RUBA Community Status Report

Community:

RUBA:

Staff:

Agreement:

DCA Region:

Agreement Date:

Region:

Exp Date:

Govt Type(s):

Borough:

Assessment Date:

Population:

Active Community:

Date Updated:

Community Sanitation Overview:

Water is derived from a well near the Fish River and is treated. All households and facilities are connected to the piped water and wastewater system. The school was completed in August 2009 and is connected to the city's water and wastewater system. The city has requested funding to relocate the landfill; the current site is not permitted. The city is waiting for the village corporation to transfer the 1280 acres that will become the city's land. Until this transfer is completed, the location of a new landfill site cannot be determined.

RUBA Status
and Activities
this Quarter:

The RUBA staff had very limited contact with the utility clerk during this quarter. RUBA staff contacted the utility clerk to see if she would be willing to take on-site basic Quickbooks training with a Quickbooks contractor hired by the RUBA Program. Although the utility clerk is proficient with Quickbooks, she just wanted to get basic some issues in her Quickbooks fixed up. It was found out that the contractor is completely booked up for the rest of the year. We are on the reserve list for now.

Capacity Indicator: Finances

Essential Indicators:

All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the utility budget.

The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget.

Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board.

The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills.

The utility has on hand a year's adequate fuel supply or it has a financial plan to purchase an adequate supply.

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

Sustainable Indicators:

The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources sufficient to cover operating expenses and Repair & Replacement (R) costs.

YTD revenues are at a level equal to or above those budgeted.

YTD expenditures are at a level equal to or below those budgeted.

A monthly manager's report is prepared.

Budget amendments are completed and adopted as necessary.

Comment:

All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the FY13 utility budget. The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget. Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board. The utility is current to March, 2013 with the monthly financial reports. The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills. The city has adequate fuel. The year-to-date finances are: Revenues: $87,513; and the expenditures are: $99,078. The city council will be revising some of the FY '13 budget figures to reflect some changes that occurred during this fiscal year.

Capacity Indicator: Accounting Systems

Essential Indicators:

The utility has adopted a collection policy and actively follows it.

The utility bills customers on a regular basis.

An accounts receivable system is in place which tracks customers and reports past due accounts and amounts.

An accounts payable system is in place.

The payroll system correctly calculates payroll and keeps records.

A cash receipt system is in place that records incoming money and how it was spent.

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

Sustainable Indicators:

A chart of accounts is used that identifies categories in a reasonable, usable manner.

Monthly bank reconciliations have been completed for all utility accounts.

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

Comment:

The utility has adopted a collection policy and actively follows it. The utility bills customers on a regular basis. An accounts receivable system is in place which tracks customers and reports past due accounts and amounts. An accounts payable system is in place. The payroll system correctly calculates payroll and keeps records. A cash receipt system is in place that records incoming money and how it was spent. The utility has a cash disbursement system that records how money was spent.

Capacity Indicator: Tax Problems

Essential Indicators:

The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.

The utility is current on filing tax reports.

The utility is current on making tax deposits.

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 utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities. IRS and Department of Labor has reported the utility is current on filing tax reports and making tax deposits. The utilities uses Quickbooks to accurately calculate, track and make payroll tax reports.

Capacity Indicator: Personnel System

Essential Indicators:

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

Sustainable Indicators:

The utility has adopted and uses a Personnel Policy, which has been reviewed by an attorney, AML or Commerce for topics and language.

The utility has adequate written job descriptions for all positions.

The utility has adopted and follows a written personnel evaluation process that ties the job description to the evaluation.

The utility has an adequate written hiring process.

The utility has personnel folders on every employee that contain at least: I-9, Job Application and Letter of Acceptance.

The utility has a probationary period for new hires that includes orientation, job training/oversight, and evaluations.

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

Comment:

The workers compensation insurance is purchased through Alaska Municipal League Joint Insurance Association and valid until July 1, 2013. The Notice of Insurance is posted in plain view in the city office. The city has a comprehensive personnel policy. The city personnel system is designed to ensure that employment with the city and its public utilities are in accordance with the code of ordinances. Recruitment, selection, advancement, and retention of employees are based upon merit. The utility has personnel folders on every employee but none of them have an Form I-9. The utility clerk reported that people in rural Alaska often cannot obtain identification documents, such as a social security card, driver license or passport, because of the high cost associated with travel to cities where such documents could be obtained. In the absence of any such documents, people are not able to start the process of getting identification. To comply with the Form I-9, employees need to provide such documents. In the past, RUBA staff recommended the utility update its written job description for all positions. The utility clerk made the necessary updates and asked the city council to review and adopt the new job descriptions. The utility clerk attends and takes classes to improve on her work performance. The city council is in the process of revising it code of ordinances, including the personnel policies. The changes will be mainly formating.

Capacity Indicator: Organizational Management

Essential Indicators:

The entity that owns the utility is known; the entity that will operate the utility is set.

The policy making body is active in policy making of the utility.

The policy making body enforces utility policy.

The utility has an adequately trained manager.

The utility has an adequately trained bookkeeper.

The utility has an adequately trained operator or operators.

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

Sustainable Indicators:

The utility has adopted an organizational chart that reflects the current structure.

The policy making body meets as required.

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

Comment:

The entity that owns the utility is known and is active in policy making of the utility. The utility has an adequately trained manager, operator, and bookkeeper. The utility has adopted the necessary ordinances to give it the authority to operate. The utility clerk continues to work part-time as she has come back from an extended leave of absence. The utility clerk is now back at work full time.

Capacity Indicator: Operation of Utility

Essential Indicators:

The utility operator(s) are actively working towards necessary certification.

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

Sustainable Indicators:

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.

The utility has a safety manual and holds safety meetings.

Utility facilities have not suffered any major problems/outages due to management issues that are unresolved.

The utility is operating at the level of service that was proposed.

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

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

The utility is not on the "Significant Non-Complier" (SNC) list.

The utility maintains an inventory control list.

The utility maintains a critical spare parts list.

Comment:

According to the Division of Water Alaska Certified Water/Wastewater Operator Database, the backup operator has a Water Distribution Provisional and Water Treatment Provisional certificate that will expire December 2014. The utility has a preventative maintenance plan developed for the existing sanitation facilities.

RUBA Activities for the Coming Quarter:

RUBA staff will work with the city council and administration to update and revision of the city's code of ordinances, including the water and wastewater ordinance. The city council just wants a generic code and not make any major changes except for reformatting the ordinances.