Fire district finances on stronger footing

NORTH CANAAN — Things weren’t looking so good at the beginning of this year for Canaan Fire District finances. A newly completed sewer expansion had gone about a third over cost. The federal government had yet to approve a budget, and it was uncertain if additional loans and grants would be available. Hard times meant more tax liens than ever before, and fewer tax dollars coming in.In anticipation last fall, the fee for those using the sewer was raised $35, to $270 per year.The silver lining was that the district, which operates the sewer system, and owns some sidewalks, streetlights and fire hydrants, has been able to hold the line over the years on the taxes and use fees it assesses.There was good news at the annual budget meeting June 7, when Warden Anthony Nania reported more ups than downs in the financial picture. The government came through with more funding than expected. More taxes were paid than anticipated and various decreases in expenses budgeted for the current fiscal year added up to significant savings.That counts the $75,000 spent on engineering needed to prepare a plan for a proposed sewer extension into the Green Acres section of town. The plan was voted down by fire district residents. Nania said he regrets that they missed out on a stimulus grant that would have covered much of the cost.The budget, approved unanimously by a crowd that just met the required quorum of 15, is in two parts: the fire district operating expenses of $284,500 and the Sewer/Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) budget of $606,061.Both cover costs such as salaries for a small crew, stipends for both for officers, operating expenses for the sewer treatment plant, sidewalk maintenance and capital projects.Taxes, at 1.75 mills are levied on all property in the district, which is defined by where the sewer goes. The user fee is paid only by those connected to the sewer. Among the significant impacts going forward is no tax rate increase and restoration of the annual user fee to $235. A previous request by a group of residents, who regularly walk through the center of town, braving some difficult stretches of sidewalk, will be met by a $50,000 allotment for sidewalk improvements.The coming weeks will bring a wrap-up of the sewer project. Mountainside Treatment Center, which was the focus of the extension, is now operating on the new sewer. It will pay for about 85 percent of project costs not covered by grants levied on properties in the new part of the fire district. The 11 other properties will be able to connect soon, if owners decide to do so. Benefit assessments, a determination of how much the sewer adds in value to each property, are underway. The process will include a public hearing, likely in July.