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RUBA Status Report

Community: Brevig Mission RUBA: Yes
Staff: Leroy Seppilu Agreement: No
DCA Region: Nome Agreement Date:
Region: Bering Straits Exp Date:
Govt Type(s): 2nd Class City
Borough: Unorganized Assessment Date: 8/17/2011
Population: 358
Active Community: Yes Date Updated: 4/2/2013


Community Sanitation Overview: Brevig Mission completed construction of a 4-phase, $8.5 million piped water and wastewater system and new landfill in November 2002. The water and wastewater system is rated as Class A. Water is supplied from Shelmon Creek and is treated and stored in a 100,000-gallon tank at the washeteria. The tank is filled monthly. Water is piped into the school from the washeteria.
RUBA Status and Activities This Quarter: The city council acts as the policy making body of the water and wastewater department. The regular municipal election that was to be held on December 31, 2013 was not certified by the city council acting as a canvass committee due to electioneering by a voter and the polling place. He apparently was urging voters to vote for a certain write-in candidates. The outcome was significantly affected so the city clerk recommended to the canvass committee not to certify the election results. At the recommendations of the RUBA staff, the city council approved to have a special election held on March 22, 2013. The election was successfully held and certified. The newly elected council members were sworn in and the city council was to organize and select a mayor and other officers on April 1, 2013. RUBA staff worked with the election supervisor and election judges through out the day answering on election procedures. There was one absentee ballot cast and one questioned ballot cast. RUBA staff walked through election procedures with the city clerk on both of them with the city clerk.

Capacity Indicator: Finances
Essential Indicators
No All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the utility budget.
No The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget.
No Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board.
No The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills.
No The utility has on hand a year's adequate fuel supply or it has a financial plan to purchase an adequate supply.
No The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources) sufficient to cover operating expenses.
Sustainable Indicators
No The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources sufficient to cover operating expenses and Repair & Replacement (R) costs.
No YTD revenues are at a level equal to or above those budgeted.
No YTD expenditures are at a level equal to or below those budgeted.
Yes A monthly manager's report is prepared.
No Budget amendments are completed and adopted as necessary.
Finances Comment: The city still has not done anything at all about the mounting financial issues it continues to face. All finances,including the water and wastewater department, in the city are handled by the city bookkeeper. The city council hired a new city bookkeeper and placed the previous one as the alternate city bookkeeper. There are no monthly financial reports made. The city has been able to avert having its electricity to the water and wastewater treatment plants shut off due to non-payment of the electricity bills. Last year, the city ordered less than adequate supply of fuel to run the water and wastewater treatment plants. The operators stated last year that they need at least another five thousand gallons to last through the winter and until the summer when fuel delivery season starts. The department is still operating at a huge deficit.

Capacity Indicator: Accounting Systems
Essential Indicators
Yes The utility has adopted a collection policy and actively follows it.
Yes The utility bills customers on a regular basis.
Yes An accounts receivable system is in place which tracks customers and reports past due accounts and amounts.
Yes An accounts payable system is in place.
Yes The payroll system correctly calculates payroll and keeps records.
Yes A cash receipt system is in place that records incoming money and how it was spent.
Yes The utility has a cash disbursement system that records how money was spent.
Sustainable Indicators
Yes A chart of accounts is used that identifies categories in a reasonable, usable manner.
Yes Monthly bank reconciliations have been completed for all utility accounts.
Yes The utility has a purchasing system that requires approval prior to purchase, and the approval process compares proposed purchases to budgeted amounts.
Accounting Systems Comment: The city uses Intuit's Quickbooks software program for billing water and wastewater billing. The city bills all the water and wastewater customers on monthly basis, according to the city's water and wastewater ordinance. The new bookkeeper has some experience with using Quickbooks and has the alternate bookkeeper assist him with using it as needed. All receivable revenues and payables are recorded when received and spent.

