PTC’s WASA approves 2019 budget

The Peachtree City Water and Sewer Authority  approved a $9.9 million budget for fiscal year 2019 Monday night that does not include a rate hike.

The budget represents a 1.0 percent increase over the 2018 budget. The budget also shows the authority with a net surplus of $83,761 for the 2019 budget year.

The budget approval rejected a study by consulting firm Stantec that called for a proposed 5.5 rate increase for the next five years.

This is the first budget for the authority prepared by engineering firm ISE.

On Aug,6, the board approved a $287,000 proposal from Integrated Science and Engineering for managing the authority.

The scope of services ISE provides includes:

• Assessment of the current organizational and staffing.

• Financial services management.

• Human resources management.

• Weekly staff meetings.

• Program management.

All told, the six tasks would add up to a yearly bill of $286,800.

At the time of the deal, Mayor Vanessa Fleisch said the deal with ISE is not a contract, and does not require the Peachtree City Council, which now operates as WASA authority members, approving it, Fleisch said.