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Board approves emergency staffing augmentation for Back River wastewater plant amid certification gaps
Summary
The Board approved an emergency extension to staffing-augmentation contracts supporting Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant as city staff continue training and certification efforts; officials warned of operational risk and potential fines if staffing gaps persist.
Baltimore’s Board of Estimates on Jan. 8 approved an emergency authorization extension to staffing-augmentation contracts at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant so city operations can maintain compliance while in-house staff complete training and certification.
Steve Sharkey, interim bureau head at the Department of Public Works (DPW), introduced the item and turned the presentation to Michael Hallman, Deputy Bureau Head for Water and Wastewater. Hallman described a period of staffing losses, retirements and other attrition that left the plant short of certified operators and said the emergency amendment continues a contractual arrangement with ProStart and its subcontractor Engineering Pro Solutions (an MBE) to provide interim certified operators.
Hallman warned about operational risk if staffing remains inadequate: “inadequate staffing, both operations and maintenance has and could result in catastrophic failures at the plant leading to potential public health and safety impacts, permit compliance violations, which has not been an issue since January of 2023 ... and also potentially, consent decree violations and fines associated with that that could total, $1,500,000.”
DPW said the amendment will carry the city through June 30, 2025 while a pending solicitation (an RFP) for staffing is prepared; staff described a training pipeline including external cohorts, internal upskilling, partnerships with local universities and a high-school pipeline to increase certified operator capacity. The amendment amount announced earlier on the docket was $10,200,000 for the Back River staffing augmentation (emergency procurement increase and extension).
Board members and the mayor emphasized investments in staff and career pipelines to avoid long-term reliance on contract operators. DPW described safety improvements, monthly internal inspections, and near-term equipment and infrastructure work to address prior violations. A motion to approve the emergency staffing amendment was made and the item was approved by voice vote.
