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RUBA Status Report

Community: Nulato RUBA: No
Staff: Jeremy Johnson Agreement: No
DCA Region: Fairbanks Agreement Date:
Region: Interior Exp Date:
Govt Type(s): 2nd Class City
Borough: Unorganized Assessment Date:
Population: 264
Active Community: Yes Date Updated: 3/21/2013


Community Sanitation Overview: The City of Nulato operates two washeterias and a piped water system to a portion of the residents. Water is derived from a well near the mouth of the Nulato River, pumped two miles to a treatment plant in the Old Townsite, and pumped an additional 1.5 miles to a 129,000 gallon holding tank in the New Townsite. Water treatment is minimal. The Old Townsite Washeteria, constructed in 1974, utilizes an independent well (separate from the well used for the piped system). In addition to washers and dryers, the facility has showers and a community watering point; a new wastewater lagoon was completed in 2003. Approximately 30 homes in the Old Townsite lack piped water and wastewater service and the residents haul water from the watering point or the Nulato River, and use honey buckets or outhouses. The New Townsite Laundromat was constructed in 1988 and the piped water and wastewater system was constructed in 1996. Piped service is provided to approximately 57 paying customers. During the summer 2010 construction season, new service pipe was buried to vacant residential lots and five existing homes were connected.
RUBA Status and Activities This Quarter: Nulato does not have any RUBA funded water or wastewater projects, they are not a RUBA reportable community. The state has provided local government assistance this quarter via phone and email specific to the preparation and finalization of election procedures and general personnel issues. The city provided staff with a copy of the QuickBooks file and asked for a financial review. Fairbanks staff printed of specific reports and made notes, comments, and suggestions for the city. A letter was also provided to the bookkeeper and city highlights successes and only a few ares that may need some attention. Staff also worked with the bookkeeper over the phone on the process to enter the budget into QuickBooks. RUBA staff sent a letter to the city in May 2012 inquiring about a RUBA agreement, as there are no projects that require an agreement staff highlighted the benefits of an agreement. That letter was resent in February of 2013.

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.
Finances Comment: The city is in a good financial position. Income is below what was budgeted for this time period, specifically the Capital Grants (CDBG-Community Hall) and Service Fund Income (Nulato Life Project Grants) line item accounts. If the city is certain no more grant money will be received, a budget amendment can occur and reduce the budgeted income closer to what was actually received. Total expenses are below what was budgeted for, which is very good. The line item account, Insurance and Bonding went way over budget, it could be considered for an amendment. Travel and Per Diem and WS Parts/Supplies have also gone over budget. It is recommend to review each department that has a negative net income (the Down Town Laundromat for example) and do a general ledger adjustment to move money from a department with a positive net income. For example, move money from Admin (Community Revenue Sharing) or the Liquor Store, to the New Townsite Laundromat.

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.
Accounting Systems Comment: The city has good success with delinquent accounts by turning them over to Cornerstone Collection agency. The city uses QuickBooks and is successful with the accounting program.

Capacity Indicator: Tax Problems
Essential Indicators
Yes The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.
Yes The utility is current on filing tax reports.
Yes The utility is current on making tax deposits.
Yes 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.
Tax Problems Comment: The city is compliant with the IRS as of March 21, 2013. The city is compliant with the DOL.

Capacity Indicator: Personnel System
Essential Indicators
Yes The utility has a posted workers compensation insurance policy in effect.
Sustainable Indicators
Yes The utility has adopted and uses a Personnel Policy, which has been reviewed by an attorney, AML or Commerce for topics and language.
Yes The utility has adequate written job descriptions for all positions.
Yes The utility has adopted and follows a written personnel evaluation process that ties the job description to the evaluation.
Yes 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.
Yes The utility has a probationary period for new hires that includes orientation, job training/oversight, and evaluations.
Yes The utility provides training opportunities to staff as needed and available.
Personnel System Comment: The city has had a worker's compensation insurance policy in effect through AMLJIA, and March 12 verification proves the coverage. RUBA, city staff, and AMLJIA reviewed and updated the personnel manual in 2011, the recommended updates were presented to and adopted by the council. Job descriptions exist for every position; RUBA reviewed the descriptions and some minor updates were recommended. Letters of acceptance do not exist in every employees file. The city has fairly stable staff; the water operator has over 20 years experience, the city office staff comprises of three individuals with various lengths of employment ranging from four to one year.

Capacity Indicator: Organizational Management
Essential Indicators
Yes The entity that owns the utility is known; the entity that will operate the utility is set.
Yes The policy making body is active in policy making of the utility.
Yes The policy making body enforces utility policy.
Yes The utility has an adequately trained manager.
Yes The utility has an adequately trained bookkeeper.
Yes The utility has an adequately trained operator or operators.
Yes The utility has adopted the necessary ordinances (or rules and regulations) necessary to give it the authority to operate.
Sustainable Indicators
Yes The utility has adopted an organizational chart that reflects the current structure.
Yes The policy making body meets as required.
Yes The utility complies with the open meeting act for all meetings.
Organizational Management Comment: The city passed an ordinance providing the authority to own and operate the utility. The city council is the ultimate governing body for the utility. According to the city council meeting minutes they are active in policy making and enforcing existing policy. The manager and utility staff are adequate and perform their duties well. The city has an organizational chart in the standard chart format and it also has the chain of command in a text document; the mayor is the manager and there are so few employees that all employees are directly under the supervision of the mayor. The council meets every month and the meetings conform to the open meetings act.

Capacity Indicator: Operation of Utility
Essential Indicators
Yes The utility operator(s) are actively working towards necessary certification.
Yes The utility has a preventative maintenance plan developed for the existing sanitation facilities.
Sustainable Indicators
Yes 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.
Yes The utility has a safety manual and holds safety meetings.
Yes Utility facilities have not suffered any major problems/outages due to management issues that are unresolved.
Yes The utility is operating at the level of service that was proposed.
Yes The operator provides status reports to the manager on a routine basis.
Yes The utility has completed and distributed its "Consumer Confidence Report".
Yes 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.
Operation of Utility Comment: The water plant operator, Greg Patsy, is current on his certifications and, based on the physical appearance of the document, the operator uses the preventative maintenance plan. Copies of the cover and title pages were made and RUBA staff reviewed the manuals. The water plant operator provides a daily activity log to the mayor and council member. The city clerk attends AMLJIA safety meetings and at the monthly employee meetings presents the topics. The utility has been operating at the level provided and is not suffering any outages. A copy of the last CCR was made and the utility is not on the most current, January 2013, SNC list. RUBA staff met with the operator to try and determine if lists of inventory or spare parts were used but the operator did not have any such list. He indicated that he has a good idea of inventory in his head but conceded that in his absence others would be at a disadvantage.


RUBA Activities for the Coming Quarter: Offer assistance as needed. Continue to train the newly hired city clerk in a local government capacity. The city and LGS staff have a good working relationship.