Webster Town Board
August 15, 2024
A workshop meeting of the Webster Town Board was called to order by Supervisor Flaherty at
6:30 p.m. at the Webster Town Board Meeting Room, 1002 Ridge Road, Webster, New York, with
the following officials present:
Supervisor ................................................................................ Thomas J. Flaherty
Councilwoman .......................................................................... Patricia T. Cataldi
Councilman .......................................................................................John J. Cahill
Councilwoman ........................................................................... Ginny L. Nguyen
Councilwoman .......................................................................... Jennifer S. Wright
Town Attorney ........................................................................... Charles J. Genese
Town Clerk .................................................................................. Danene M. Marr
Department Heads Present:
Communications Director .............................................................. Bridget Harvey
Deputy Commissioner of Public Works-Sewer ................................... Art Petrone
Finance Director.................................................................................. Paul Adams
Also in attendance was Rick Kenealy, Wastewater Treatment Plant Chief Operator.
***
Bridget Harvey, Communications Director, presented the Town Board with the Strategic
Communication Plan for the Town of Webster. This focuses on establishing key messaging,
tailoring approaches to a variety of audiences, and fostering internal collaboration. The
Communications Department aims to deliver information effectively to residents, potential
residents, Town employees, business owners, potential business owners, local media,
contractors, and realtors. Focus on consistency across Town communications to grow
trustworthiness and expand understanding across the board.
The Communications Departments has already implemented a user-friendly system for Town
meetings, cross-trained staff, and launched a successful monthly e-newsletter. Supervisor
Flaherty discussed the importance of building a database of email addresses for effective
communication with citizens, emphasizing the need for ethical use and transparency. Bridget
explained how current action items undertaken with the monthly e-newsletter have seen
impressive engagement rates, highlighting the importance of effective communication and an
appealing design.
Establishment of the monthly E-Newsletter has increased subscribership 13.8% in the first
month. This includes a 69.1% open rate and a 10.2% click rate.
Following the presentation, a general discussion took place.
***
Appearing before the Town Board were Dennis Clough, Navitas Managing Director, Art
Petrone, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works-Sewer and Rick Kenealy, Wastewater
Treatment Plant Chief Operator. They discussed the ongoing Water Resource Recovery Project
that has been underway for about one year. Construction dates remain on target, the Sewer
Department will be accepting septage and high strength organic waste in July of 2025. In
September 2025, the Sewer Department will startup the Biosolids Dryer and will be ready to
accept waste flow from the Fairlife facility. Several construction photos were displayed to show
the magnitude of the project and how the project is progressing along.
274
08-15-2024
Webster Town Board
The Town of Webster and Navitas Energy Performance Contract Amendment Three, scope of
work, focused on accepting waste flow from the new industrial customer, Coca-Cola Fairlife.
Included is a fourth aeration tank and upgraded aeration system, anaerobic digester, all facility
systems of the new dryer building, and final sitework and utilities.
The site did have some scope adjustments during construction, where the high strength organic
waste building trickling filter, required complete demolition and relocation of overhead electric
utility lines. With the continuation of the project, the Sewer Department continues to look at
efficiencies and ways to do things differently and keeping the potential future needs in mind.
This has allowed for the opportunity to adjust the acceptance of additional trucks to receive
waste loads to increase revenue. While the administration building was being demolished,
asbestos was identified in the walls and the proper remediation occurred.
Project scope savings of approximately $1,098,000, which is comprised of design credits
working with Navitas, pulling back on some items where the Town can purchase directly off
state contract. Additionally, when planning for construction in upstate New York, you need to
plan on bad winters and that may mean costs such as heating for concrete or extended work
times or additional labor. Recently, our winters have not been that hard, so some additional
savings have been made for weather related returns. It gives Navitas the ability to return those
savings back to the Town and that is done within the contract, which is called a client savings
allowance. Navitas and the Town of Webster are consistently partnering together to making
adjustments looking for scope efficiencies and scope savings.
Paul Adams, Director of Finance, indicated that the project revenue is estimated at sixty percent
of capacity and projections indicate it will produce $1.1 million in 2026 and then $1.6 million
thereafter. These projections are based on the high strength organic waste acceptance. With the
new industrial customer, Coca-Cola Fairlife, the Town is estimating $650,000 a year in revenue,
based on their estimated amount of flow into the plant. Coca-Cola Fairlife will be charged 1
(one) Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDU’s) for every 60,000 gallons that flows to the plant, which
equates to about $1.8 million per year. The Town Code one-time sewer connection is fee based
on the pipeline capacity of 12,000 EDU’s which equates to $21,190,000. The contract is
currently being worked on with Coca-Cola Fairlife to have that fee paid over ten years, with the
first payment taking place in July of 2025. The total new revenue for 2025, the Town is
estimating $2.3 million and starting in 2026 the Town is estimating $4.4 million in revenue.
Operational cost savings for the project; the biosolids disposal expense must be hauled away to a
landfill which is in the 2025 budget for $573,000. The Town is expecting this cost to come
down substantially over the next few years, estimating it will drop down to about $70,000 per
year. The new dryer equipment being added will create a net increase of an estimated $30,000
per year for electricity.
275
08-15-2024
Webster Town Board
Net Project Cost:
Navitas Authorized Contract
Amendment 3
Total Navitas Contract:
$61,979,047
$23,348,802
$85,327,849
Paving (Managed by Town)
Other Project Costs
Gross Project Cost
$1,400,000
$572,151
$87,300,000
NY State Grant:
Final Net Project Cost
($20,000,000)
$67,300,000
The expected net cost of the project is $67,300,000 and the Town is bonded for $81,500,000.
The Town may not have to borrow to that level but there is an upcoming amended Bond
Resolution that’s changing the maximum project cost which will go to the $87,300,000.
Sewer rates are currently $296 per EDU and the Town is expecting future rates to stay relatively
stable or below the 2024 level. The Town is able to complete an $87 million project with no
effect on the rate in the immediate future, which is quite an accomplishment. Additional dollars
will be budgeted in the future for the Sewer Capital Reserve. In the 2025 proposed budget, there
is $540,000 earmarked as well as future budgets to be able to put money away for future
projects.
Councilwoman Cataldi asked if they would elaborate on the “Other Project Costs” and what was
included in that figure. Paul Adams clarified that this included RG&E having to relate power
lines and gained additional efficiencies from that. This line item also included payments to the
Bond Council and Bond Consultants.
Councilwoman Cataldi asked what the reason was, for the paving to be pulled out of the work
being performed by Navitas. Dennis Clough, Navitas Managing Director, indicated that paving
is a relatively simple and straightforward piece of work so, the costs for Navitas to perform the
work was not cost effective. The Sewer Department will be working with the Highway
Department on the next steps.
Councilman Cahill asked what the projected return on investment of the $2.6 million high
strength organic waste building and infrastructure is. Dennis Clough responded, before the
building went up, what he recalls at the time, was related to how many trucks could come into
the site and by having two lanes of traffic instead of the one. Every single truck that comes
through a day equals a little over $100,000 per year in revenue. Additional information
regarding this will be brought to the Public Hearing to be held on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
Following the presentation, a general discussion took place.
***
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at
7:50 p.m.
___________________________
Danene M. Marr
276
08-15-2024