FY 14-15 Adopted Budget

Infrastructure - Water Resources Fund

BUDGET SUMMARY

2012-13

2013-14 Budget

2014-15 Adopted

2015-16 Projected

Actual

Expenditures:

Personnel Costs

18,626,485 70,482,879

20,271,686 79,681,680 1,287,190

20,735,097 85,482,363

21,592,614 91,257,987 1,025,500

Maintenance & Operations

Capital Outlay

397,270

914,500

Total

89,506,634

101,240,556

107,131,960

113,876,101

Total FTE Positions

320.125

322.375

331.625

331.625

Revenues:

Water and Sewer Services

83,773,613

87,505,585

89,977,697

95,131,191

Assessments

48,925

50,000

50,000

50,000

Capacity Use Fees

1,691,562 1,115,937

2,000,000 1,100,000

2,000,000 1,100,000

2,000,000 1,100,000

Industrial Waste Control Water Line Connections

153,437

150,000

150,000

150,000

All Other

2,749,740 11,354,521

2,376,269 8,058,702

2,448,519 11,405,744

2,462,519 12,982,391

Appropriated Fund Balance

Total

100,887,734

101,240,556

107,131,960

113,876,101

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

 The Water Resources FY 14-15 Adopted Budget is increasing by $5,891,404, or 5.82%, as compared to the FY 13-14 Adopted Budget.  The FY 14-15 Adopted Budget does include a rate increase for Water Resources. The rate increases by 4% for residents inside city limits, and 8% for residents outside city limits. This rate increase would mean a $1.48 increase per month for city residents and a $6.79 increase per month for non-city residents (average residential bill is calculated at 6 units; 1 unit = 748 gallons).  This budget increases the transfer to the Water & Sewer Capital Improvements Fund account by $3,580,339, or 19.12%. This transfer totals approximately $22.3 million for the FY 14-15 Adopted Budget. These funds will be used to improve the City’s water and sewer system, which includes rehabilitating older water and sewer lines.  Four additional water plant operator positions were added midyear at the City’s Townsend Water Plant in FY 13-14. These four FTEs are being hired due to a rise in workload, which is associated with increased water compliance standards. In addition, the new positions will help to increase safety and security for current plant operators who currently work alone during night and weekend hours — the plant operates 24 hours a day/7 days a week.  The department will also add a new administrative assistant, two crew members and a crew supervisor, and an engineering specialist for a total of 5 additional FTEs recommended through service enhancements. The administrative assistant will assist the water meter shop with compliance and management of the Cross Connection Prevention Program. The new water maintenance crew will allow for additional sewer maintenance work, and will continue improvements to the sewer system. The engineering specialist will allow for increased response for plan review and internal technical support for the sewer rehabilitation and collection systems.  Please see the graph on the next page for average rate comparisons with comparable water/sewer utilities in the State of North Carolina. In addition, the graph shows a comparison of each North Carolina city/ regional utility’s outside city rate vs inside city rate. The graph legend explains the shades of the graph bars when it comes to its relationship between outside city rates vs. inside city rates. A dial is also included showing affordability of the rates based on the Median Household Income (MHI) and percentage spent annually on water bills for 5,000 gallons.

Adopted FY 2014-15 Budget

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