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Council approves extra funding for utility parts, supplies and variable frequency drive replacements
Summary
Council authorized additional expenditures for parts and supplies at city water and wastewater plants and approved funds to replace aging variable frequency drives (VFDs) to avoid operational problems and odor issues.
The Wooster City Council on June 16 approved two budgeted resolutions authorizing additional funds for utility work at the water and wastewater treatment plants.
Resolution 2025-44 authorized extra funds for parts and supplies needed for repairs and maintenance at both the water and wastewater facilities; city staff explained that material-cost inflation and several large, nonstandard fittings pushed expenditures over the usual $75,000 purchase threshold.
Resolution 2025-45 authorized funds for service and replacement of variable frequency drives (VFDs) at the wastewater plant. Public works staff said several VFDs installed around 2014 are failing in similar cycles and the city selected ABB drives and a vendor with proven technical support to replace multiple units now to avoid a summer operational failure that could cause odor or treatment disruptions. “With this, we'll have basically six relatively new blowers,” a staff member said, noting the city expects longer life from the selected equipment.
Why it matters: Staff said failing VFDs and special-size fittings are causing operational risks and that immediate replacement reduces the chance of service interruptions and nuisance odors. Councilmembers asked whether the city could stagger replacements; staff replied that staggered replacement would leave unreliable older drives in service and could risk short-term failures.
Vote and next steps: Both resolutions were adopted by roll call with all present members voting yes. Staff said purchase orders and vendor scheduling will follow and that the department will monitor equipment life to avoid a repeat replacement cycle in the near term.
