The Buildings and Utilities Committee recommended Sept. 29 that the city council authorize the director of public service and safety to advertise for bids to sandblast and repaint the four final clarifier tanks at the municipal wastewater treatment plant, at a cost not to exceed $370,800, Chair Samuel Pierce said.

The work is budgeted in the wastewater treatment plant account, Patrick, a staff member, told the committee: "This was budgeted, dollars 370,800 was included in the wastewater plant treatment plant budget." He described the four units as "gravitational tanks that allow the solids to settle out" before effluent is discharged to the Miami River and said staff was seeking authorization to go out to bid "and there is no request for emergency."

The request drew little debate. Committee members had no substantive questions about the clarifiers or sludge handling during the committee discussion. Patrick recommended moving forward without emergency authorization, and the committee agreed: "That we move forward as requested," followed by a final statement, "Recommendation of this committee is to move forward as staff is recommended."

The committee's recommendation is advisory; council authorization and the competitive bidding process remain required before any contract is awarded. The transcript does not record a roll-call vote, a mover or a seconder, or a timeline for advertisement, and it does not specify which contractor(s) might perform the work.

The clarifiers are described in the meeting as the final settling tanks in the treatment process; the stated intent of the sandblasting and painting is routine maintenance to restore tank surfaces before the plant discharges treated effluent to the Miami River.

Next steps identified in the meeting: the director of public service and safety—after receiving formal council authorization—would advertise the work for competitive bids; the meeting record does not specify an estimated bid or award schedule.