The Unified Government Commission moved forward on stormwater infrastructure concerns Monday night after some months of delays on the issue.
At a special meeting Monday night of the full UG Commission, the commissioners unanimously approved the plan to submit an application to the federal government seeking financing under the Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act (WIFIA).
The commission approved a $100,000 application fee with the application, on a motion by Commissioner Melissa Bynum. There was no approval Monday night for a previously discussed stormwater rate increase.
“WIFIA is a great opportunity to help solve that combined stormwater sewer problem,” Bynum said.
The special meeting Monday night was to get the application in by a deadline of Tuesday, according to UG staff.
According to UG officials, after the application is submitted, the terms of a loan will be negotiated with the Environmental Protection Agency. The application includes stormwater, wastewater and street infrastructure projects.
UG staff members said the $130 million loan program would require a 51 percent match from the UG. There are many ways to match the loan dollars, including some in-kind work, according to staff. It would have low interest rates, and a 35-year repayment term, with repayment to start five years after construction on projects start.
The UG entered into a partial consent decree with the EPA in 2013 and created an overflow plan, according to staff.
Eight areas on the east side of Kansas City, Kansas, would be the sites for infrastructure projects, which historically have had stormwater problems. Such projects as separation of combined sewers, green infrastructure projects, curb and gutter repairs and bridge replacements could be included, according to UG staff. Stormwater work on the Leavenworth Road project also could be included.
The UG would want to maximize workforce partnerships with minority-owned and locally owned businesses, according to UG staff.
The project currently is in the early phases and would be moving into the third phase next, to determine its schedule, according to staff. By the fifth phase, they should get to loan approval, and partnering with the EPA on what should take place in the project, according to staff.
While the UG could do more with a change in its stormwater rate, the project is not dependent on the UG moving forward with a stormwater rate increase, according to UG staff, although it would become a more sustainable project. Some projects, such as Jersey Creek and the Argentine project, could be affected without a stormwater rate change, according to staff.
At the meeting, Commissioner Tom Burroughs, who supported the project, said he was surprised they still had $100,000 available for the application fee after they were told nothing was available.
Mayor Tyrone Garner asked UG staff for an explanation after he said they had been told that there was no money, deadlines had passed, but now they are finding out they can negotiate monies at a later date. How could everything be great now but they were in dire straits earlier, he asked. “I have an issue with that,” he said.
UG staff explained that there was never an issue with finding the $100,000 application fee, as it was set aside a couple years ago. Also, the previous administration wanted to pass a stormwater rate, according to staff. There was a sense of urgency presented because they wanted to tell the EPA what they were doing, and now they have an opportunity to negotiate, according to staff.
Garner said he supports the WIFIA program, and that he hoped in the future that the staff would get the information right. A deadline was presented, and now it has passed. He said he was perplexed as to misinformation that was presented to him and the commission.
“That is completely unacceptable, not just today but any time moving forward, when misinformation is given to this commission about millions of dollars that impact this community,” Garner said during the meeting.