The Town of Portland has approved an intermunicipal agreement to split the responsibility for maintaining its own system with the Village of Brocton. However, the Village of Brocton elected not to approve the agreement at its regular monthly meeting in August because of various concerns from Trustees Ed Bellando and Drew Ransom.

At the August meeting in Brocton, Ransom said, “I understand why Portland is quick to jump onboard. It seems like Brocton has a lot of responsibility here.”

Instead, the Village called for a special meeting two weeks later to discuss the agreement, among other matters, once their concerns could be answered. However, that special meeting was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.

“I’m not sure what they are doing. In case they decide not to (approve the agreement) we will probably have to call a special board meeting later this month, because we’re going to have to really start making some plans for ourselves if that’s the case,” Town of Portland Supervisor Rich Lewis said. “I’m hoping they accept it.”

Brocton Village Trustee Ed Bellando

In search of answers, Bellando attended the regular monthly Portland Town Board meeting. Bellando arrived after the public comment portion of the meeting had passed, but Lewis made an exception to open the floor again for Bellando to comment near the end of the meeting.

Bellando first asked the Board how much it looked into the agreement before it was approved, stating, “I see a lot of holes in that.”

Under the terms approved by Portland, each municipality would contribute $150,000 as start-up funds, consisting of three $50,000 payments upon the advice of the Town’s accountant.

The agreement would utilize water funds from each municipality that already exist and/or will be generated through consumption. No funds will be allocated from the general fund balance of either municipality.

“It’s going to fund itself. It has in the past — it has in Portland and it has in Brocton,” Lewis said.

The water system would be managed by an oversight committee, consisting of two members from each municipality. The Town Board and the Village Board would have final approval of all major decisions, such as water rates.

Lewis, who also works as the Wastewater Treatment Supervisor for the Village of Brocton, stated that the members of the oversight committee would be appointed by each municipality’s Board.

“I don’t want Portland to say ‘we’re running the water’ and I don’t want Brocton to say ‘we’re running the water.’ If this is a combined system, we’re going to be together and we’re going to work together,” Lewis said. “We’re going to be equal partners on this. That’s how it was brought up and presented.”

Bellando also asked how many hydrants exist in each municipality, to which Lewis responded that an answer to that question was provided to Village Attorney Peter Clark and Mayor Craig Miller on Sept. 4, among other responses he also provided.

Lewis stated that there are 70 hydrants in Brocton and 171 hydrants in Portland. Hydrants are flushed, serviced, and tested once each year. Lewis stated the process takes approximately 30 minutes unless an issue is uncovered.

In terms of miles of water lines, Portland has approximately 28 miles, while Brocton has 11. The most recent water line issue was located in Portland, but Lewis stated the majority of the recent breaks were in Brocton.

The original proposal of the agreement was determined by water usage, of which the two municipalities have nearly an even split. Lewis stated that Portland has 752 customers, with approximately 300 being seasonal customers located mostly along the shores of Lake Erie in areas such as Van Buren Point. While Brocton has 589 customers, two sizable customers are Star Apartments — featuring 42 residential apartments — and the Lakeview Shock Correctional Facility, which houses more than 500 incarcerated individuals and more than 100 staff members per day.

Lewis further credited the Town of Portland for its investment in the necessary infrastructure needed to make an agreement work for both sides, including a master meter costing approximately $100,000 and an excavator of over $100,000 that is going to be used primarily for water in both districts.

“If Brocton decides they want to do all this on their own, good luck,” Lewis said.

In terms of another water issue in the Town of Portland, the Water District 2 project has surpassed its substantial completion mark and is approaching full completion. Work has been completed in Van Buren Point, despite several residents threatening litigation because the work is not up to their expectations. Lewis stated he was pleased with the project’s “extensive” pre-construction documentation, which he believes will benefit the Town should any resident pursue litigation.