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:

Piped utility services have been available in Tanacross since 1976. Water is treated, stored in a 25,000-gal. tank, and piped to most homes. Some residents have individual wells. A piped sewage and septic system serve approximately half of the community; individual septic tanks are also used. Funds have been requested to replace seven failing individual septic tanks with a piped central septic system. The landfill is not permitted. Electricity is provided by Alaska Power and Telephone from Tok.

RUBA Status
and Activities
this Quarter:

In Februray, Fairbanks RUBA staff traveled to Tanacross to work with the village administrator and grant administrator on addressing deficient RUBA sustainable indicators. RUBA staff discussed the importance of completing budget amendments. Tanacross staff provided copies of the utility's Consumer Confidence Report and critical spare parts list which corrected two deficient sustainable indicators.

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:

Fairbanks RUBA staff confirmed the village has a realistic budget with a line item for the utility. The council receives monthly reports prepared by the administrator. The utility is current in paying the bills and they have fuel on hand, it ordered from a Tok supplier. The utility is receiving revenue that covers operating costs. The utility receives revenues for repair and replacement costs, they have YTD revenues and expenditures at the budgeted levels. The manager prepares a monthly report for the council meetings. The budget amendments are not completed as of yet.

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:

Tanacross Tribal Council has a collection policy in place and actively follows the policy; they bill customers regularly for the services they provide. QuickBooks is used to track the accounts receivable for the utility and report past due amounts. The utility has an accounts payable system in place; they pay a bill as soon as they receive it. The utility has an accurate payroll system in place that calculates and records the payments to employees. The utility records money in a receipt book, it gets used mainly for the change used in the washateria. The utility needs to work on creating a cash disbursement system that records how things are spent. The manager does the bank reconciliations every month. The utility does not currently have a written purchasing policy in place.

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 Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service have deemed the utility compliant with tax reporting and deposit requirements.

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 utility has a worker's compensation insurance policy in place through Alaska National Insurance Group and is current until October 2013. The utility has a personnel policy in place and has well written job descriptions. The utility has adopted a written evaluation policy process that uses the job description to assist the evaluation. The utility has a written hiring policy and they keep folders for each employee having the necessary documents in it. The tribal administrator informed RUBA staff of a probationary period for employees as well as having job training and evaluations. The utility also provides training opportunities for the staff members.

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 tribal council is well known as the entity that owns and operates the utility. The council is active and makes policy for the utility. The council also enforces the policy that is made. The manager, bookkeeper, and operators are adequately trained and actively pursue further trainings to keep up to date. The utility has a ordinance in place that gives the community the necessary authority to operate. The utility has an organizational chart that reflects the current structure of the lines of authority in the community. The policy making body meets as required.

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:

The utility operators have their certifications, which expire in 2014. The utility has a preventative maintenance plan in place. The manager (also one of the utility operators) gets reports on the utility operations and performs spot checks on the important pieces of equipment. The utility has safety manuals and holds safety meetings. The utility has not suffered any major outage due to lack of management. The utility currently operates at level that is satisfactory. The manager is also an operator; any issues that may arise are immediately known and reported. The utility has not issued a CCR report this year, currently it is being written. The utility is not on the Significant Non-Compliance list as of January 2013. The utility does not have an inventory list or a critical spare parts list in place.

RUBA Activities for the Coming Quarter:

Fairbanks RUBA staff will remain in contact with the village to assist in training for the new programs that are being launched. A new card reader system for the electric utility is set to be installed this summer, helping maintain a good cash flow for the city fuel expenses and debts, which is used to fund the washateria expenses. The village will require training in May to set up a better accounting system in the village itself, currently the system is in place at a firm in Fairbanks. RUBA staff will remain in contact with the village to assist as requested.