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RUBA Status Report

Community: Newhalen RUBA: Yes
Staff: Kathy Atkinson Agreement: Yes
DCA Region: Anchorage Agreement Date: 9/18/2006
Region: Alaska Peninsula Exp Date: 9/18/2008
Govt Type(s): 2nd Class City
Borough: Lake & Peninsula Borough Assessment Date: 4/22/2008
Population: 190
Active Community: Yes Date Updated: 4/2/2013


Community Sanitation Overview: In fall 2009, the City of Newhalen signed a participation agreement with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ANTHC/ARUC). The goal of the agreement is to more effectively manage water and wastewater operations within the community. Water obtained from a well is treated at the pumphouse. A piped system serves 29 homes. A piped sewage system serves 10 homes and facilities, and 6 homes use individual septic systems. Most residences are fully plumbed. The city provides septic pumping services. The school recycles aluminum and newspapers. The Iliamna-Newhalen-Nondalton (INN) Electric Cooperative owns a diesel plant in Newhalen and 50 miles of distribution line which connect the three communities. The Tazmina Hydroelectric Project has been completed, and powers Iliamna, Newhalen and Nondalton.
RUBA Status and Activities This Quarter: The City of Newhalen, in agreement with ANTHC-ARUC, continues to manage the community's water and wastewater operations. ARUC monthly financial reports were submitted for January and February 2013. DCRA received verification from the IRS dated March 1, 2013, for the period of 6/1/2012 to 9/30/2012 of ANTHC's compliance with employment tax filing requirements, and federal tax deposit requirements. There are no recorded notices of any federal tax liens as of September 30, 2012. The Remote Maintenance Worker (RMW) visited on-site 2/28/2013 to 3/3/2012 to locate and repair what they thought was a leak. After lots of digging, no leak was found. When they walked the water system, listening to the waste drains of individual houses, they could hear homes wasting water. The RMW recommended the community plug in their heat trace and not run their faucets to keep their pipes from freezing.

Capacity Indicator: Finances
Essential Indicators
Yes All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the utility budget.
Yes The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget.
Yes Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board.
Yes The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills.
Yes The utility has on hand a year's adequate fuel supply or it has a financial plan to purchase an adequate supply.
Yes The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources) sufficient to cover operating expenses.
Sustainable Indicators
Yes The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources sufficient to cover operating expenses and Repair & Replacement (R) costs.
Yes YTD revenues are at a level equal to or above those budgeted.
Yes YTD expenditures are at a level equal to or below those budgeted.
No A monthly manager's report is prepared.
Yes Budget amendments are completed and adopted as necessary.
Finances Comment: DCRA has received monthly financial reports in the past which indicate that the city may be operating at a loss. The city contracted with ANTHC-ARUC to help with the billing and collection services, technical and operational services. DCRA received ARUC's spreadsheets for Newhalen for January and February, 2013. On May 23, 2011, the city adopted the authorized budget of revenues and expenditures for the period July 1 through June 30, 2011 by Ordinance 1-12.

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 administrator has set up some accounts (primarily payroll) in QuickBooks. The community has contracted with ARUC for billing and collections, however. Further information may be forthcoming to verify other essential and sustainable indicators. DCRA received ARUC's spreadsheets for Newhalen for January and February 2013.

Capacity Indicator: Tax Problems
Essential Indicators
Yes The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.
Yes The utility is current on filing tax reports.
Yes The utility is current on making tax deposits.
N/A 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: ARUC uses accounting software to process payroll out of their Anchorage office. DCRA received verification from the IRS dated March 1, 2013, for the period of 6/1/2012 to 9/30/2012 of ANTHC's compliance with employment tax filing requirements, and federal tax deposit requirements. There are no recorded notices of any federal tax liens as of September 30, 2012.

Capacity Indicator: Personnel System
Essential Indicators
Yes 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.
Yes 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: AML-JIA is providing Workers' Compensation insurance from 7/1/2012 through 7/1/2013.

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 of Newhalen owns the water and wastewater utility. In September 2009, the city entered a participation agreement with ANTHC-ARUC to help with the utility operations, billing and collection systems. An updated assessment or forthcoming information from the City of Newhalen or ANTHC-ARUC may help verify these essential and sustainable indicators.

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 city is operating the utility under a participation agreement developed with ANTHC-ARUC in fall 2009.


RUBA Activities for the Coming Quarter: On May 13, 2011, Wassie Balluta informed Anchorage staff by phone that Debbie Anelon is the City Administrator and Wassie Balluta Jr. is the City Clerk (they traded jobs). RUBA staff contacted the community by e-mail and offered to update their assessment (their last assessment was on 4/28/2008); no assessment has been scheduled because Newhalen is an ARUC community. RUBA staff will continue to offer assistance as requested by e-mail, fax, or telephone.