Dryden receives $3 million for Varna sewer project

The Town of Dryden has locked in a $3.063 million no-interest loan from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) for the upcoming sewer project in the hamlet of Varna, said Town Board member Jim Skaley.

The project, according to Skaley, will cost about $4.8 million. Other means of funding for the project include $1.25 million from a Community Development Block Grant, roughly $500,000 in contributions from the consolidated sewer district fund and more, he added.

Skaley, who is leading the charge on the project, has been investigating the ins and outs of the sewer and water mains in Varna since February 2019. According to Skaley, the main pipe that conducts the sewer and water systems in Varna is “over 60 years old,” recently facing a “number of main breaks and a fair share of repairs.”

Tabbed as a replacement project, the work will include installing some new portions for the sewer pipe and sleeves to “prevent any leakage,” Skaley noted.

The process of acquiring a loan for the sewer project started in the fall of 2020, Skaley said. The town conducted an income survey with Varna’s renters, homeowners and property owners. The result was a $40,000 income average in Varna, which Skaley mentioned is “considerably low” compared to the town’s average in the $60,000 range.

This led to the town becoming eligible for grants or low-interest loans through the EFC, which Skaley said only applies to the sewer project. The town eventually received approval for the no-interest loan.

“This ended up working out better than we thought,” Skaley said.

Skaley noted the loan stretches out to five years, but the town may extend it to a long-term loan for 20 years, with a plan to bond it out for 25 years.

As for the commencement for the sewer project, once the town receives easement approvals from Cornell University and a handful of private-property owners — plus approvals in the coming weeks from the EFC and other governing divisions for the town’s bid package that will be sent out for request-for-proposals — Skaley anticipates the project could break ground later this summer or early fall.

“It’s been a two-and-a-half-year effort, so hopefully we can get this project underway soon,” Skaley added.

Skaley noted the sewer project will not meddle with the ongoing Route 366 resurfacing project, which recently got underway. He added that the town was hoping to wrap up the sewer project and the water project before the Route 366 project started, but scheduling delays for supplies led to both projects being split.

The sewer project, Skaley said, will consist more of shoulder work so the town doesn’t have to “cut into main travel lanes.”

Varna’s water replacement project won’t take place until next spring, Skaley said, noting the town was unable to secure pipes in time for the project.

The water project will consist of replacing and resizing some portions of Varna’s water main. Skaley noted Varna’s water main system caused major infiltration into the sewer line, which resulted in an increase in costs for the town in terms of processing at the treatment plant.

“Putting inserts into the sewer line will hopefully close the infiltration problem off, improve capacity at the same time and reduce costs,” Skaley said.

The town will look to potentially put out a bid for a specific type of iron pipe, and Skaley said it could take eight to nine months to retrieve the pipe.

“This will [hopefully] put us ahead of the construction season next spring,” he added.

As of right now, Varna’s water project will cost about $3.5 million. Skaley, however, said that could change based on the cost of the new pipe for the water main.

“Both of these projects will benefit in the long term from having adequate infrastructure,” Skaley added. “It’s a need for any kind of future development. It’s important to take care of it now to avoid potential development issues in the future.”

Dryden Dispatch appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com.

In Brief:

‘A Quilt Top with Ties to Dryden’ program slated for July 14

The Dryden Town Historical Society will provide a program called “A Quilt Top with Ties to Dryden” at 7 p.m. July 14 at the Dryden United Methodist Church at 9 E. Main St. in the village.

Anita Loscalzo will speak at the program. The description of the quilt and the July 14 program is as follows:

“The quilt top was found several years ago at a flea market in Massachusetts by a member of a local quilting club and displayed at a club meeting. The quilt top is embroidered with over fifty names dating from 1846 to 1849, all from Tompkins County and most from Dryden.

“Loscalzo, also a club member, became fascinated and wanted to learn more about the people whose names adorned the quilt. After convincing her friend to part with the quilt top, Loscalzo began extensive research into the origins of the quilt and is excited to present her findings as well as theories as to why it was created.”

The Historical Society will also have quilts from its collection on display.

Doors at the Dryden United Methodist Church will open at 6:30 p.m. The program is free to the public. For more information or questions, reach out to (607) 898-3461.