Site icon Axcess News

Colorado City Budgets Millions for Its Utilities

Please share this story:

Fort Morgan, Colorado has passed its budgets for 2018, which includes millions for its own utilities. The budget will allocate funds for water, gas sewer, sanitation and wastewater treatment.

The Water Fund budget will include $6.3 million in expenses, but is projected to generate $8.24 million in revenue. Revenue will come mainly from charges to residents, and will include funds for water distribution and treatment.

The water distribution portion of the Water Fund will include $2.04 million in expenses. Last year, expenses totaled $2.05 million.

The budget allocates $269,143 for wages and salaries and $350,000 for system maintenance. The city will also spend about $500,000 on replacing water meters, and another $10,000 in buyout fees for the Morgan County Quality Water District.

The city expects to spend $3.91 million on water treatment services. In 2017, water treatment services cost the city $4.31 million.

NISP participation fees will double this year, with projected fees of $720,000. Last year, the participation cost was $360,000. Fees are expected to increase in the coming years.

The biggest expenses in Fort Morgan’s water treatment budget include: $320,000 in C-BT water assessments; $260,000 for treatment chemicals; $200,000 for pipeline assessments; $539,100 for water leases; $500,00 for water purchases; $278,959 in salaries; and $280,000 for participating in the Northern Water building of a pump for a pipeline that carries water into the city.

The Sewer Fund will account for $2.85 million in expenses on about the same amount of forecasted revenue. The majority of the revenue will come from city-rate payers. The Sewer Fund includes funds for wastewater collection and treatment.

Wastewater collection will account for $1.36 million in expenses this year, up from $1.07 million last year. The city plans to spend $300,000 on sewer main replacements, and $250,000 on new sewer camera inspection equipment and a van. Another $145,000 will be spent on maintenance of the collection system.

The wastewater treatment plan will include about $1.5 million in expenses, which is up from $1.3 million last year. These expenses will include $250,000 in replacing the east bar screen at the treatment plant. Another $175,000 will be spent on piping, and more than $300,000 will be spent on salaries. Property maintenance will cost $50,000, while $30,000 will be spent on lab chemicals.

Sanitation is projected to cost the city $1.15 million in expenses. Revenue is expected to hit $1.21 million. Expenses in this department include $179,089 in salaries, and about $198,000 for admin support. Landfill fees will hit $320,000. The city will spend $60,000 on vehicle equipment and maintenance, and $40,000 on trash containers.

The perpetual care fund is included in the 2018 budget, which is expected to generate $9,600. In revenue. That includes $7,700 from lot sales. No expenses are planned, which will bring the fund up to $9,600.

The city’s self-insurance fund, which is used to pay employee insurance benefits, is expected to generate $4.06 million in revenue. Projected expenses include $3.35 million for costs related to health insurance. Another $310,000 will be spent on insurance for property and casualty.

Exit mobile version