South Burlington voters will decide on $16.4 million wastewater bond Aug. 11

South Burlington voters will decide Aug. 11 whether to authorize up to $16.4 million in additional borrowing for proposed wastewater improvements at the Bartlett Bay Wastewater Treatment Facility, the Airport Parkway wastewater treatment facility and four wastewater pump stations.

The special city vote is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The borrowing authority has not been approved: voters must authorize the proposed bonds or notes before the city can issue the additional financing described in the ballot question.

What the proposed borrowing would cover

The ballot question seeks authority for up to $16.4 million in additional bonds or notes for wastewater work. The proposed package includes capital improvements at Bartlett Bay, installation of a clarifier at the Airport Parkway facility, and refurbishment or replacement of four wastewater pump stations.

The city warning also identifies $33.833 million in previously approved borrowing. With the proposed additional authorization, the warning lists $50.233 million in total potential financing after applying other available funds and resources.

Those figures describe potential financing authority and proposed work, not a completed project or a final construction schedule. The approved source packet does not provide a final project timetable.

Hearing scheduled before the vote

A public informational hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 10, the day before the vote. The city has also planned outreach ahead of the election concerning current facility conditions, the proposed upgrades, project-cost changes and potential utility-rate effects.

The outreach plan identifies the Bartlett Bay wastewater facility as the central project. The ballot question, however, also includes the Airport Parkway clarifier and the four pump-station projects.

What remains undecided

The Aug. 11 vote will determine whether the city receives authority for the additional $16.4 million in borrowing. It will not by itself establish a final effect on individual utility bills; the ballot language does not set a specific rate change.

The vote outcome and final project schedule are not yet known. For voters, the immediate decision is whether to authorize the additional financing for the listed wastewater improvements, on top of the borrowing already approved.