Attendees:
Lisa-Ann Oliver, Flaura’s Acres
Tom Noonan, Flaura’s Acres
Cynthia Fuller, Commerce, Small Communities Initiative Program
Amie Smith, Commerce, Small Communities Initiative
Sewer Project
- Ecology FMS staff offered to talk with City of Sequim about applying for funding for the sewer project. Cynthia will send hardship information and engineer’s estimate to Ecology.
- Add Representative Tharinger to meeting notes distribution list.
- Cynthia will email Commissioner Ozias to follow up about any possible questions the county might have about sponsoring an Ecology application for Flaura’s.
- Tom will send 90% design documents to Cynthia for Ecology review/approval.
- Tom will send Sequim public works information to Cynthia.
- Applying for funding on behalf of Flaura’s does not obligate the applicant to accept any debt offer on behalf of Flaura’s. The projects will be ranked and rated, and a draft offer list will be published in January 2025. If the offer is not sustainable, the applicant can simply decline the offer without penalty or other repercussions. If the offer appears sustainable, there are at least six to nine months before an agreement would be developed to discuss things like a special assessment for repayment of any debt. If the applicant and Flaura’s can’t come to a mutual agreement about repayment of debt, the applicant can decline the funding at that time.
- Ecology can fund project if Flaura’s can find someone to sponsor an application. SCI staff will write the application on behalf of the HOA.
- Ecology funding cycle opens August 13 and closes October 15 at 5 pm. Funds would not be available until after July 1, 2025, so project would likely be completed in the late fall of 2025 or early spring of 2026.
Possible Water Project
- Department of Health has consolidation grant opportunities.
- Wait to see what opportunities are available through Ecology and then potentially apply for DOH funding for a combined project.
Action Items
- Lisa-Ann will submit a request for an extension of time/renewal of LOSS Permit to DOH.
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
- Project could allow the Association’s drinking water system to be connected to the city in a “dig-once” project, which would align with Dept of Health’s goal of consolidation smaller systems into larger ones.
Other
- Testing for PFAS in all Group A water systems must be conducted by December 2025 (Department of Health requirement).
https://doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistical-reports/washington-tracking-network-wtn/pfas - Lead Service Line Inventory required for all Group A water systems by October 16, 2024 (Department of Health requirement).
https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/331-711.pdf
Next Meeting
July 24, 2024 at 9 am