City Looks To Capital For Answers

The political horseplay taking place on the state Senate floor has overshadowed Gov. David A. Paterson's veto earlier this month of a bill that would have extended Tier II pension benefits to new police and firefighters hired after July 1.
That veto leaves a looming question: What pension tier should newly hired police and firefighters be enrolled in?
"It's not just an issue in the city of Watertown, it's all the municipalities that participate in the state pension system," City Manager Mary M. Corriveau said. "We're looking to Albany to identify what we do from here on out."
Albany isn't so sure of that answer, either.
"Our office currently is reviewing how the governor's veto will impact individuals hired after July 1," wrote Emily DeSantis, a state Comptroller's Office spokeswoman.
A governor's office spokesman reaffirmed the governor's stance on pension reform, but did little to answer the question.
"Governor Paterson is committed to enacting real pension reform to reduce cost and ensure the state's long-term fiscal stability," wrote Morgan Hook, deputy press secretary. "The governor will continue to work with the Legislature on this issue and any resolution must include broader pension reform. If there is no reform, the statutory process that was in place before 1981 would take effect to provide police and firefighters with pensions."
Mr. Hook said the state comptroller will decide which tier the newly-hired employee will be enrolled in based on the cost of their benefits to the municipality.
The governor introduced a Tier V proposal in March that includes pension reform for both "uniform" and "non-uniform" employees. The Legislature has neither approved the governor's proposal nor introduced one of its own since the veto of the Tier II extension.
"I'm willing to look at Tier V, but this is also a negotiated issued with the labor unions," said Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa.
Mrs. Russell said that changes need to be made to keep the pension system solvent.
"I'd like to see something before the Legislature ends its session," she said.
The assemblywoman said she was unaware of any pension proposals other than the one introduced by the governor.
A message left for State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, seeking comment on the issue, was not returned.
The governor has pushed pension reform after the state comptroller warned that rate increases are possible after the pension fund lost about 20 percent of its value last year, dropping it to $122 billion.
The city of Watertown expects to pay an additional $4.7 million toward the pension fund during the next four years because of higher rates imposed by the state, Mrs. Corriveau has said.
"I'm sure they have enough issues on their hands right now, but this is an issue that is out there," Mrs. Corriveau said. "If there is no bill in place, what benefits would we provide?"

Lack Of Sewage Capacity Stymies Development

* This entry ran as two seperate stories on June 17.
Freeing sewage capacity along Arsenal Street likely will cut costs for developers who want to build along the city's western border.
Alexandria Bay developer Patrick M. Donegan has said the land he owns along Interstate 81 cannot be developed until either the city helps secure an easement with the owners of Stateway Plaza or he is allowed to direct sewage from his land to a main that runs beneath Arsenal Street.
That main is believed to be at capacity and cannot handle additional development, City Engineer Kurt W. Hauk has said.
A Connecticut firm also is eying land between Commerce Park and Gaffney drives to construct two Marriott brand hotels.
Both developers will have to purchase costly infrastructure to pump sewage to Coffeen Street if capacity along Arsenal Street isn't made available.
"They could pump up to an existing pump on Gaffney, or if we could get the town to shift a lot of their flows from District 2 to Coffeen, where we know we have capacity, it solves their problem and ours," Mr. Hauk told the City Council on Monday.
The city has told the town of Watertown it no longer will allow additional flows in the Coffeen Street main unless space is freed up along Arsenal Street.
"In terms of development within the city, that includes Gaffney Drive and Mr. Donegan's property, I would hope that we wouldn't make it too complicated, and we should do everything we can to not stymie development within the city," Councilman Jeffrey M. Smith said.
Councilwoman Roxanne M. Burns suggested that the Development Authority of the North Country be called upon to help solve the city's sewage issues.
"I think that it all comes down to dollars and sense and this would be a perfect project to partner with DANC," she said.
Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham said the city should stick to improving its own infrastructure without involving the Development Authority.
"The only thing is that we operate water and sewer system within the limits of the city and have customers just outside there," he said. "If changes need to be made to the internal system, then it should be the city's job as operator of the system. If someone comes in, then it could be a prelude to regional control of a municipal system."
Mr. Hauk is expected to give a PowerPoint presentation and report to the City Council at its July 6 meeting concerning sewage flows along Arsenal Street.
The city and town also are in the midst of negotiations for sewage allotments within the Arsenal and Coffeen street mains.
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The city of Watertown will not allow the town of Watertown to direct additional sewer flows into the city's system, a move that temporarily halts development in the town's western corridor.
City Engineer Kurt W. Hauk told the City Council earlier this week that the 10-inch main beneath Arsenal Street is at capacity. At times, the main is overburdened by the amount of sewage coming from the town.
"We have told the town of Watertown that we're not going to grant any more flow out in District 3 unless flow is taken off District 2 - District 2 being Arsenal Street district, District 3 being the Coffeen Street district," City Manager Mary M. Corriveau said.
The city is pushing the town to pump the sewage being produced by Salmon Run Mall and other businesses along Route 3 to a main beneath Route 12F. That main also connects to the city's sewage treatment plant and has ample capacity to handle the town's needs, the city engineer said.
"Given the current flow situation on the west side of Interstate 81, no permit can be issued in connection with the proposed shift of sanitary sewer flows until such time as Sewer District 3 reaches agreement with the city on allocated flows," Mr. Hauk wrote to the town in a letter to the town's engineer, Bernier, Carr & Associates, Watertown. "Moreover, any increase in flow to Sewer District 3 will require a corresponding decrease in flow allocation for Sewer District 2."
He continued: "Until such time as this is accomplished, I cannot see fit to issue any further permits for sanitary sewer flow on the Arsenal Street corridor within the town."
Any development approved by the town that will pump more than 2,500 gallons per day needs a city-approved sewer extension. Mr. Hauk said the city will not approve those extensions unless the town shifts its sewage to the Coffeen Street main.
Town Supervisor Joel R. Bartlett was mum on the issue Tuesday.
"Because we are still in negotiations, and we're meeting with the city in the next week or two, based on that I can't make a comment on any story at this time," he said.
A contract is set to expire this year between the town and the city that determines how much sewage the town is allowed to pump into the city.
Mr. Bartlett has said the town is negotiating an easement with Pyramid Cos., which owns Salmon Run Mall, to pump the mall's sewage to Route 12F.
He said the town engineer is designing a pump station to serve the mall.
"I'm not sure right now about reserve capacities when it comes to the expansion," Mr. Bartlett said. "There's still a lot up in the air right now."