Gone to the Birds Gala

Posted on September 26, 2014 by admin

On September 18, 2014,Â RCAP SolutionsÂ Celebrated its 45th Anniversary by going to the birds! Over 250 attendees, made up of artists, business professionals, RCAP Solutions supporters andÂ Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce members participated in a birdhouse auction, hosted byÂ Skinner Auctions. Over 100 works of art were auctioned, raising over $16,000. 100% of the proceeds will support housing and homelessness prevention programs for Worcester County families.

We thank the many generousÂ sponsors, talentedÂ artists,Â and the staff and volunteers who donated their time and talents and helped to make this event a great success!

Photos by Andrea Seward, Habakkuk Media Services.

Federal Report on Housing, Transportation and Economic Growth

Posted on August 8, 2014 by admin

RCAP Solutions staff provided Technical Assistance to one of these projects in Washington County, Maine through a small national sub-agreement. These types ofÂ collaboration efforts reduce duplication of services.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 7, 2014

Federal Report Highlights Five Years of Progress Providing Communities with Affordable Housing, Efficient Transportation and Economic Growth

WASHINGTON â€“ In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released â€œFive Years of Learning from Communities and Coordinating Federal Investments,â€ a report demonstrating how the three agencies are cooperating to help communities provide more housing choices, make transportation systems more efficient and reliable, and create vibrant neighborhoods that attract business development and jobs while protecting the environment.

â€œThe Partnership for Sustainable Communities is about achieving one goal: expanding opportunity for American families,â€ said HUD Secretary JuliÃ¡n Castro. â€œThese targeted investments are bringing more affordable housing and transportation options, and more economic resilience to regions that were hard hit by the economic crisis. In partnership with local leaders, I am convinced that the investments our agencies have made will enhance the health and wealth of communities for decades to come.â€

â€œThe Partnership is helping us align our transportation investments with the goals of providing affordable housing and preserving the environment,â€ said DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx. â€œTogether with HUD and EPA, we are making fundamental changes in how we work together to benefit all Americans and provide new ladders of opportunity for many.â€
â€œCommunities know better than anyone else what they need,â€ said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. â€œThrough the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, we at the federal level are organizing ourselves to give communities tools to address economic and environmental challenges in the way that works best for them.â€

Since 2009, the Partnership for Sustainable Communities has been working to ensure that HUD, DOT, EPA and other federal agency investments better serve communities that were hard hit by the economic recession. Through its efforts, more than $4 billion has been awarded to 1,000 communities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. In addition to funding, many communities have also received technical assistance to help plan economic development and leverage private and other public resources to maximize the Partnershipâ€™s investments. For example:

Partnership-funded regional planning efforts in New York and New Jersey laid a strong foundation for recovery from Superstorm Sandy because communities in the region had already been collaborating on development issues.
Partnership grants helped Memphis, Tenn., create a master plan for redeveloping the area around its airport, as well as develop a plan to improve bike and pedestrian paths and spur revitalization in a midtown neighborhood.
Partnership funding helped the Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota develop a regional plan to define the community’s future. It could be a model for other rural Native American communities as well.

The Partnership for Sustainable Communities has also fundamentally changed the way that HUD, EPA and DOT evaluate and award competitive grants and technical assistance. The three agencies collaborate to review and select applications for many grants and technical assistance opportunities, such as DOTâ€™s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants, HUDâ€™s Community Challenge Grants, and EPAâ€™s Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grants. This collaboration ensures that federal investments maximize resources for communities.

To download the report: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/pdf/partnership-accomplishments-report-2014.pdf

Thank you!

Posted on May 7, 2014 by admin

Thank you to all those who contributed to RCAP Solutions during the Greater Worcester GIVES 24 hour give-a-thon yesterday!

At the end of the day, RCAP Solutions ranked 46th out of 175 local non-profit organizations and received 10 gifts valuing $425!

This is the first time we have participated in an event like this one and are very happy with the results!

Once again, we thank those of you who made a contribution or passed our message along to help spread the word.

Every little bit counts and 100% of the profits will help to fund our programs and services to help support individuals, families and communities.

Four days until Greater Worcester Gives!

Posted on May 1, 2014 by admin

RCAP Solutions is proud to be a non profit partner in Greater Worcester GIVES,Â a community-wide online giving challenge hosted by Greater Worcester Community Foundation which seeks to inspire as many people as possible to support local nonprofit organizations during a 24-hour period.

