AUBURN - The city council is interested in changing the way residents of Auburn and surrounding towns receive sewer and water services. But there is still a way to go before any possible changes are made, members say.

Councilors unanimously passed a resolution Thursday authorizing city officials to work with nearby towns on consolidating Auburn's water and sewer system. According to the resolution, a state grant might be available to interested parties for a study on whether such a move is feasible.

Under the grant, which would be available through the state Local Government Efficiency Grant Program, each community involved in the study could be eligible for up to $200,000, according to the proposal. The final result of such efforts could lead to a water authority of which Auburn and surrounding towns are all part owners.

City Manager Mark Palesh told councilors before the vote that he has asked town governments to pass similar resolutions.

Before the state considers any grants, it must know who is willing to participate in the project, he said.

“It has taken a long time to get to this point,” Palesh said.

Auburn currently supplies water and sewer services to the towns of Aurelius, Fleming, Owasco, Sennett, Throop and the county Water and Sewer Authority. The city hired a consultant this summer to examine where it needs to invest in the system, how it charges its customers and surrounding communities for services, and the costs it incurs due to the current system.

Councilor William Graney said after the meeting that a regional water and sewer authority could ensure everybody pays the fair rate for using the system. As of right now, all the towns are benefiting from the city's infrastructure, Graney said.

Such a new system would be a “good end” for the outlying towns, as they would have a role in running it, he said.

“This is just a first step to break the ice and get everybody talking,” Graney said of the resolution. “We will sit down and talk and see what happens.”

Councilor Matthew Smith described Thursday's move as “progress,” saying the city's hands have been tied by some of the water and sewer contracts with other municipalities.

Smith said he does not expect any changes to come easily.

“Change is never easy,” he said.

Earlier this week, Aurelius Town Supervisor Edward Ide said a single sewer system with the city and various towns as partners would be a good idea if it is done correctly.

But who will be in control of said system and make the decisions? How will the rates be set? Who will keep track of the books?

These are all question that need to be worked out, Ide said.

“The devil is in the details,” he said. “Can you get details worked out that all the parties are willing to deal with?”

Mayor Michael Quill said after the meeting that he is confident such a system can be equal for the city and the towns. And town representatives are expressing interest in sitting down and having discussions, he said.

“That's a big plus to start with,” Quill said.

In other news:

* Council unanimously voted to grant a design contract to Environmental Design and Research for improvement infrastructure along the Owasco River. The firm, which has offices across upstate New York, will provide detailed plans and construction documents for the Owasco Riverfront Project, according to the resolution.

The fee of $105,000 will be funded by two separate grants. But the city will have to contribute to the project through staff labor, according to city planning director Jennifer Haines.

Haines added that the project will not include a kayak park or a reduction in Loop Road, both of which were proposed three years ago in the original plan.

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.