Figuring Out Assessments For Completed Sewer Lines

On Monday, Aug. 5, the Town Council got an extensive report on three aspects of bringing sewers to North Kingstown. This is the third of three articles on the issues discussed. The first two articles discussed proposals to bring sewers into Wickford Village and/or farther north on Post Road, and what it would cost to bring sewers to the Shore Acres neighborhood.

Now that there is a sewer line running from just north of Wickford up to Quonset, the question becomes, how much to charge businesses and residences along the route to tie in. 

There are only 10 residences in the Post Road corridor and it was recommended by engineering consultant James Geremia that households be treated differently than commercial users. 

He recommended charing commercial users 74 cents per square foot and a flat $18,500 for residences (which comes to $1,200 a year for 20 years). 

"It's simpler and fairer to assess commercially by square footage," said Geremia. 

For both, he said, it was important to begin collecting assessments. 

"You have to move forward to begin to collect this – it can be adjusted," Geremia said. "It is very important to begin to get the revenue for the town."

Voter approved bond issues in 2009 (for $10 million) and 2010 (for an additional $9.2 million) to build sewers under Post Road and provide upgrades to the sewage treatment plant already in existence at Quonset. Assessments will help pay those bonds off.

The assessments for what's being called the "Post Road District" need to be passed as an ordinance by the Town Council. Before that can happen, the proposed ordinance will be on the council's agenda for two readings, then a vote. It's unclear when it will be heard next.