Page 11 - 2022 Annual Report

Former water/sewer plant Chief Operator Marty Frizzell was working with the state on these
projects, but he passed away in 2021, just as the projects were really getting started. After that,
Cope and Strait had to assume responsibility for these projects and become involved in the
discussions with engineers and numerous state environmental officials and state and federal
funding programs to ensure that development of these two critical infrastructure projects would
continue.
People should note that there are no less than six separate engineering stages that have been
done or are underway just for the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). There was an Asset
Management study that assessed the basic condition of the plant and lagoons. That was followed
by a Preliminary Engineering Study, which was followed by a Pre-Design Study, followed by
a Final Design Study, followed by the bidding phase and the construction phase. Each of these
stages involve a negotiated Engineering Services Agreement (ESA) and an application to the
federal Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF) for loans that won’t have to be paid back
for five years and then at no interest over 30 years.

Engineering alone for the WWTP is well over $300,000 and counting. Cleaning the lagoons and
constructing the new WWTP plant will cost more than $5,000,000. The feds will cover a couple
million, but a long-term loan from the feds will pay for the rest. These loans are designed to last
as long as the plant itself. Taxpayers should note that the last sewer bond was paid off long before
the plant was considered obsolete, but the plant operators were able to keep it going past its
design life, saving taxpayers a lot of money, while living on borrowed time.

This project is expected to go out to bid this spring and construction completed by 2024. The
voters have already approved a $3.756 million dollar bond for this project, but expenses have
climbed since then and costs for this project will likely increase. This project has been awarded a
42% USDA grant. We are seeking additional state and federal funding, but sewer ratepayers will
see a substantial increase.
Infrastructure – Water Treatment Plants

The same process is on-going with the two Water Treatment plants, which were built in 1987, and
which have provided Island Pond residents with some of the best drinking water in the state from
our mountain streams. Engineering for these plants is at the Preliminary Engineering phase. This
is a two-million-dollar project at this point. Another part of this project is the replacement of the
100-year-old water main coming down Mountain Street from the north reservoir, underneath the
railroad and connecting up with the Cross Street water main that ends up at Derby & Pleasant
Sts. A significant portion of funding for this project will come probably from USDA and/or the
CWSRF, with the rest a match from the ratepayers in the form of a loan at low or no interest over
30 years—the design lifetime of the plant. A bond vote will be needed.
Infrastructure – Downtown Revitalization
The Selectboard and staff continue to follow up on the downtown revitalization goal established
during the VCRD community meetings in 2016, focusing on Cross Street and the main
downtown intersection. This is basically an enhanced sidewalk project, and also involves
replacing the 100-year-old stormwater main while we’re digging there anyway to replace the
100-year-old water main mentioned earlier. That stormwater line dumps phosphorus-containing
surface water runoff from downtown Island Pond streets directly into the Clyde River. Pedestrian
and traffic circulation improvements to the main downtown intersection are also planned. It also
includes moving the existing overhead utility lines on Cross Street to Alder Street.

2022 Annual Report 11