Fresh Loaf

Nothing kicks off a Monday morning like a 170-page audit of Atlanta’s $4 billion sewer system overhaul. We’re still combing through the beast, but Atlanta Unfiltered’s Jim Walls has already found some tidbits.

Walls:

Atlanta’s water department has illegally kept $4 million that should have been refunded to 29,000 customers who closed their accounts, a city audit shows.

Apparently, part of the problem is that no one ever told customer-service reps in the water department about changes last year in the city code. Auditors said employees who handle refunds were unaware of consumer-friendly changes in refund procedures.

On Friday, the AJC’s D.L Bennett wrote a good overview on some, uhm, financial hurdles facing the city and the project:

Atlanta officials fear the city’s $4 billion water and sewer system overhaul could collapse because the city’s crushing debt and already low credit rating threaten the city’s ability to borrow money in ever-tightening credit markets.

The city hopes Monday to issue $500 million to $700 million in new bonds for the program, with much of the money to refund old debt that must be repaid before interest rates or other factors send payments skyrocketing.

“We’ve got some considerable issues facing us,” city CFO Jim Glass said Friday.

No joke. And we’ve got some considerable reading to do. The audit is available here. (Warning: large PDF)

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Current amount, in dollars, of President Obama’s stimulus plan aimed to create jobs and spur the economy: 827 billion

Amount, in dollars, Mayor Shirley Franklin recently requested for Atlanta projects: 1.88 billion

Estimated number of city jobs Franklin says the federal stimulus plan could create: 40,000

Number of police officers Franklin wants to add with stimulus money: 200

Dollar value of sewer projects the city wants to build using stimulus funds: 801 million

Amount, in dollars, the city requested to build the International Terminal at Jackson-Hartsfield International Airport: 500 million

Number of federal dollars Franklin says would go to offset the city’s budget deficit: 0

Amount, in dollars, the Georgia Department of Transportation has requested for state projects: 3.4 billion

Estimated number of jobs Georgia could gain because of the stimulus package: 143,000

Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, U.S. Conference of Mayors

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Just a friendly heads-up if you’re planning to head to Lenox or Phipps to do a little Christmas shopping on Saturday. The city’s Department of Watershed Management is conducting some sewer rehab work from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. at the intersection of Roswell, Peachtree and West Paces Ferry roads. Here’s the info, courtesy of DWM spokeswoman Janet Ward:

Traffic Advisory: Sewer rehab closes lanes at Roswell-Peachtree-West Paces Ferry intersection
When: Saturday, Dec. 1, 7 am-1 pm
What: Moving closure of one single lane on each street
Where: Intersection of Roswell, Peachtree and West Paces Ferry roads
Comments: City crews will be cleaning and inspecting the sewer lines at the intersection of Roswell, Peachtree and West Paces Ferry roads. Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling through the work zone and to use alternate routes when possible. Traffic control will be provided by uniformed officers and stationary devices.

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