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RUBA Status Report

Community: Mountain Village RUBA: Yes
Staff: Ken Berlin Agreement: No
DCA Region: Bethel Agreement Date: 6/24/2005
Region: Lower Yukon Exp Date: 6/26/2005
Govt Type(s): 2nd Class City
Borough: Unorganized Assessment Date:
Population: 784
Active Community: Yes Date Updated: 4/8/2013


Community Sanitation Overview: The city council operates and maintains the piped water and wastewater system to 165 households and commercial users. This system was built in the 1970s. It has four wells from which it gets its water supply. Water is distributed by two loops, a lower and upper loop. Two main pumps, middle and upper pump houses circulate water. Water is stored in two 100,000 gallon storage tanks. The wastewater system is a Rotating Biological Contractor (RBC) but currently not functional. Wastewater is being drained into the Yukon River.
RUBA Status and Activities This Quarter: The city manager and finance director prepare and manage the City of Mountain Village's financial information. The FY13 budget is on file. Finance reports are up to date to November 2012 with meeting minutes. Budget vs. Actuals finance report for July 2012 to March 2013 are on file, but no meeting minutes. The city manager resigned in May 2012 and since then the city council has posted the city manager's postion. The city has gone through three temporary city managers. A city manager was hired in mid March 2013 but the new city manager did not report to work and the city council determined he abandoned his position and declared the city manager's position vacant.

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.
No 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
No 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.
Yes A monthly manager's report is prepared.
Yes Budget amendments are completed and adopted as necessary.
Finances Comment: The city manager and finance director prepare and manage the City of Mountain Village's financial information. The FY13 budget is on file. Finance reports are up to date to November 2012 with meeting minutes. March 2013 AVEC billing is current with a credit balance. The city has adequate fuel supply to last until spring barge. The city does not have an Repair and Replacement account.

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 does follow its collection policy and enforces it. The utility customers are billed on a monthly basis. Accounting system is in QuickBooks Pro. A chart of accounts is on file. Monthly bank reconciliations are completed every month. A Purchasing system is in place and used by administration.

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: According to the bookkeeper the reports are all current and payroll tax deposits are made after every payroll. IRS compliance confirmed on April 3, 2013. State DOL verified compliance up to December, 2012. No tax liens recorded on the January-February 2013 Lien Watch.

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: The city is insured by the Alaska Municipal League/ Joint Insurance Association, Inc. effective to July 2013. The city has a personnel policies and procedures handbook that was prepared by Alaska Municipal League Joint Insurance Association.

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.
No 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 Mountain Village owns and operates the piped water and sewer system. The city council is the policy making body for the utility. The acting city manager started working for the City in November 2012 and was hired as the city manager in mid March 2013. The city manager needs to get trained and attend utility management training courses. The bookkeeper is experienced and competent. The main utility operator works full time and is adequately trained. They have two back-up operators; one is OIT certified in water distribution and a certificate to Introduction to Small Water Systems. The other backup has a certificate to Introduction to Small Water Systems and Water Treatment Plant Maintenance Training. The city has adopted a water utility ordinance that gives it the authority to operate, and it covers most of the aspects needed in a utility ordinance. Along with a collection policy, the ordinance includes policies on service area, level of service, customer agreements, the utility's responsibilities, the customers' responsibilities, billing procedures, shut-off procedures, and penalties for violating provisions of the ordinance. This ordinance was passed in 1989 and is being updated.

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 operators are trained but need the necessary certification to operate the current utility. AML/JIA holds monthly safety meetings with the city staff. The preventative maintenance plan, inventory control list and critical spare parts list are in the file.


RUBA Activities for the Coming Quarter: Finance reports are current with meeting minutes up to November 2012. Continue to monitor for compliance. A city permanent manager needs to be trained and attend utility management training courses.