its Wastewater Treatment System.
Starting out the meeting, Frank Castiglia Jr. spoke during public comment regarding the city’s advertisement of its meeting agenda.
The first item on last night’s agenda was a public hearing to override the tax levy limit for 2022. While no one commented on the topic, Castiglia did inquire about its advertisement.
The next two items of the agenda included an explanation of the process and intention of seeking grant funding for a large infrastructure project to improve the city’s Wastewater Treatment System. This will be a $33,200,000 project.
Representatives of Barton & Loguidice Eric Pond and David Powers reported its findings of potential impacts the project could have across several aspects, such as land, surface water, and plants and animals. Powers said they did not see any major or concerning impacts.
After listening to Pond and Powers, Castiglia and David Fares spoke during the public hearing, asking about the finances of the project and the system’s capacity.
Mayor Deana Michaels and Pond addressed these questions. Michaels explained that the maximum, worst case scenario, with no grant funding at all, the city’s bond would be $33,200,000, however, clarified that if the city cannot get the funding, they will not move forward with the project.
“In order to apply for the grant – the [Water Infrastructure Improvement Act grant] – we have to say that yes, we are willing to bond for the project… so that it qualifies us to apply for the grants,” Michaels said. “WIIA will not allow us to apply for these grants if we don’t first say we’re willing to go out there and seek the money for our piece of the project… It’s a four to five year window we’re looking at to say, ‘Okay, we’re going to be prepared now,’ but none of this would take place until the end of the project when we come to those final numbers.”
She said the city has a list of grants they plan to apply for grants to piece together to pay for the large project. The grant in question last night was the WIIA, which Pond said could be maxed to $5 million.
Castiglia said he believes the city should get out of the wastewater treatment business altogether and turn the system over to the private sector and tax them.
Fares asked about the system’s capacity, which could handle an additional 10,000 homes. Pond explained that while the system was designed for industry that is no longer in Fulton and physically has the capacity now, the upgrades are in anticipation of the Department of Conservation making environmental permits more strict in the future, and for cost efficiency.
Michaels also said they would like to build a unit to store sludge to dry it out. When it is wet with rain water that comes in through cracks of the sewer system, it is much heavier and therefore much more expensive to dispose of. If they can dry it out, they could compost it or experience lesser tipping fees. Pond said as the state is moving toward more eco-friendly practices, it does not want sludge in a landfill anymore.
Other eco-friendly improvements they would like include recapturing methane gas to heat the facilities and to install solar panels. Michaels explained these types of items are part of the city’s “wish list” and can be dwindled down if necessary.
“We want to make it a very competitive bid process for these grants,” Michaels said.
Castiglia then brought up a wastewater treatment plant Operation Oswego County bought a few years ago and that he is concerned it could take away from the city if it gets the grants it needs to fix it up.
“We are in a different day in age where taking away from the City of Fulton is no longer going to be as easy as it was years ago,” Michaels said. “We’ve been taken advantage of long enough and Fulton has been on the receiving end of poor decisions… Fulton is long overdue and well-deserving of better business decisions on our behalf and I think that’s the direction we’re trying to move in.”
The council then approved all other items on the agenda.
- Authorization for issuance of bonds for improvements to the Wastewater Treatment System.
- Authorize mayor to sign NYS WIIA grant application.
- Approve minutes from the October 5 and October 19 meetings.
- Clerk’s report for October in the amount of $8,396.25.
- Authorize mayor to sign Environmental Restoration Program funding.
- Rescind Resolution 15-1-2021
- In this resolution, the council voted to not grant OH Properties, Inc. a special use permit for signage.
- Advertise for a public hearing for a special use permit for OH Properties, Inc. to be held on Tuesday, December 7, during the council meeting.
- Advertise for a public hearing to amend city code Section 640-25 “Signs, Billboards and Banners” to be also held during the December 7 meeting.
- Transfer $25,000 from the contingent account A.1990.9001 to the law account A.1420.4400 for various legal fees in the general accounts.
- Authorize Department of Public Works commissioner to purchase rock salt from time to time this winter.
- Authorize mayor to execute lease quote documents in order to lease vehicles from Enterprise.
- Establish standard work day for New York State Retirement system purposes.
- Authorize purchase of two new and unused variable message boards using American Rescue Plan Act funding.
- Authorize DPW commissioner to sell at auction unneeded and unwanted used equipment.
- Approve two weeks vacation time for Parks and Recreation director.
- Appoint Jeffery Bliss to the Planning Commission, term to expire February 14, 2022.
The next scheduled meeting will be held in the Community Room of the Municipal Building on Tuesday, December 7, beginning at 7 p.m.
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