EFUD lands state grant for new water line, issues Annual Report ahead of May 10 vote
April 28, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti UPDATE: This post has been updated with locations to pick up paper copies of the EFUD Annual Report.
Waterbury’s Edward Farrar Utility District got news this week that it has landed a nearly $600,000 state grant to help build a new water line just ahead of its annual meeting scheduled for May 10.
The news came from the governor’s office and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development announcing the second round of Community Recovery and Revitalization Program grant awards to projects intended to spur economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The utility district will receive a grant of $592,600, covering 20% of the $2,963,000 estimated cost to build a new 8-inch water line in Waterbury Center. This is not the water line that is on the ballot for the district’s May 10 annual meeting. The ballot asks voters to consider a $750,000 bond to replace a 60-year-old water line on Blush Hill that’s the oldest section in the water system.
The state grant announced this week would help build an entirely new 3,300-foot line running between a spot near the Town Highway Garage on Guptil Road, along East Wind Drive and connecting to the system along Vermont Route 100. The line would allow the addition of new residential and business customers to the system and it would contain three new fire hydrants.
Information describing the grant in the announcement explained how that would work: “The utility district will bring the water service to the ‘curb’ for residents and businesses and will allow for those residents or businesses to access low-interest funds to connect to the new water service.”
The $40 million grant program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The state Department of Economic Development is overseeing the application and grant award process with the goal to fund projects to support capital investments that will spur economic growth across Vermont. So far, there have been two rounds of grants announced, allocating a total of $20,369,391 million of the funding to projects in 13 counties. The first round of grants allocated $10.8 million to 31 projects. This latest round approved $9.54 million spread across 23 additional projects including the Waterbury water line project.
Officials with EFUD and the Village of Waterbury that preceded it in running the water and wastewater departments have eyed this section of Waterbury Center as the next section for growing the system. It would serve commercial growth along Rt. 100 and help residential customers with poor to failing water systems, including mobile home parks, access a more reliable, better-quality water supply.
Municipal Manager Tom Leitz said EFUD is looking to Vermont’s Congressional delegation for potential additional federal funding to finance the project.
Also among the grants announced this week was $500,000 to support a $5 million project at Bolton Valley Resort. The project would switch to a new wastewater treatment system and decommission the current aging system with the goal of improving water quality in Joiner Brook and allowing for growth at the ski resort and in the community, according to the grant announcement.
“We're a small community at Bolton Valley struggling with a lot of aging infrastructure,” said Bolton Valley Resort President and CEO Lindsay DesLauriers. “This award is going to help make it possible for us to upgrade our wastewater treatment system that serves the resort and the whole village community — ensuring that our mountain stays vibrant, and Joiner Brook stays clean for many more years to come.”
Gov. Scott in announcing the grants said they are investments in vital infrastructure that are “helping make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we have as a result of historic federal funds.”
The full list of approved projects from both grant rounds is online on the Agency of Commerce and Community Development website.
EFUD Annual Report is available
Dedicated to Carla Lawrence, EFUD’s Annual Report is posted online. Printed copies are available at the municipal offices, the library, the downtown Post Office, Maplewood convenience store, Kinney Drugs, Northfield Savings Bank and VSECU. They will not be mailed.
The utility district’s Annual Report is available online on the municipal website along with the warning and sample ballot for the May 10 vote. Paper copies have been printed as well and are available now at the town offices, the Waterbury Public Library, the downtown Post Office, Maplewood convenience stor, Kinney Drugs, Northfield Savings Bank and VSECU, according to Town and EFUD Clerk Karen Petrovic.
The report is dedicated to Carla Lawrence who retired in 2022 after 13 years as clerk and treasurer to the town, the village and the utility district. Lawrence is pictured on the report cover and a dedication printed inside the front cover thanks her for her service done with professionalism, distinction and kindness over the years. It points out that from 2009 until 2022, Lawrence filled the roles of clerk and treasurer to two municipalities: “Carla performed the duties of 4 positions simultaneously for 13 years for the equivalent of 52 years of continuous service to Waterbury.”
EFUD’s Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Steele Community Room at the municipal offices. It will not have an online option for people to watch or participate via Zoom. Several items on the warning will be decided only by those voters who attend in person.
The rest will be decided by paper ballots available between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on May 10. Voters also may vote now until May 9 at the town offices or request an early ballot by mail.
The ballot contains the $750,000 water-line-replacement bond question and elections to fill three seats on the district’s Board of Commissioners. The three incumbents are all running unopposed: Lawrence “Lefty” Sayah and Natalie Sherman for one-year terms, and Bob Finucane for a three-year term.
District commissioners will hold an informational meeting on Thursday, May 4, at 7 p.m. for questions and discussion with voters about items to be decided at the annual meeting or on the ballot. The informational session will be in person and online via Zoom (link is in the annual meeting warning).
The Annual Report that’s online and soon available in paper booklets contains information about the utility district finances as well as written reports from the Board of Commissioners and both former district Manager Bill Shepeluk and current Manager Tom Leitz. After 34 years as town, village and utility district manager, Shepeluk retired at the end of 2022. Leitz took on the roles Jan. 1.
In an eight-page final report to district members, Shepeluk summarizes utility district business in 2022 and recaps the district’s history. Leitz in three pages looks to the year ahead.
The Edward Farrar Utility District was formed in 2018 after voters dissolved the former Village of Waterbury municipality. That move ended most of the village governmental functions, primarily its police department, leaving the district to run the water and wastewater departments.
Find the Annual Report, Annual Meeting warning and sample ballot online on the Edward Farrar Utility District page of the municipal website: waterburyvt.com/boards/utility. Read an earlier story about the Annual Meeting in the News section.