More than just pavement

By: 
Kasey Drummond

Municipal Infrastructure Costs Per Block:

A block is equal to 400 feet. The dollar figures proposed were collected from multiple cities in Wyoming. The costs vary based upon the street classification- residential or commercial per block:
•Street Lighting $7,500 to $20,000
• Landscaping $10,000 to $75,000
• Electrical $12,000 to $16,000
• Telecommunications $5,000 to $12,000
• Gas $34,5000
• Storm Drainage $28,000 to $76,000
• Water $37,000 to $82,500
• Sewer $55,000 to $91,000
• Sidewalks $16,000 to $51,000
• Curb & Gutter $35,000
• Pavement
1) Asphalt $50,000 to $85,000
2) Concrete $84,000 to $117,000

Enterprise Accounts:

By Wyoming State Statute all water and sewer funds must be self-sufficient and used strictly for maintenance of the water and sewer utility systems.

Which means all utility payments received on a monthly basis for water and sewer go directly into their Enterprise Accounts. These accounts must be self-funding and the general funds can not be used for maintenance of the utility infrastructure.

Utility Increases:

The Town of Glenrock is going to be presenting the second reading of Ordinance Numbers 700 and 701, pertaining to rate increases for water and sewer. Why does the town need to increase the
rates? The Enterprise Accounts must be able to be self-funding and pay for routine and emergency maintenance of the utilities.

The Town has been fortunate to receive grant funding to help afford emergency repairs of the utilities; however, the State will not look favorably upon any municipality that does not charge sufficient fees that will address the necessary maintenance and repairs of the municipal water and sewer infrastructure.

Repairs:

The Town of Glenrock is in a position of much needed infrastructure upgrade, improvement and repair. Throughout town, there is blocks of clay pipe and cast iron water lines that are in great need of replacement. This year’s infrastructure projects include Center Street, North 4th Street and Platte Street with new water, sewer, storm drains, curb & gutter, sidewalks and street replacement, which comes to approximately $1.8 million. Anotherbig project that is hopeful for this coming year is pipe bursting between the homes located on Grant Avenue and First Street. Pipe bursting is an alternative method of sewer pipe replacement because there is no alley. These two sewer lines that span between Grove Street and Young Blvd. has an estimated cost of $560,000. Glenrock Public Works Department has been replacing meter pits as well. The budget calls for 35 meter pits per year at an estimated cost of $900 per meter pit.

Funding:

The repairs listed above must come from the Enterprise Accounts and any available grant funding that Glenrock is able to obtain.

The municipal codes are available for review by the public and are located at Town Hall or online at: www.glenrock.org

Please send questions to Kasey Drummond, Glenrock Community Development Director, at 436-9294, ext 5 or email to: kdrummond@ glenrock.org

(Information for this article came from Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM), Wyoming State Statutes and Glenrock Public Works Department.)

Category:

Glenrock Independent

Physical Address:506 W. Birch, Glenrock, WY 82637 Mailing Address: PO Box 109, Douglas, WY 82633 Phone: (307) 436-2211

The Glenrock Independent is located in the Bronco Building

Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday - 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Subscriber Login