RUBA Community Status Report

Community Name: Aniak


Community:

 Aniak

RUBA:

 Yes

Staff:

 Fred Broerman

Agreement:

 No

DCA Region:

 Bethel

Agreement Date:

Region:

 Lower Kuskokwim

Exp Date:

Govt Type(s):

 2nd Class City

Borough:

Assessment Date:

Population:

 539

Active Community:

 Yes

Date Updated:

 6/18/2013


Community Sanitation Overview:

Nearly all of Aniak's residences and commercial establishments have their own wells which are maintained by owners, so the city has no water plant. However, the City of Aniak does own and operate the community's piped wastewater system, which has six lift stations and provides service for about 195 residential and 12 commercial customers. The wastewater system on the city's north side was built in the mid 1980s. Most of the infrastructure on the south side of the city's airport was built between 2003 through 2010. The city has problems with customers not paying for the piped wastewater service. Collecting on outstanding accounts is hampered because the wastewater system does not have individual customer shut-offs, so service for delinquent customers cannot be shut off. Village Safe Water has provided balloon-like rubber bladders that can be put into service line clean-outs. When the bladders are inflated with air, they prevent the flow of wastewater in service lines. However, in many situations on the north side (older section) of town there may be only one clean-out on a line that provides service to multiple customers. In such instances, a whole drilled through the side of service line (just before it enters the building) and filled with spray foam would block wastewater flow and 'shut off' a non-paying customer. However, provisions need to be adopted into city code that specifies that customers pay for expensive reconnection costs.

RUBA Status
and Activities
this Quarter:

From April 2-4, 2013 Bethel RUBA staff visited Aniak and assisted the city's administrative staff with improving their monthly financial report. Bethel staff also attended a city council meeting and was asked to give an overview of the RUBA program and a summary of the work done during the visit. Their are no water or waste water construction projects for the city in the near future. However, the mayor indicated that the city might be interested in a RUBA assessment within the next year or so. On April 12 and June 7, 2013 Bethel RUBA staff sent the city information on the steps it could take to garnish Permanent Fund Dividends of wastewater customers delinquent in paying for city services. In past years, under different council leadership, the city did not responded to Bethel regional office requests for documents needed to evaluate the utility's compliance with RUBA indicators.
 

Capacity Indicator: Finances

Essential Indicators:

No

All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the utility budget.
No

The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget.
No

Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board.
No

The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills.
No

The utility has on hand a year's adequate fuel supply or it has a financial plan to purchase an adequate supply.
No

The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources) sufficient to cover operating expenses.

Sustainable Indicators:

No

The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources sufficient to cover operating expenses and Repair & Replacement (R) costs.
No

YTD revenues are at a level equal to or above those budgeted.
No

YTD expenditures are at a level equal to or below those budgeted.
No

A monthly manager's report is prepared.
No

Budget amendments are completed and adopted as necessary.

Comment:

The city has not responded to RUBA staff requests for documents necessary to determine essential and sustainable indicator compliance. On October 2, 2012 the city received a DCRA Bridge Loan to pay for its heating fuel for the winter of 2012/2013.
 

Capacity Indicator: Accounting Systems

Essential Indicators:

No

The utility has adopted a collection policy and actively follows it.
No

The utility bills customers on a regular basis.
No

An accounts receivable system is in place which tracks customers and reports past due accounts and amounts.
No

An accounts payable system is in place.
No

The payroll system correctly calculates payroll and keeps records.
No

A cash receipt system is in place that records incoming money and how it was spent.
No

The utility has a cash disbursement system that records how money was spent.

Sustainable Indicators:

No

A chart of accounts is used that identifies categories in a reasonable, usable manner.
No

Monthly bank reconciliations have been completed for all utility accounts.
No

The utility has a purchasing system that requires approval prior to purchase, and the approval process compares proposed purchases to budgeted amounts.

Comment:

The city has not responded to RUBA staff requests for documents necessary to determine essential and sustainable indicator compliance.
 

Capacity Indicator: Tax Problems

Essential Indicators:

Yes

The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.
No

The utility is current on filing tax reports.
No

The utility is current on making tax deposits.
N/A

If there are any past due tax liabilities or recorded tax liens, a lien release has been issued or a repayment agreement has been signed and repayments are current.

Comment:

The city uses QuickBooks to track payroll taxes. Email correspondence with the Alaska Department of Labor dated March 20, 2013, indicated the city is current with its employment security compensation tax payments and deposits through December 31, 2012. However,the city did not fill out and submit an Authorization to Request Federal Tax Information form to the Bethel RUBA office that was emailed to them on December 18, 2012. Therefore, it could not be determined if the city is current on its federal tax filings and payments for 2008 through 2012, therefore due to the unknown status of the city's federal taxes, two of the 'Tax Problems' essential indicators were marked 'No'. The city is not listed on the March - April 2013, LIEN WATCH: A Review of Small Community Liens.

 

Capacity Indicator: Personnel System

Essential Indicators:

Yes

The utility has a posted workers compensation insurance policy in effect.

Sustainable Indicators:

No

The utility has adopted and uses a Personnel Policy, which has been reviewed by an attorney, AML or Commerce for topics and language.
No

The utility has adequate written job descriptions for all positions.
No

The utility has adopted and follows a written personnel evaluation process that ties the job description to the evaluation.
No

The utility has an adequate written hiring process.
No

The utility has personnel folders on every employee that contain at least: I-9, Job Application and Letter of Acceptance.
No

The utility has a probationary period for new hires that includes orientation, job training/oversight, and evaluations.
No

The utility provides training opportunities to staff as needed and available.

Comment:

Proof of the workers' compensation insurance coverage was verified for the city on the State of Alaska's Department of Labor's Worker's Compensation website on June 17, 2013. The city has not responded to RUBA staff requests for documents necessary to determine essential and sustainable indicator compliance.

 

Capacity Indicator: Organizational Management

Essential Indicators:

No

The entity that owns the utility is known; the entity that will operate the utility is set.
No

The policy making body is active in policy making of the utility.
No

The policy making body enforces utility policy.
No

The utility has an adequately trained manager.
No

The utility has an adequately trained bookkeeper.
No

The utility has an adequately trained operator or operators.
No

The utility has adopted the necessary ordinances (or rules and regulations) necessary to give it the authority to operate.

Sustainable Indicators:

No

The utility has adopted an organizational chart that reflects the current structure.
No

The policy making body meets as required.
No

The utility complies with the open meeting act for all meetings.

Comment:

The city has not responded to RUBA staff requests for documents necessary to determine essential and sustainable indicator compliance.
 

Capacity Indicator: Operation of Utility

Essential Indicators:

No

The utility operator(s) are actively working towards necessary certification.
No

The utility has a preventative maintenance plan developed for the existing sanitation facilities.

Sustainable Indicators:

No

The manager receives a monthly O&M report from the utility operator and routinely "spot checks" the facilities to see that the maintenance items are being completed.
No

The utility has a safety manual and holds safety meetings.
No

Utility facilities have not suffered any major problems/outages due to management issues that are unresolved.
No

The utility is operating at the level of service that was proposed.
No

The operator provides status reports to the manager on a routine basis.
N/A

The utility has completed and distributed its "Consumer Confidence Report".
N/A

The utility is not on the "Significant Non-Complier" (SNC) list.
No

The utility maintains an inventory control list.
No

The utility maintains a critical spare parts list.

Comment:

The city has not responded to RUBA staff requests for documents necessary to determine essential and sustainable indicator compliance.

RUBA Activities for the Coming Quarter:

RUBA staff will continue to initiate efforts to assist the city in meeting RUBA compliance.