Welcome: Metropolitan District Commission

The Metropolitan District Commission, which provides water and sewer services to several area towns, has begun jumping through a series of hoops in an effort to qualify for federal funding to clean up sewer runoff.

The MDC has taken on the Clean Water Project to deal with approximately one billion gallons of combined wastewater and storm water released each year to area waterways. The wastewater comes from 38 combined sewer overflow and eight sanitary sewer overflow locations, frequently sending diluted sewage into the Connecticut River and its tributaries.

In order to receive state and federal money needed for the project, MDC must meet state and federal standards on minority inclusion in the work force. To find out if the district has the necessary numbers, it has hired MDC Miller 3 Consulting, an Atlanta-based firm, to conduct minority inclusion studies.

Miller 3 has already begun the study for MDC, which will be completed in early 2009. The firm was selected from a field of seven nationally recognized consultants with expertise in work force and business diversity in public capital programs.

The MDC is a nonprofit municipal corporation chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1929. The MDC provides water, sewer and household hazardous waste collection services to its member municipalities: Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor. In addition, under a series of special agreements, the district supplies treated water to Glastonbury, the southern portion of South Windsor, the eastern portion of Farmington, East Granby and Unionville.

Bob Weimar, MDC’s chief of program management, explained that the purpose of the diversity study is to evaluate the percentage of minorities and women, so MDC could seek funding for the Clean Water Project. The study will determine whether certain race or gender, individual or company is significantly underrepresented in the work force, specifically for MDC projects. Federal agencies have specified goals for minorities and women; goals are based on the results of a disparity study.

“We have historically complied with state funding requirements which do have specified percentages for minorities and women’s businesses; six percent minorities and 2.5 percent women involvement,” Weimar said. “But, the nature of our work is different than the state generically; so, we wanted to be based on the utility activities we do. The process of these statistical analyses and data gathering is critical to legal success should someone challenge us.”

Stressing the necessity of following requirements of the Supreme Court, MDC solicited proposals from firms that conduct disparity studies.

“Miller 3 had the skills and abilities specific to our needs,” said Weimar. “They have developed a utility infrastructure, disparity studies and race- and gender-neutral programs.”

Working with MDC’s special counsel, attorney Franklin Lee of Baltimore, Miller 3 will recommend race- and gender-neutral approaches to minority and women’s business inclusion in MDC programs, and assist the Metropolitan District in implementing programs to meet specified goals.

“Miller 3 has conducted these comprehensive studies for over 20 years in major cities across the United States,” said Adam Cloud, chairman of MDC’s diversity committee. “Their extensive minority business development experience is vital to ensuring that MDC creates equitable and legally defensible programs that will benefit residents of the Greater Hartford community.”

The cost is estimated at $1.63 billion and will be funded by the district’s Capital Improvement Plan. Under the plan, the district is pursuing more than 50 percent of project funding from state and federal sources, with the balance expected from General Obligation Bonds. The GOB is a municipal bond backed by the credit and taxing power of the issuing jurisdiction, rather than revenue from a given project. These bonds are issued with the belief that a municipality will be able to repay its debt obligation through taxation or revenue from projects.

Scott Whipple can be reached at swhipple@newbritainherald.com or by calling (860) 225-4601, ext. 319.

Posted on Thu, Jun 26, 2008
MDC aims to clean Connecticut’s water with new project
By SCOTT WHIPPLE, NEW BRITAIN HERALD STAFF
The Metropolitan District Commission, which provides water and sewer services to several area towns, has begun jumping through a series of hoops in an effort to qualify for federal funding to clean up sewer runoff. The MDC has taken on the Clean Water Project to deal with approximately one billion gallons of combined wastewater and storm water released each year to area waterways. The wastewater comes from 38 combined sewer overflow and eight sanitary sewer overflow locations, frequently sending diluted sewage into the Connecticut River and its tributaries. In order to receive state and federal money needed for the project, MDC must meet state and federal standards on minority inclusion in the work force. To find out if the district has the necessary numbers, it has hired MDC Miller 3 Consulting, an Atlanta-based firm, to conduct minority inclusion studies. Miller 3 has already begun the study for MDC, which will be completed in early 2009. The firm was selected from a field of seven nationally recognized consultants with expertise in work force and business diversity in public capital programs. The MDC is a nonprofit municipal corporation chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1929. The MDC provides water, sewer and household hazardous waste collection services to its member municipalities: Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor. In addition, under a series of special agreements, the district supplies treated water to Glastonbury, the southern portion of South Windsor, the eastern portion of Farmington, East Granby and Unionville. Bob Weimar, MDC’s chief of program management, explained that the purpose of the diversity study is to evaluate the percentage of minorities and women, so MDC could seek funding for the Clean Water Project. The study will determine whether certain race or gender, individual or company is significantly underrepresented in the work force, specifically for MDC projects. Federal agencies have specified goals for minorities and women; goals are based on the results of a disparity study. “We have historically complied with state funding requirements which do have specified percentages for minorities and women’s businesses; six percent minorities and 2.5 percent women involvement,” Weimar said. “But, the nature of our work is different than the state generically; so, we wanted to be based on the utility activities we do. The process of these statistical analyses and data gathering is critical to legal success should someone challenge us.” Stressing the necessity of following requirements of the Supreme Court, MDC solicited proposals from firms that conduct disparity studies. “Miller 3 had the skills and abilities specific to our needs,” said Weimar. “They have developed a utility infrastructure, disparity studies and race- and gender-neutral programs.” Working with MDC’s special counsel, attorney Franklin Lee of Baltimore, Miller 3 will recommend race- and gender-neutral approaches to minority and women’s business inclusion in MDC programs, and assist the Metropolitan District in implementing programs to meet specified goals. “Miller 3 has conducted these comprehensive studies for over 20 years in major cities across the United States,” said Adam Cloud, chairman of MDC’s diversity committee. “Their extensive minority business development experience is vital to ensuring that MDC creates equitable and legally defensible programs that will benefit residents of the Greater Hartford community.” The cost is estimated at $1.63 billion and will be funded by the district’s Capital Improvement Plan. Under the plan, the district is pursuing more than 50 percent of project funding from state and federal sources, with the balance expected from General Obligation Bonds. The GOB is a municipal bond backed by the credit and taxing power of the issuing jurisdiction, rather than revenue from a given project. These bonds are issued with the belief that a municipality will be able to repay its debt obligation through taxation or revenue from projects. Scott Whipple can be reached at swhipple@newbritainherald.com or by calling (860) 225-4601, ext. 319.