News

State and Federal Funding, Financing, and Resources for Municipal Infrastructure Roundtable Link

When: Thursday, March 15, 2018, 9:30am-1:00pm.
Where: Center of Excellence for Environmental & Energy Systems, Room 203, 727 E. Washington Street, Syracuse, NY 13210; parking available adjacent to the building.
What: The Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center and invited guests met to prepare for the funding process for municipal infrastructure.
Who: Municipal supervisors and mayors, council/board members, town clerks and managers, DPW staff, town planners, engineers, and other interested community leaders were all invited to attend!

Agenda:

9:30-10am    Registration and coffee
10:00am       Introductions
10:15am       Overview of Consolidated Funding Application process
10:30am       Funding roundtable
12:00pm       Lunch; invited speakers, Finger Lakes Water Hub and Clean Energy Communities
1:00pm         Adjourn

Moderator Khris Dodson, Associate Director of the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center, provided a foundation for discussion about specific funding programs and introduced the New York State’s Regional Economic Development Council (click for presentation) process for the consolidated funding application, which opens in late April/early May.

The funding roundtable session featured updates on funding and financing programs for municipal infrastructure from several agencies, dialogue on the importance and opportunities for co-funding, and panel discussion with opportunity for audience participation. Several state and federal agencies were represented, including: NYSHCR, RCAP, NYS EFC, NYS DEC, NYS DOH, USDA RD, and NYS DOS.

Our invited speaker, Aimee Clinkhammer, discussed the implications of harmful algal blooms for lakes and communities across upstate New York (click for presentation).

Roundtable participants (names link to presentations):

• Chris Carrick, Energy Program Manager, Central New York Regional Planning & Development Board
• Leila Mitchell, Environmental program Specialist II, Division of Water, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• Charlie Philion, Program Director, Office of Community Renewal, New York State Homes & Community Renewal
• David Phillips, Professional Engineer, New York State Department of Health
• Audra Nowosielski, Deputy Director of Public Finance, New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation
• Brenda Smith, Community Programs Director, Rural Development, US Department of Agriculture
• Kyle Wilber, Local Government Specialist, New York State Department of State

Contact: Please contact Kathy Forrest, (315)443-1131 or kpforres@syr.edu with registration questions. Please contact Meredith Perreault, (315)443-3741, or maperrea@syr.edu with program questions.

The Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions is accepting applications for paid internship opportunities involving local governments, technical service providers, and consulting firms to assist in community development projects. These projects may include: water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure management; municipal efficiency; smart growth; economic development; community planning; funding and financial services; environmental and mathematical computer modeling; and
community engagement.

About the Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions
The Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions (CSCS) facilitates the development of sustainable and resilient communities throughout US EPA Region 2 and across the US.

The CSCS enhances the administrative and financial capacities of state and local government officials, nonprofit organizations, and private sectors to make change toward improved environmental infrastructure and quality of life.

Internship Description
Staff of CSCS will match interns with municipalities, governments, consultants, or non-profits based on the needs of the host organizations and the skills and interests of the students. With support from CSCS staff and the host organizations, students will assist in projects related to policy, planning, and sustainability.

Projects may include but are not limited to themes such as:
• Community Resiliency and Climate Change
• Stormwater Management and Green Infrastructure
• Small Drinking Water System Assistance
• Rural Economic Development
• Quantifying Ecosystem Services
• Community Surveying and Mapping

This summer internship will span eight-weeks, with pre-departure meetings during the spring semester to equip interns with the tools needed to make the most of their internship and community engagement experience.

Qualifications and Application
Student should be an undergraduate or graduate student with coursework in a related area. Intern must have excellent oral and written communication skills. Intern must be willing to work on-site with the communities or non-profit groups.

To Apply  
Please email a cover letter detailing your interests, goals, and descriptions of relevant coursework and work experience, as well as a resume to Brad DeFrees at badefree@syr.edu.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, February 15th, 2017

 

 

About the Series: This FREE webinar series will address ways to improve overall municipal operations by discussing resources for increasing municipal efficiency, assistance in communication, and financing for the future.

