It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Village of Oxford that
its municipal wastewater and sanitary sewer facilities presently under construction,
and as from time to time expanded and improved, shall be managed in the most
efficient manner consistent with sound economy and public advantage so that
services of the system can be furnished at the lowest possible cost rather
than as a source of income to the village. Further, it is declared that said
wastewater and sewer treatment system shall be operated for the use and benefit
of those served by it and for the promotion of the welfare and improvement
of the health, safety, comfort and convenience of the people of the village
served by the facility.
In order to provide such management and operation, the Mayor of the
Village of Oxford shall appoint three (3) members who shall serve for terms
of one (1), two (2) and three (3) years respectively, and their successors
will be appointed for terms of three (3) years. In case of a vacancy for any
cause whatsoever, the Mayor shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.
All Commissioners shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed.
No member of said Commission shall be removed except for incompetency or misconduct
shown at a public hearing before the Mayor and Village Board upon due notice
and upon stated charges. Members of the Board shall serve without compensation
but shall be entitled to reimbursement, payable from the operation and maintenance
account, for any actual, necessary documented expenses incurred in the performance
of their official duties.
The acting Village Clerk shall act as Treasurer of the Wastewater Treatment
Commission and shall deposit in a separate bank account (or accounts) entitled
"Sewer Rent Fund" all moneys received from state aid, sewer operation, sewer
rent, rates, fees and other charges of the sewer system and shall not commingle
such money with other money or funds of the village. The Treasurer shall keep
separate books of account for all sewer system funds and of expenditures therefrom.
The Village Board may delegate to the Treasurer the duty of collecting sewer
rents, rates, fees, appropriations from general funds and other charges of
the sewer system. Because of additional duties imposed on the Village Clerk
acting as Treasurer of the sewer system funds, compensation may be paid in
an amount determined by the Village Board to be reasonable. This will be in
addition to the regular Clerk salary.
Within sixty (60) days of the end of each fiscal year, an independent
audit shall be made by a person or committee designated by the Commission.
The Village Attorney shall be the legal advisor for the Commission providing
advice and counsel in the same manner required of him by the Village Board.
This shall not limit the Commission in retaining other counsel when or if
the Commission feels circumstances warrant it. Compensation will be paid for
the additional duties imposed by the Commission in such an amount as is deemed
reasonable by both the Commission and the attorney in addition to any money
received from the village for other work.
In accordance with provisions of § 452 of the General Municipal
Law and the provisions of any bond resolution affecting the sewer system,
the Village Board shall prescribe and collect reasonable sewer rates, rentals,
fees and other charges for the supply of sewer system services. Such rates
and other charges shall be adopted by the Village Board by ordinance, which
will also provide the terms and conditions of payment.
The Commission may at any time adopt and submit to the Village Board
an amended annual budget for the remainder of the current fiscal year. This
must be approved by a majority vote of the Village Board and may increase
or decrease the estimate of revenues and the amount to be paid into the operation
and maintenance account during the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to impair in any way the
duty of the village, under the Constitution and statutes of New York State,
to pay the principal and interest on any of its bonds and other obligations
as the same shall become due and payable.