Heuvelton eyes loan for sewer project

HEUVELTON — The village of Heuvelton will pursue a loan through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development office to move forward with its $3 million sewer project.

The board voted unanimously to pay engineering firm Burley-Guminiak & Associates $800 to file a grant application for a 30-year interest-free loan to pay for improvements to the village sewer collection system and other areas that need to be addressed.

The board's decision does not commit the town to the $3 million project.

"Right now, a window of opportunity exists with extra money out there," Development Authority of the North Country representative Carrie A. Tuttle said. "Rural Development is the best deal you are going to find right now because they have removed their $500,000 cap on projects, but that probably won't last."

The village's application has a good chance of being approved, Ms. Tuttle said, because of its earlier investments in the sewer project, which included the newly modified waste water treatment plant. Studies performed during the early stages of that project included other areas of the sewer system, which allows the board to bypass studies that would otherwise be necessary to receive funding.

Deputy Mayor Michael P. Hebert expressed concerns that even if the village was approved for such a loan, the $3 million would be too expensive for village taxpayers.

"I just don't really see that kind of money freeing up anytime soon," he said.