The city of Fort Morgan, Colorado plans to spend millions on its own utilities. The City Council passed the budget for 2018 just before the new year, which included funds for utilities in the enterprise funds.
The city’s utilities get revenues from fees charged for maintaining related infrastructure and for services.
Fort Morgan’s Water Fund budget includes $6.3 million in expenses and a projected $8.24 million in revenue. Water distribution and treatment will be included in the Water Fund budget.
Water distribution will account for $2.4 million of the Water Fund budget, which is lower than the $2.05 million spent in 2017 and the $3.92 million spent in 2016. The city will spend about $500,000 on replacing water meters and $140,000 to maintain meters. Well maintenance will cost about $145,000. The budget also includes a transfer out of around $240,000 for admin support.
Water treatment will account for about $3.91 million of the Water Fund budget, which is lower than the $4.31 million spent in 2017. NISP participation fees are up this year, and will cost the city $720,000.
The city plans to spend $200,000 on pipeline assessments and $260,000 on treatment chemicals. Another $3,500 will be spent on education and training. The city will also spend $280,000 to participate in Norther Water’s building of an eastern pump for the line that carries C-BT water into Fort Morgan.
The Sewer Fund will total around $2.85 million this year, and is projected to generate an equal amount of revenue. Revenue will come mainly from city residents, but some residents in rural areas are also connected.
Sewer and wastewater collection will be part of the Sewer Fund. Expenses will total around $1.36 million this year, higher than the $1.07 million spent in 2017. The city will spend $145,000 on maintaining the collection system. Sewer main replacements will cost $300,000. Another $250,000 will be spent on sewer camera inspection equipment and a van.
The Wastewater Treatment Plan budget will include $1.5 million in expenses, up from $1.3 million in 2017. The bulk of the budget will include around $311,000 in salaries. Another $250,000 will be used to replace the east bar screen in the plant. About $175,000 will be spent on disaster aeration piping.
The city’s sanitation fund will account for $1.15 million in expenses on about $1.21 million in revenue. Nearly all of the revenue will come from trash service charges.
Expenses include $320,000 in landfill fees, about $198,000 in admin support, $60,000 for vehicle maintenance and another $40,000 for new trash containers.
The Gas Fund has a budget that includes $4.4 million in expenses and $4.93 million in revenue. About $450,000 will be spent on admin support and another $900,000 on in-lieu of taxes costs. About $2.26 million will be spent on purchasing natural gas.
The Conservation Trust, which derives its revenue from the Colorado Lottery funds, is projecting $100,000 in revenues and around $160,000 in expenses. Expenses include $50,000 for playground equipment, $105,000 for a new restroom in the park and about $5,000 for a new mower for the parks department.