Webinar Schedule At-A-Glance
January 26 – Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its Utility for Municipalities
February 9 – Communicating with the Public About Water Infrastructure
February 16 – Financing for the Future – Financial Longevity for Municipal Operations

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Webinar 1: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its Utility for Municipalities
Thursday, January 26, 2017 | 1:00PM-2:00PM EST

Maintaining both above and below ground assets can be a daunting task, and developing an organized way to visualize where these assets are can seem just as difficult. Being able to quickly identify assets can assist in emergency response work as well as help the broader community.

This webinar will introduce the fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems and how it can benefit rural municipalities. Participants will gain a basic understanding of the functions of GIS as well as its application in asset management, road mapping, land use and zoning, and how they can get started with GIS without a large out of pocket cost.

Speaker:
Mickey Dietrich – Past President, NYS GIS Association

Mickey Dietrich is an advocate for making sure that any organization, no matter their budget, can have access to GIS (Geographic Information Systems).  GIS is a powerful tools to help communities in planning, zoning, asset management, tourism, and emergency response.  Mickey works for the NYS Tug Hill Commission, where he has put in almost 15 years of dedication to helping rural communities with their mapping needs.  He also was the President of the NYS GIS Association in 2016 and currently serves in the role of Past-President and a member of the 2017 New York State Geospatial Advisory Council.  To get started with GIS, Mickey likes the phrase “It only takes one spark, to start a fire.”

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Webinar 2: Communicating with the Public About Water Infrastructure
Thursday, February 9, 2017 | 1:00PM-2:00PM EST
Register

The one group that all water and wastewater systems must report to on a regular basis is the ever-changing public they serve. Issues such as drinking water contaminants, algal blooms, and increased utility rates can put a community on edge.

This webinar will address how best to communicate with the public in a way that will garner support and encourage public engagement. Participants will learn tools for communicating with their customers directly and through media outlets, as well as effective messaging for maximum impact.

Speaker:
Sarah Diefendorf – Director, EFC West

Sarah Diefendorf is the Executive Director of the Environmental Finance Center West, a program
housed in the School of Business and Leadership at Dominican University of California and in
the National Center for Smart Growth and Research and Education at the University of Maryland.
She has founded and managed numerous nonprofit organizations throughout her career and has
specialized in building financial, communications and leadership capacity in the US and abroad. Most recently Sarah co-facilitated leadership and internal/external communications training to elected officials, water systems and government agencies based in fourteen states to gather support for water and other sustainability initiatives. Ms. Diefendorf holds a BA in International Relations from San Francisco State University and an MS in Environmental Geography from Cambridge University.

Partners: EFC West, Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN), American Water Works Association (AWWA)

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Webinar 3: Financing for the Future – Financial Longevity for Municipal Operations
Thursday, February 16, 2017 | 1:00PM-2:00PM EST
Register

Rate setting, financial management, and department budgeting are vital components to ensuring financial longevity for municipal operations. With increasing demand on utilities, expanding or declining populations, and the need for future infrastructure repair, it is necessary to look beyond the sort term financial planning and look towards financing for the future.

This webinar will introduce methods that can be used for budgeting for the future. Topics will include projecting for future scenarios, tracking and benchmarking financial performance, and creating financial plans that will extend beyond those that are currently being used. Participants will gain an understanding of how they can project for future changes and risks, and create a financial plan that will ensure there is money to address these events as they occur.

Speaker:
Shadi Eskaf – Senior Project Director, The Environmental Finance Center at The University of North Carolina

Shadi Eskaf is a Senior Project Director at the Environmental Finance Center at UNC’s School of Government. He has 11 years’ experience working with and educating water operators and utility managers on financial management of water utilities, particularly on rate setting, capital planning, accessing funding sources, benchmarking financial performance and addressing affordability concerns. Shadi has presented at dozens of statewide, regional and national workshops, seminars and conferences training water operators and utility managers (most offered contact hours). Shadi has a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Partners: The Environmental Finance Center at The University of North Carolina, Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN), American Water Works Association (AWWA)

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Webinar Recordings

Webinar 1: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its Utility for Municipalities