Capacity Indicator: Tax Problems
Essential Indicators
No The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.
No The utility is current on filing tax reports.
No The utility is current on making tax deposits.
No If there are any past due tax liabilities or recorded tax liens, a lien release has been issued or a repayment agreement has been signed and repayments are current.
Tax Problems Comment: The city continues to have past due tax liability issues. For last year, the city submitted only one quarterly tax report but with no payment. RUBA staff had the city negotiate and keep current with its quarterly tax reports and payments, but was not followed as recommended by RUBA staff.

Capacity Indicator: Personnel System
Essential Indicators
No The utility has a posted workers compensation insurance policy in effect.
Sustainable Indicators
Yes The utility has adopted and uses a Personnel Policy, which has been reviewed by an attorney, AML or Commerce for topics and language.
No The utility has adequate written job descriptions for all positions.
Yes The utility has adopted and follows a written personnel evaluation process that ties the job description to the evaluation.
Yes The utility has an adequate written hiring process.
Yes The utility has personnel folders on every employee that contain at least: I-9, Job Application and Letter of Acceptance.
Yes The utility has a probationary period for new hires that includes orientation, job training/oversight, and evaluations.
Yes The utility provides training opportunities to staff as needed and available.
Personnel System Comment: The city's workers' compensation coverage was cancelled due to non-payment last year. The city hired a new city bookkeeper after the first bookkeeper's title was changed to alternate bookkeeper. The city has a fairly complete and comprehensive personnel policies. The employees have not been able to attend RUBA sponsored utility management trainings due to lack of funds.

Capacity Indicator: Organizational Management
Essential Indicators
Yes The entity that owns the utility is known; the entity that will operate the utility is set.
Yes The policy making body is active in policy making of the utility.
Yes The policy making body enforces utility policy.
Yes The utility has an adequately trained manager.
Yes The utility has an adequately trained bookkeeper.
Yes The utility has an adequately trained operator or operators.
Yes The utility has adopted the necessary ordinances (or rules and regulations) necessary to give it the authority to operate.
Sustainable Indicators
Yes The utility has adopted an organizational chart that reflects the current structure.
Yes The policy making body meets as required.
Yes The utility complies with the open meeting act for all meetings.
Organizational Management Comment: The city successfully held a special election on March 22nd after the regular election normally held on December 31 of each years was not certified. The city council certified the special election and is in the process of organizing and appointing officers, including the mayor, soon. The council is active and holds regular monthly meetings and special meetings as needed. Both the city clerk and city bookkeeper have previous experience at the city and are familiar with their duties and responsibilities. The main and alternate operators are certified to the level of service for the water and wastewater systems.

Capacity Indicator: Operation of Utility
Essential Indicators
Yes The utility operator(s) are actively working towards necessary certification.
Yes The utility has a preventative maintenance plan developed for the existing sanitation facilities.
Sustainable Indicators
Yes The manager receives a monthly O&M report from the utility operator and routinely "spot checks" the facilities to see that the maintenance items are being completed.
Yes The utility has a safety manual and holds safety meetings.
Yes Utility facilities have not suffered any major problems/outages due to management issues that are unresolved.
Yes The utility is operating at the level of service that was proposed.
Yes The operator provides status reports to the manager on a routine basis.
Yes The utility has completed and distributed its "Consumer Confidence Report".
Yes The utility is not on the "Significant Non-Complier" (SNC) list.
Yes The utility maintains an inventory control list.
Yes The utility maintains a critical spare parts list.
Operation of Utility Comment: The utility operators certified to the level of the water and wastewater systems managed and operated by the city. The city clerk makes monthly reports on the status of each department, including the water and waste water department. RUBA staff has recommended to the city to attend Alaska Municipal Leagues Joint Insurance Asso. (AML-JIA) sponsored monthly safety meetings by teleconference.


RUBA Activities for the Coming Quarter: RUBA staff will travel at least once to the city to review the past due tax liabilities with the new mayor and city council. RUBA staff will review the city's finances with the city bookkeeper.