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Written by Super User

Category: News

Published: 24 April 2018

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April 2018.   The Village Board has approved the Budget for the 2018/2019 Fiscal Year which begins June 1, 2018.  The Budget includes a small increase to the Homestead Tax Rate of just 57 cents/$1000.  Since most homes have an assessed valuation of $55,000, the average increase will be $28.50 for the entire year (only $2.47 more per month). 

The budget again includes no increase for elected officials who have had no salary increase for 31 years.  There were also virtually no increases to Department Head budgets which have stayed level for 17 years, despite increased costs for materials, equipment, supplies, IT/contractual and professional services, etc.

Total Appropriations for all funds total $18,515,827.  The General Fund, on which the Village Tax rate is based is $13,860,022.  The budget includes funding for many capital improvements including milling and paving of several streets, sidewalk replacements in CDBG-eligible streets, and several sewer lining projects.

The Mayor noted that in the 17/18 Fiscal Year, the Village completed 2 water main replacement projects, lined several sewers, completed work on the east side of the Elmwood Pedestrian Improvement Project, initiated its new Recycle Program and started installing remote readers on interior water meters.  The budget will allow for capital improvements while maintaining the Village's services including emergency services which boast the fastest response time in Western New York.

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Written by Super User

Category: News

Published: 08 January 2018

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1/8/2018  2018 starts with news that the Village has been awarded two grants from the Regional Economic Development Council/Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)!  The first is an engineering grant for $100,000.  This grant will be used to purchase and install flow meters at various locations throughout the Village and to complete an engineering report studying inflow and infiltration of the Village’s system.

The second grant is for Water Quality Improvement and is for $1.7 Million dollars.  This funding will allow us to put in sewer linings on our trunk sewers located on the east and west side of Colvin, the east side of Delaware Road, and on the remainder of East Hazeltine.  These locations were selected as nearly half of our sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) are located on these streets.  Lining these sewers should eliminate these overflows and will significantly improve our sewer system. This grant funding will also be used for manhole rehabilitation.

I should note that both of these grants have a matching component, requiring the Village to contribute towards the costs associated with these grants. So, while it is great news indeed that we’ve been awarded this funding, you should know that these grants do require the Village to chip in, as well. Also, while this funding will definitely help us to address our DEC requirements (and improve our system), the DEC/capital surcharge will remain on your water/sewer bill.  The surcharge was implemented to address the additional costs we incurred when we borrowed money to pay for various water and sewer infrastructure projects. As a result, until that loan is repaid, the surcharge will be used towards payment of the interest and principal on that borrowing – costs which are not included in the operating budget for the water and sewer funds.

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Written by Administrator

Category: News

Published: 01 December 2016

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11/30/2016  The Village of Kenmore is sad to report that Trustee/Deputy Mayor Tim McCarthy has passed away.  Tim was elected as Trustee in 2007 and was appointed as Deputy Mayor in 2009.  Tim was a devoted and dedicated friend and co-worker who loved serving the residents of Kenmore.

Police Officer Josh Davidson passed away on November 12, 2016.  Josh started as a Dispatcher with the Kenmore Police Department and had been an officer for the past 3 years.

Also, former Mayor and Clerk Art Nist passed away in November.  Mr. Nist started his career in Kenmore in 1963.  He was first elected Mayor in 1979.

Our deepest condolences to the families of these 3 outstanding individuals who gave so much to the Village of Kenmore. 

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Written by Administrator

Category: News

Published: 06 May 2016

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05/06/2016  The Village recently entered into an Order of Consent with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).  This order requires the Village to undertake various tasks to address overflows in our sanitary sewer system.

The Village has been monitoring our system for years.  This has included monitoring overflows at various locations, performing camera work to inspect the condition of our lines, and addressing sewer main breaks as they occur.  Another way that the Village has addressed overflows is through the implementation of legislation requiring installation of sump pumps and bubblers (which must be inspected and certified before property can be transferred/sold).  But the DEC is now requiring us, not only to monitor and maintain our lines, but to repair/replace them.  We also are required to augment our monitoring.

As you might imagine, this costs money.  New equipment has been purchased to provide better monitoring of our overflows; outside contractors have been hired to conduct assessments of our system: and engineers have been hired to engineer sewer line replacements.

In order to pay for these improvements, the Village has to borrow money. Last year we borrowed $815,000 for DEC-related matters and this year, we will be borrowing up to $5 million to address DEC requirements under the Order.  All costs associated with the DEC Consent Order are required to be charged against our Sewer Fund. As a result, you will be seeing an additional line item added to your water/sewer bill.  "DEC/Capital" will identify a surcharge for the capital improvements to our water/sewer system.  This additional surcharge is attributed solely to costs associated with infrastructure improvements.  While we realize that this surcharge will significantly increase your quarterly water/sewer bill, please know that we do not make any money on our water or sewer funds.  Any increases are due to increases to our costs - and with major infrastructure improvements, that cost is huge.

Kenmore is not alone.  In fact, we were the last municipality in New York to enter into a revised Consent Order with the DEC.  We understand that it's the DEC's job to ensure that municipalities across the state make improvements to reduce overflows and other leaks in their systems.  Unfortunately, there is a huge cost associated with this.  The good news is that sewer linings will reduce the amount of wastewater leaking from our system, will result in fewer sewer line breaks and will improve the overall function of our system.

You can also help to reduce the amount of wastewater entering into our water system.  Make sure that all of your down spouts are properly connected.  Keep your sump pump and bubbler free from roots and other blockages. 

Your water/sewer bill continues to show a line for water, sewer and UTL Surcharge.  The water and sewer funds are not funded through taxes.  All the money needed to operate these budgets comes from the money collected from your water/sewer bill.  We raise this revenue in 2 ways - rate (which is based on actual use) and a UTS (quarterly payment).  While we could simply raise the revenue to operate these funds using only rate charges or just from surcharges alone, the Village has found that the best way to raise revenue is through a combination of both water/sewer rate and surcharges.  While using rates allows us to charge based on actual usage, usage can fluctuate, which in turn, can result in shortfalls in the needed revenues.  Conversely, while surcharges afford us an exact figure  - a definite amount of known revenues - this places a proportionately greater burden on low users.  Therefore, for the past decade, both the rates and surcharges, together allow us to pay our operating expenses in water and sewer funds.   

The new "DEC/Capital" surcharge will be used to off set the costs associated with large capital improvements to our system, which are not part of the regular operating expenses of the water and sewer funds.