The Murfreesboro City Council on May 1 approved a task order amendment for additional engineering work on the citys biosolids thermal-dryer project, a wastewater initiative intended to convert dewatered biosolids into a reusable soil amendment and reduce landfill disposal.

Assistant Utilities Director (presenter) said the council approved amendment No. 2 with SSR in an hourly, not-to-exceed amount of $130,125 for services that were outside the original scope. "The purpose of the biosolids project is to turn our dewatered biosolids into a reusable soil amendment," the presenter said. She described the amendment as additional engineering design and capacity evaluations that SSR had to perform.

Project finances: The presenter said the original task order was about $1,400,000 and that amendment No. 2 adds roughly $500,000 to the total; the speaker described the combined total as a little over $2,000,000 and said the city had $2,200,000 allocated in working capital reserves for the project. The amendment approved at the meeting was $130,125 (hourly, not-to-exceed).

Council action: Council voted to approve the amendment on a motion and second; the roll call showed unanimous "aye" votes from the five members present.

Implementation and next steps: Staff said the additional evaluations were required because they were outside the original task order scope. No change to the project's funding source was reported beyond the working capital reserves already allocated.

Ending: Council approved the amendment and the project will continue through the engineering and design phases; staff said they could answer further questions but provided no timeline for construction at the meeting.