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A Cbmmitment to Alaskans Rural Strategy 



ACTION STRATEGY: 



Assist communities increase operation and 



maintenance capabilities. 



The construction of rural sanitation facilities represents a multi-million dollar investment by the State 

 in public health protection forvillage residents. Increased commitment to the operation and maintenance 

 of these facilities is necessary if rural public health and the State's large investment in sanitation facilities 

 are to be safeguarded. Weaknesses in planning, staffing, and budgeting lead to sanitation system failures 

 as surely as equipment and mechanical breakdowns. Unless this trend is reversed, additional system 

 failures are predicted and a tremendous financial burden will be placed on the State. The Department 

 proposes the following multi-disciplinaiy approach to help deal with these problems. 



Objective 1 Deflne operation & maintenance capabilities 

 and needs in each community. 



Using data obtained from Remote Maintenance Workers, Village Safe Water Engineers, 

 Public Health Service Engineers, Native Health Corporations and community leaders, 

 the Department will assess the operation and maintenance capabilities and needs in each 

 rural community. The Operations Assistance program within the Department will use 

 this information to target training efforts in communities lacking sufficient expertise for 

 operating and maintaining their systems. 



Objective 2 Work with State agencies and authorities to 



' develop and implement a utility management 



training program. 



The Department recommends working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

 and the Department of Community and Regional Affairs, and the Alaska Energy 

 Authority to develop and institute a management training program to assist rural 

 commimities in implementing basic financial, accounting, bookkeeping and manage- 

 ment systems necessary to properly manage public utilities. Through the program, local 

 officials would learn to compare revenues to actual costs and adjust user fees accord- 

 ingly; investigate alternative sources of system revenues; develop utility billing proce- 

 dures and policies; and institute proper accounting and solid business management 

 practices. 



26. 



