Minutes 01/26/1971 - Laserfiche WebLink

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To TUESDAY JANUARY 26, 1971 Martinsville is required to complete secondary sewage (waste) treatment facilities by July 1, 1972, City Manager Noland. apprised Council of the status of the City's efforts toward this goal through the following memorandum (dated January 22, 1971): A year ago 104 different political subdivisions submitted requests for grants to assist in the construction of facilities estimated to cost $l85,000,000. Martinsville was among those who applied, but on August 13, 1970, the City received a letter from the Water Control Board which said, "The Board is not recommending the City of Martinsville for a grant, because your share of money was not available by May l, 1970.11 The City was invited to resubmit an application on or before May 1, 1971, so this general situation will be on the agenda for consideration next Tuesday. By way of review, every stream polluter who has not already installed equipment to bring about necessary treatment (secondary treatment in our case), is under orders to provide such treatment. And, the law permits the Water Control Board to enforce its edicts. Faced with this situation, Council has already authorized the development of engineering plans leading to the City's compliance with the State directive, to have secondary treatment facilities substantially completed by July l, 1972. According to the most recent criteria established by the Water Control Board, for favorable consideration of an application, the City, as applicant, must demonstrate, in the preliminary application, that the City's share of money is to be available by the May 1st deadline for the application. According to present criteria, the three methods of demonstrating availability of money are: A. A bond referendum has been authorized and voted upon successfully by the voters prior to the May 1st filing date; B. The political subdivision can demonstrate that outstanding indebtedness is below l8 per cent assessed valuation, and it can issue bonds for the value of the project without a vote of the people; or, C. The political subdivision can demonstrate the ~ailability of money from other sources such as banks, etc. To point up the problems set forth by the three criteria, it would be extremely critical timing to attempt and bring about a successful referendum prior to May l. Also, as to "B", the general laws permit cities to issue bonds without a vote of the people, but Martinsville's Charter does require a referendum; and as to "C", my understanding