BILL NUMBER: S8851
SPONSOR: O'MARA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to enacting the
"Seneca county water and sewer authority act"
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would create the Seneca County Water and Sewer Authority
District.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Amends Section 1 Article 5 of the public authorities law is amended by
adding a new title 6-E.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation has been introduced at the request of the Seneca County
Board of Supervisors. Currently, Seneca County residents that have
access to public water and sewer are being served by their local
districts operated by the villages and towns that operate on finite
resources with an often-shrinking tax base. In addition, the current
districts do have many intermunicipal agreements for the sale of water
and sewer services to each other. This collaboration demonstrates the
already existing need to collectively work as one unit. In order to
centralize the administration of water and sewer services, Seneca County
is seeking to establish a water and sewer authority. The Authority would
allow for the current districts administered by the municipalities to
voluntarily enter into the Authority to be administered. The Authority
would permit the business of running the water and sewer utilities to be
efficiently run under staff whose sole duty it is to administer the
authority, rather than local government elected officials and staff that
are responsible for a variety of other municipal duties. The Authority
would also be able to apply for and administer grants more efficiently
than current small districts can. Instead of having multiple districts
apply for the same competitive grant, consolidating to one application
through the Authority will increase the likelihood of positive awards.
This county wide collaboration would provide for the most efficient
means of delivering results for ratepayers and allow for greater water
and sewer expansion.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state. $1 million dollar no interest loan to be given by
Seneca County to the authority to begin repayments 5 years from the date
of the loan.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.