From The Pagosa Sun (Randi Pierce):
At its meeting on Dec. 13, the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD) Board of Directors approved the district’s 2019 budget.
The three members of the board present — Jim Smith, Glenn Walsh and Gordon McIver — unanimously approved the document.
“The Final Budget, presented for discussion, meets debt service requirements; projects improved but moderate growth and reflects the increased service charges prescribed by the Stantec Rate Study,” an agenda summary sheet on the budget states.
“It’s a great budget,” Walsh said, adding later, “Great job.”
For the General Fund, the bud- get estimates revenues totaling $1,953,015 and expenditures of $1,117,436.
For the Debt Service Fund, esti- mated revenues are $1,213,490 and expenditures are $1,182,826.
For the Water Enterprise Fund, budgeted revenues are $11,876,559, while budgeted expenditures are $5,922,874.
For the Wastewater Enterprise Fund, estimated revenues total $5,527,668, while estimated expen- ditures total $2,434,229.
Before its approval, Comptroller Aaron Burns outlined the changes in the budget since the draft was presented in the fall:
• The San Juan water treatment plant’s UV project, at a cost of $706,000, is completely funded without debt.
• The budget for line replacement increased to $350,000.
• There was a $7,000 decrease to the budget for large maintenance
• The budget for capital decreased by $14,000.
• Water rate revenues were brought more in line with history since 2018 was a drought year.Walsh also pointed out that the deficit is down in the General Fund, as well as the fact that there are no cost-of-living adjustments, fewer employees and merit-based in- creases.
According to the agenda summary sheet, the operating budget includes 27 full-time equivalents for 2019.