Please visit the RCAP Solutions Donation Page to make a donation on Tuesday, May 6, 2014: http://www.gwgives.org/#npo/rcap-solutions-inc

The goal is to raise unrestricted dollars for the nonprofit organizations that serve our communities.

For 24 hours, between 12:00am through 11:59pm on Tuesday, May 6, donors can make gifts of $25 or more to participating nonprofits that are located in or provide services in Worcester County.

In honor of theÂ 100th anniversaryÂ of the country’s first community foundation, we hope to shineÂ a spotlight on the nonprofit community and make it fun and easy for individuals to support local nonprofit organizations.

USDA Rural Development Celebrates Earth Day by Supporting Water Quality Projects in 40 States and Puerto Rico

Posted on April 23, 2014 by admin

Of the USDA projects announced in the following release, RCAP Solutions provided technical assistance on 9 projects in CT, ME, MA, NY, and RI that were awarded funding over the past several years.Â This resulted in $34,640,000Â in USDA Loans and $59,111,872Â in RD and Farm Bill grants for a total of $93,751,872Â to small communities for water and wastewater system improvements. Â

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2014 â€“ Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today celebrated Earth Day by announcing record support for 116 projects that will improve water and wastewater services for rural Americans and benefit the environment.

“Having reliable, clean and safe water is essential for any community to thrive and grow,” Vilsack said. “I am proud that USDA helps build rural communities from the ground up by supporting water infrastructure projects like these. I am especially proud that we can help communities that are struggling economically and those that have urgent health and safety concerns due to their failing water systems.”

Today’s announcement is USDA’s largest Earth Day investment in rural water and wastewater systems. Nearly $387 million is being awarded to 116 recipients in 40 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The Department is providing $150 million in grants through the 2014 Farm Bill plus $237 million in loans and grants from USDA’s Water and Environmental Program.

Also noteworthy this year are USDA’s accomplishments to help communities with the greatest needs. Sixteen of the Earth Day projects are in areas of persistent poverty. Twenty-nine are in communities served by USDA’s ” StrikeForce Initiative for Rural Growth and Opportunity.” StrikeForce is a USDA initiative to reduce poverty by increasing investments in rural communities through intensive outreach and stronger partnerships with community leaders, businesses, foundations and other groups that are working to combat poverty.

Climate change in particular is putting more stress on municipal water systems. Many areas around the country have seen changes in rainfall, resulting in more floods, droughts, declines in snowpack, intense rain, as well as more frequent and severe heat waves. All of these are placing fiscal strains on communities â€“ causing them to make more frequent (and often more expensive) repairs and upgrades.

Among projects funded this year, the city of McCrory, Ark., is receiving $2.1 million to build a water treatment facility and two water supply wells, and refurbish its two water storage tanks. The improvements will reduce high manganese and iron levels in the water supply to provide safe drinking water to McCrory’s nearly 800 residents. McCrory is in Woodruff County, a persistent poverty area that is part of USDA’s “StrikeForce initiative for Rural Growth and Opportunity.”

Paintsville, Ky., is receiving a $4.9 million loan and $2.1 million grant to rehabilitate its sanitary and stormwater sewer systems. This is one of 10 projects funded by USDA that will improve water infrastructure in rural areas of Kentucky. The Paintsville project will serve nearly 2,300 residents and businesses and protect the ecosystems of Paint Creek and nearby lakes.

The city of San Joaquin, Calif., is receiving a $1 million loan/grant combination to replace a contaminated well. The city had to shut down one of its three wells due to high levels of bacteria. Once completed, this project will ensure San Joaquin residents have safe, clean drinking water.

In Ohio, the Erie County Commissioners will use $3 million in loans and nearly $3 million in grants to replace individual on-site waste treatment systems that discharge into and pollute the Sandusky Bay and surrounding areas. The commissioners also will build a wastewater collection system for the Village of Bay View and the neighboring Bay Bridge area. The Bay View peninsula is a vital ecological and economic area in the Western Basin of Lake Erie.

Earth Day is observed annually on April 22 to raise awareness about the role each person can play to protect vital natural resources and safeguard the environment. Since the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, the event has expanded to include citizens and governments in more than 195 countries.

