Lilley to address sewer fund status, history on Nov. 13

White Lake Township Clerk Terry Lilley will give a second presentation outlining the history and current status of the township’s sewer fund at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

The presentation is the second from Lilley to discuss an estimated $1.5 million shortfall in the township’s sewer fund in 2013. During the presentation, Lilley will discuss the history of the sewer system and the current debt situation, which he said goes back to funding decisions made in the 1990s.

In order to understand the current situation, it’s important to go back and look at what former administrations have done and how they deviated from initial funding plans, which have contributed to the current situation, he said.

Lilley made his first presentation to the township Board of Trustees and the general public on Sept. 25. At that time, he said the sewer fund has sufficient money to cover planned expenditures through 2012, and that cost overages of about $785,257 incurred in previous years were paid through loans from the township’s Improvement Revolving Fund and Sewer Debt Fund.

He said the revolving fund hasn’t been reimbursed for $400,000 that was used to pay debt, and an additional $385,257 from the sewer fund that was collected to pay off the loan for sewer construction. An additional $161,858 that was borrowed from the township’s General Fund to pay interest and principle on a loan from Oakland County to help pay for the first phase of construction also hasn’t been repaid, he said.

Lilley will explain the current funding situation in detail, as well as present four options he recommends the board to consider during its upcoming term as ways to address issues involving the sewer fund.

The special presentation will come nearly two weeks after a special budget workshop scheduled for the township board at 7 p.m., tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 1.