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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. 

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Written by Administrator

Category: News

Published: 21 October 2014

Hits: 3237

KENMORE NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 20 “CITIES” ON THE RISE IN NYS

The Village of Kenmore has been named as one of the Top 20 municipalities

in New York State on the rise in a recent report published by NerdWallet. 

Looking at growth of the working age population, employment and income,

Kenmore was ranked 15. The majority of the Top 20 came from White Plains

or Nassau-Suffolk metro areas, which makes Kenmore’s presence

on the list all the more impressive.

The full report can be found at:

http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cities/cities-rise-new-york/

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Written by Administrator

Category: News

Published: 04 September 2013

Hits: 2825

BATS and RABIES

Recently a rabid bat was identified in the Village of Kenmore. If you should have a bat in your residence, please contact the Erie County Health Department or the Town of Tonawanda Animal Control Department.

Only 4% of bats tested have rabies, but as you know, rabies is fatal once symtoms occur. With treatment, it is 100% preventable.  Shots can be avoided if the animal can be tested and the tests are negative.  Unless the animal is captured and tested, you will need to get rabies shots if:

You or your pet are bitten by a bat or if saliva or other material from a bat gets into your eyes, nose mouth or wound

You wake up and find a bat in your room

You are unsure if there has been contact with a person or pet

You see a bat in a room with a child, etc.

Erie County Department of Health:  716 961-6800 during business hours or 716 961 7898 after hours

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Written by Administrator

Category: News

Published: 09 December 2011

Hits: 3268

KENMORE WINS NATIONAL RECOGNITION

December 2011

Business First has named the Village of Kenmore as the highest-rated community in Western New York. Kenmore holds 1,328^th place among 3,764 municipalities throughout the United States! The full article can be found at the following site:

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2011/12/09/kenmore-leads-wny-communities.html

In other exciting news, Iskalo Development won the 2011 WNY Real Estate Development of the Year for its building located 2780 Delaware Avenue in the Village of Kenmore. Iskalo worked closely with the Village of Kenmore Board of Trustees, Planning Board, and Zoning Board to create a classic design which blended in with the character of Kenmore’s restricted use business district. The building houses professional medical offices on the upper level and retail on the lower level.