President’s Message

Happy New Year!!

Hard to believe it is 2018 already. If you make New Year’s Resolutions, please add: “Saving Water is still OK.”

While the meteorologists continue to debate over El Nino and La Nina, I would offer that it is still OK to CONSERVE. Planning now for water later is a good thing.

The December Board meeting was full of updates over the progress of the “Project” which is the continuing roll‐out of the USDA Loan.

Engineering teams are working their way through BLS, plotting the positioning and placement of the ‘lateral’, which is the connection from the service line that is in the utility right‐of‐way to your property and thus the meter box.

You are encouraged, in the strongest terms, to call/visit the Water Company Business Office, again next to the Firehouse or Post Office, to alert us if you want the placement of the lateral, and hence the meter/water box on your property in a different location, than the engineers have selected. We are doing our best to yield to the homeowner on this matter; but, we must know of your preference. We will also insure that the repositioning is in keeping with our overall mission.

Construction and the actual digging should start by June 2018 at the latest and will continue until mid/end 2019.

In keeping with the construction, the Board of Directors discussed the development of two programs that are connected to the Project.

At the Town Hall meeting in November 2017, there were two items touched on: Assisting those that cannot afford the financial outlay for the relocation of their water line; and, the possibility of a Rebate to those who are mandated to move their water access from the rear of the property to the front.

Let me discuss the Rebate Program:

After a long discussion, it was agreed to revisit the Rebate portion after all major construction is completed. This is a practical move as it defers the expenditure of our reserves, which may come into play during or soon after construction. This is purely precautionary. In fact, it makes profound sense.

As to the option of the Water Company offering a loan program, the Board directed the Chair, the General Manager and Board Counsel to develop a program that would allow the homeowner to cover the cost of the water line relocation, with a very low interest, short term loan that could be repaid monthly. There are some stipulations however. The homeowner must agree to complete the project within a few months of eligibility and agree to use a licensed plumbing contractor.

The looming unknown at this point is: How much does it cost to relocate the service line? Any specific number focus would be guesswork, as every lot is a bit different. As the Project continues, we will be in better position to answer that question.

Meanwhile this committee created by the Board is putting the loan program together.

As progress on the Project continues, I would encourage you to track the events by reading the Bubbler and visiting our website: www.blsmwc.com

We are in the early stages of posting our Board meetings on‐line, on video. Thus, you can sit in the warmth of your residence and watch the Board meeting.

I can promise you will find the meeting interesting and get a first‐hand sense of how business is taken care of.

Remember: Call about your lateral line preference!!

Remember: CONSERVATION is still OK!!

A quick reminder: You can now pay your annual water bill on your favorite credit card and best of all there is NO conveyance fee.

What a great deal!

Enjoy the New Year!
Bob Maginnis
Board President