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Georgetown public works reports pump-station work, salt-barn progress and aging street sweeper concerns
Summary
Public works superintendent Eric Rust told the council the town's street sweeper is repeatedly failing and staff are evaluating replacement versus contracting. Staff also reported pump-station rehabilitation, lagoon levels and a near-term schedule for the new family court facility.
Georgetown — At the Aug. 25 Georgetown Town Council meeting, public works superintendent Eric Rust reported on equipment failures and infrastructure work, telling the council the town is weighing repair, replacement or contracting for its failing street sweeper.
“We're just dropping good money after bad,” Public Works Superintendent Eric Rust said of the sweeper, which has electrical issues. Rust said the unit is a 2007 model and staff are collecting prices to decide whether to replace it or contract sweeping services.
Rust said town staff are getting contract pricing and expect to meet with town administrators to review options; he cited contracting rates he had seen in neighboring towns of about $150 per hour as a point of comparison.
Rust also reported progress on several projects: concrete work on the new salt barn is nearly complete and lumber has been delivered; third-floor punch-list work is under way at the Sussex County Family Court facility with sprinkler start-up testing scheduled for Sept. 8 and Office of State Fire Marshal inspections expected to begin Sept. 15. Rust said interior systems furniture installation is under way and the building is anticipated to be substantially complete by Labor Day with offices opening in October 2025.
On utilities, Rust said The Meadows pump station is back online and the town is awaiting a wet-well hatch; a nearby pump-station demo began Aug. 14. He reported lagoon depths of 10.5 feet (large lagoon) and 5.5 feet (small lagoon) and gave influent and effluent flow totals for January through July: 170,760,000 and 164,220,000 gallons, respectively.
Rust listed recent water-department work including replacement of several meter pits, installation of 3-inch meters at the Oaks, and replacement of a valve on South Pepper Street that split when opened.
Council members asked about the cost trade-offs of contracting sweeping versus replacing the sweeper; Rust said staff will bring estimates to a future meeting for review. No formal procurement decisions were taken at the Aug. 25 meeting.
