Beaver Water District holding budget, expenses down

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy L. Wilson, Director of Public Affairs
Beaver Water District
479-756-3651
awilson@bwdh2o.org
www.bwdh2o.org

N E W S R E L E A S E


BEAVER WATER DISTRICT HOLDS LINE ON 2010 PERSONNEL BUDGET

For immediate release: July 16, 2009

Beaver Water District’s Board of Directors met in the District’s newly constructed Administration Center today and approved a fiscal year 2010 personnel budget that is near 2009 levels.

“We appreciate management holding the line on the personnel budget for next year,” said Chris Weiser, Secretary-Treasurer of the Board. “The action we took today falls into step with our earlier vote in April to defer the planned 2-cent per thousand gallon increase in water rates.”

The personnel budget is $3,301,000 for 2010, just $9,000 more than the 2009 budget, or a 0.27% increase. While hourly employees of the District will receive an average 2% increase in pay, managerial staff salaries have been frozen at 2009 levels. In addition, savings have been realized in other areas, such as reduction of budgeted overtime.

“We take our financial stewardship of District resources just as seriously as we take stewardship of Beaver Lake and the natural resources the lake and its watershed provide to us,” said Alan D. Fortenberry P.E., CEO. “It’s important to continue a conservative outlook for the near future in light of the continued economic downturn. We want our employees to know they are appreciated and valued while also staying fiscally responsible for the near term.”

Today’s meeting marked the first time the Board met in the new Administration Center, designed and constructed in line with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED guidelines. LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The District is seeking LEED certification for the project which had a construction cost of approximately $4.5 million.

“The new building offers the public the opportunity to visit the plant and take advantage of educational opportunities,” said Larry Lloyd P.E., COO of the District. “Visitors will see a scale model of the water treatment plant in the educational area, where they can view the actual plant outside beyond the fencing that defines the secure campus. Additionally, one wall of the room features an 8-by-12 foot aerial photographic map of Beaver Lake Watershed.”

Building and site features of note include the use of pervious pavement in parking lots; natural lighting and the installation of motion detectors for lighting control; energy efficient heating and cooling systems; recycled content materials in cabinetry and building insulation made from scrap bluejeans; water-saving fixtures such as low-flow toilets, waterless urinals, and automatic water faucets in restrooms; a water feature supplied by effluent from the District’s waste process treatment plant and planted with native flowers and shrubs; and infiltration basins that hold and treat water from storm events.

“The infiltration basins on our site resemble bioswales, such as the one constructed at Gulley Park in Fayetteville,” Lloyd said. “These basins offer more capacity for water storage and for filtering of storm water. The plants in the infiltration basin were selected based on their ability to tolerate both submerged and dry conditions, much like those found in rain gardens.”

Beaver Water District’ s mission is to serve our customers in the Benton and Washington County area by providing high quality drinking water that meets or exceeds all federal and state regulatory requirements in such quantities as meets their demands and is economically priced consistent with our quality standards. For more information, visit www.bwdh2o.org.