Septic Replacement Meeting 02-06-24

Attendees:
Lisa-Ann Oliver, Flaura’s Acres
Tom Noonan, Flaura’s Acres
Cynthia Fuller, Commerce, Small Communities Initiative Program
Cathleen Walker, USDA Rural Development

Sewer Project

• Discussed construction funding application to USDA RD with Cathleen.
  • A preliminary engineering report (PER) is a requirement to apply for USDA funding.
  • Flaura’s has a preliminary report that may need some additional information to meet USDA requirements.
  • Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) can help prepare the funding application.
  • USDA will contact RCAC about helping Flaura’s; someone from RCAC will contact Tom or Lisa-Ann.
  • The directive from Dept. of Health to fix the existing system by August 2024 should help Flaura’s qualify for the lowest interest rates.
  • Both Tom and Lisa-Ann will need SAM.gov accounts and eAuthorization accounts to get access to RD Apply, the online application form used by USDA.
  • Tom will send engineering documents, including plans and specifications and engineer’s estimate to Cathleen.
• Flaura’s should continue to work with city about possibility of reducing or waiving sewer connection fees.
  • Tom still trying to meet with mayor; sent him a package with engineering costs and design.
  • Consider reaching out to new city council members about the request.
  • Cathleen suggested contacting Meggan Uecker at the City of Sequim. She is a Resource Analyst in the Public Works Department who is working with USDA on other projects. Her number is 360-582-2436.
  •  Continue to ask city, county, and tribe to consider applying for CDBG grant funding in June on the Association’s behalf.
• Directive from DOH should qualify for lowest interest rates; RCAC partner to help the online application; Cathleen will reach out to director about assigning RCAC help.
• Meggan Uecker at Sequim – resource analysist for public works 360-582-2436.

Action Items

• Lisa-Ann will follow up with county about support for the project.
• Association should continue to negotiate reduced connection fees with the city.
• Cathleen will send PER Guidelines and information on getting eAuthorization to Tom and Lisa-Ann.
• Lisa-Ann will resend email from Robert about neighboring community connection fees.

Work to Date

• Design work is completed and submitted to City. City will not issue an approval until the permit fee is paid. Permit fee will be paid when funding is obtained for the project.
• United Engineering provided an updated engineer’s estimate. The project cost is $1.9M.
  • Connection fees are $11,322 per home, but may be negotiable.
  • Decommissioning of the individual tanks is $450/home.
  • Sewer fees will be $96/month per household.

Funding

• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) General Purpose Grant
  • County must apply for funding on behalf of Flaura’s Acres
  • Applications are accepted in the spring of each year
  • Award is up to $1M in grant funding
  • Applicant must demonstrate their residents have a low-to-moderate income (LMI) rate of at least 51% based on HUD LMI data.
  • Likes a funding “partner” (other funding source such as USDA RD)
    https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/community-development-block-grants/cdbg-general-purpose-grants/
• USDA Rural Development
  • Applications accepted year-round.
  • Subsidy (grant) based on the applicant’s community median household income.
    https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs/water-waste-disposal-loan-grant-program/wa

Talking Points

• Big environmental benefit both to protection of surface waters of the state, but also to area groundwater.
• Protection of local drinking water source by eliminating leaking sewer pipes.
• Project is ready to proceed – design has been completed and cost estimates in hand.
• Supported by community, but a big financial burden on many of the community members

Other

Next Meeting
February 21, 2024 at 9 am