President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way â€“ strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA’s investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values. President Obama and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack are committed to a smarter use of federal resources to foster sustainable economic prosperity and ensure the government is a strong partner for businesses, entrepreneurs and working families in rural communities.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, has a portfolio of programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

Spring 2014 Watershed to Well

Posted on March 17, 2014 by admin

The Spring Watershed to Well is now available! Â

You may access it by clicking here.

If you are not currently on the email distribution list, but would like to be added, please contact Maegen McCaffrey at mmccaffrey@rcapsolutions.org.

Pine Hill Water District always looks forward to RCAPâ€™s assistance

Posted on March 12, 2014 by admin

Candace Balmer, Water Resource Specialist

The Town of Shandaken, located in southern New York, was named after the native phrase “land of rapid watersâ€ and is home to Slide Mountain, the highestÂ peakÂ in theÂ Catskill Mountains. Shandaken is also home to The Pine Hill Water District, formed by the Town to take over an abandoned private water company serving over 200 mostly residential properties.

WhenÂ the Town initially took over the hamletâ€™s drinking water system, they had to make some improvements to comply with public health requirements.Â This involved rehabilitating their water source, constructing a new storage reservoir, and replacing aging distribution mains.

RCAP Solutions helped the Town secure over $1.5 million in New York State Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and USDA Rural Development monies to upgrade the drinking water system.Â RCAP Solutions also provided technical assistance to the Town on such issues as securing engineering and construction services, managing the project budget, providing documentation to funders, conducting a rate structure evaluation, and coordinating with primacy agencies and funders.

Most recently, RCAP Solutions has been assisting the Water District to evaluate the cost and funding options associated with several other system improvements, including remediating one of their wells, recently found to be under the direct influence of surface water (GWUDI); remediating their spring sources; and replacing several hundred feet of undersized distribution main that had not been part of the original upgrade project.

RCAP Solutions is also helping them to develop a comprehensive asset management plan as well as a capital reserve strategy to assure funding for ongoing repair and replacement of critical components.

They also appreciate RCAP Solutions.Â Mr. Clark said: â€œThe Pine Hill Water District always looks forward to RCAPâ€™s assistance.Â With RCAPâ€™s help, we have been able to move the Pine Hill Water District in a forward direction, both in terms of infrastructure and finances.”

Improving the water system has been deeply appreciated by the residents and businesses of this picturesque community, as has the diligence and professionalism of their Water Superintendent, Don Clark.

Photo: Don Clark, Pine Hill Water Superintendent beside the access door to one of the spring collection boxes.

Community Resources Program Update

Posted on March 12, 2014 by admin

Scott Mueller,Â Director of Community Resources &Â Chief Rural Affairs Officer

Rural communities across the country are all experiencing challenges with keeping their localities clean, healthy, and economically vibrant.Â This past year has certainly shown that the federal and state governments are tightening the purse strings further impacting local communities, but in particular the small rural communities.

RCAP Solutions Community Resources Program focuses on providing technical assistance at the local level to these smaller underserved communitiesÂ focusing on providing Technical, Managerial, and Financial [TMF]Â technical assistanceÂ to those seeking to build capacity in these areas at the local level.

In particular one area which has shown to be of great benefit toÂ communities is in the area of Water and Wastewater Asset ManagementÂ Planning [AMP] and Effective Utility Management [EUM].Â Â In order support or bolster any local economy it is important toÂ haveÂ the necessary infrastructure to support its existing workforce, businesses, and in many cases tourism economies which demands clean water.

The current trend is to operate and maintain existing systems in a long term and sustainable approach and there are manyÂ approaches smaller communities can take towards this end as the monies from the federal and state entities are shrinking.Â As such the responsibility for community systems are ultimately lying with the community itself.Â This can often be a daunting responsibility and we are here to help communities through this process.

RCAP Solutions is pleased toÂ be able toÂ again this year offerÂ in many cases free technical assistance in these areas to those communities which qualify.Â Â We also provide an array of other Direct Service ContractÂ services to those seeking special and individualized services.

We wish all communities the best in the upcoming year and to find out more information as toÂ our programs and services please contact Scott Mueller, Director of Community Services and Chief Rural affairs officer at 315-482-2756 or email smueller@rcapsolutions.org.

