Wastewater & Onsite Systems | Collection Systems
Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM)
Village of Boonville, New York
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The smallest utility assessed as part of this project was the Village of Boonville. The collection system for Boonville consists of 20 miles of pipe and two pump stations, which serve a population of 2,400. In Boonville, two full-time employees run the wastewater treatment plant and maintain the wastewater collection system. In the summer, two Highway Department staff work part-time on collection system maintenance and rehabilitation projects.
The Boonville evaluation essentially followed the same process utilized in Saratoga County and Somersworth. However, since Boonville was such a smaller utility, the assessment team scaled back the magnitude, width, and breadth of the evaluation in order to reflect the unique characteristics of a small community program. Many categories and subcategories used in the previous evaluations were condensed where possible for the Boonville evaluation. The Boonville evaluation maintained the documentation review, staff interviews and field observations, consensus workshop, and a prioritized matrix.
Staff interviews were conducted in Boonville in April 2007. The Chief Operator and Assistant Chief Operator of the Village of Boonville wastewater treatment plant were interviewed; along with several Boonville highway department staff who assist with collection system repairs and upgrades. The Village of Boonville clerk was also interviewed. In April 2008, the consensus workshop was held with management staff. As had previously occurred with the other utilities, once the consensus workshop was completed, a Recommendation and Action Matrix was developed.
In Boonville, the highest immediate priority for enhancing its collection system management, operation, and maintenance program is contained in the human resources element of the evaluation--succession planning, refinement of its safety program, and increased skills training. Adequately addressing management succession is critical in Boonville, since both the Chief Operator and Assistant Chief Operator are of retirement age. Contingency planning was also deemed a high priority.