Special Board of Aldermen 10-27-2020 Page 3
Vice President O’Brien
Thank you to the Clerk. All the Aldermen that did not respond to the roll call have called and expressed that
they are tied up at this time with a proper excuse and therefore their leave will be allowed. Several of the
members will probably jump on the meeting at some point. Also in attendance is the Mayor James
Donchess; Corporate Counsel, Steven Bolton.
At this particular time we are going to have a presentation this evening but | would like to recognize Lisa
Fauteux, Public Works Director, to discuss tonight’s topic of sewer user fees and the presentation. Director
Fauteux, could you give us the introduction please?
PRESENTATION
Sewer User Fees
Lisa Fauteux, Director, Public Works
Absolutely, thank you very much Alderman O’Brien. Good evening Mayor Donchess, Vice President
O’Brien and Members of the Board of Aldermen. For members of the public who don’t know me, my name
is Lisa Fauteux and | serve as Director of Public Works in our City. This evening we will be presenting a
proposed increase in sewer user fees. These increases are being driven by the operating and capital costs
associated with compliance of our permits; permits that, of course, that are related to the Wastewater
Treatment Facility. | would like to thank our consultant, Frank Ayotte, from Hazen & Sawyer, our
Wastewater Team, Dave Boucher, Noelle Osbourn and Bill Keating, our City Engineer Dan Hudson and
Carolyn O’Connor, our Finance and Administration Manager and, of course, our CFO John Griffin for their
efforts in putting these together. There was a lot of time and effort that has gone into this. So now | will
turn this over to our consultant, Frank Ayotte from Hazen & Sawyer to begin the presentation. Frank?
Frank Ayotte, Hazen & Sawyer Ok thank you Lisa, Ladies & Gentlemen. Lisa mentioned my name is Frank
Ayotte, I’m with the Engineering Firm of Hazen & Sawyer. We are a long-time City Consultant on
Wastewater Treatment and Collection Systems for the City. And one of our service offerings is rate study
analysis and financial capability assessments. So with that, I’d like to take off the presentation.
From tonight’s Agenda, I’d like to discuss the historical rates of the City over the last 16 years. The
proposed rate increases from 2021 to 2023 that we analyze, what the drivers are for the required rate
increases. The planned major capital investments that are part of what is driving the increases. Funding
Strategies that is going to minimize the expenditures and rate impacts to the rate payers. And then | am
going to offer a comparison of the Nashua sewer rates versus selected cities in New Hampshire and
Massachusetts. We will talk about the affordability of Nashua’s proposed sewer rates using EPA metrics.
And the future strategies to mitigate future impacts of mandated capital expenditures such as an integrated
planning framework initiative which | am going to discuss what that’s all about and then offer some
conclusions.
So you see this bar graph here? This is over the last 16 years. What you can here is the equivalent of
basically a cost of living increase in the sewer rates over the last 16 years from about 2%. So really
nothing of a major impact in terms of funding major capital improvements. Next I'd like to offer a
comparison of Nashua’s residential sewer rates.
Unidentified Speaker
No that would be easiest. Especially because | have to keep — | think this is going to happen, | have to wait
‘til the end to say anything. It’s going to be way later.