Potable Water Operator Training in Puerto Rico

Posted on March 11, 2014 by admin

Josefa Torres, District Director

In November, RCAP Solutions provided the first of three Potable Water Operator trainings at Sila MarÃa CalderÃ³n Foundation in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This training activity is part of the Puerto Rico Department of Health Technical Assistance Support & Circuit Rider Project, to help 48 small community-owned public water systems work towards becoming compliant with the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act.

23 participants, representing 17 communities attended the EPA-Certified Operator Training Certification classes, coordinated by RCAP Staff members Josefa Torres, District Director and Juan Campos, Community Development Specialist.

Upon completion, these water systems will meet the U.S. national standards for safe drinking water, many for the first time in the history of these particular community public water systems.

Practical Implementation of CUPSS R&R Schedule (Not your Dadâ€™s Rest and Relaxation)

Posted on March 11, 2014 by admin

Arthur Astarita, Maine State LeadÂ

RCAP Solutionsâ€™ experience has shown that developed, small-sized systems (<3300 connections), have a wide-range of documenting capital improvements.Â Typically a written sheet is developed showing a list of improvements including costs and is used to plan proposed upgrades.Â This â€œmental listâ€ is generated and updated when events arise that call for a new suggestion or thought but does not contain a comprehensive look at the entire system and financial health. Â It is not holistic which is required to assure the system is operated in a long term and responsible manner.

More often is the case that only when equipment fails are capital improvement projects created to address the urgency rather than a planned approach.Â Commonly, an engineering firm scopes out this â€œreactionaryâ€ project through the required preliminary engineering report (PER). Â The engineering firm usually has a working relationship with the system and retains the â€œtechnical knowledgeâ€ but the firm does not usually conduct streaming-asset-performance analysis.Â In todayâ€™s sustainability world, in order for the system to remain solvent and meet regulatory requirements, they must have the tools to document predicted equipment failure, replacement cost estimates and impacts to consumer rates.Â Regular system maintenance and observations are necessary for this streaming performance analysis, replacement prediction and financial planning.

The free EPA CUPSS program (www.epa.gov/cupss) affords systems a one-stop shop to document inventory attributes, critical maintenance tasks, revenue/expense finances, mission statements, level of services, system service details along with history and report outputs for analysis.Â Supported nationwide, it can become the common, simple routine for all systems to report in standard format.Â This standard reporting can lead to building local and regional expertise in a â€œutility-helping-utilityâ€ network, generate detailed grass-roots funding gaps and impress our congressional leaders of their constituentsâ€™ needs.

Commonly, operators/superintendents have an ease using CUPSSâ€™ import template; an Excel spreadsheet.Â The user can easily copy/paste data from existing records and GIS tables. Conversely, the unique CUPSS output data can join by digitally-indexing to existing record columns and GIS tables. This flexibility allows data capture and enhancement without being repetitive. Technical assistance can be smoothly facilitated by the email exchange of the spreadsheet(s) and phone discussions prior to a site visit for report-output analysis.

Upon completion of the inventory component of the software, CUPSS generates a repair/replacement (R&R) cost schedule.Â Here costs for items can be grouped by decade or by logical project task(s).Â This report is perhaps the most important and critical step in reaching effective utility management.Â This report allows for initial priority and emphasis of improvements along with the cost of those upgrades or maintenance activities.Â This R&R cost schedule allows this critical information to be shared in a concise and organized manner with decision makers overseeing the system.

Another aspect of this program and process is that attention may be given to the maintenance budget within CUPSS. By documenting schedule and non-scheduled maintenance costs of critical equipment, a system can understand the funds needed to extend useful life expectancies.Â This can reduce budget impacts of capital needed for replacement budgets.

With or without the use of CUPPS it is important to note that systems must provide proper managerial and technical expertise to insure public health.Â True sustainability can be approached with the inclusion of an operations and maintenance budget. The creation of and funding in four major reserve accounts is paramount:

Debt Service: 100% funded
Emergency O&M: capped at ~25% of your operations budget
Short-term Assets: All assets <15 year lifespan should be expensed
Long-term Assets: Capital budget schedule and x% of value should be set aside annually

It is the long-term Asset reserve that is financially critical.Â As governmental subsidies decline, it is increasingly becoming apparent that utilities must develop a holistic business plan approach which focuses on asset management in order to operate the system in a sustainable manner.