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Council discusses deeper test wells; staff directed to proceed if budget allows
Summary
Council members and staff discussed moving forward with a fourth test well, deeper drilling after encountering volcanic strata in earlier borings, and budget implications. No formal legal vote was required; staff sought direction to proceed contingent on staying within the combined budget for all wells.
City Council members and staff discussed drilling deeper and adding a fourth test well after earlier borings encountered volcanic strata, with staff asking for direction rather than a formal vote.
Council members heard that the team extended one borehole to about 1,300 feet after encountering difficult strata and that one previously completed hole was drilled an additional roughly 300 feet. A staff speaker said, “we ordered more pipe and we went to 1,300 feet because of what we were seeing in these stratas.” The same staff member described plans to perform zone testing and to reallocate savings from an Esplan site to costs on the BLM site.
The council’s budget concern was raised directly: a council member asked, “if we move forward on 4, are we gonna stay within the original budget of all 3 combined?” A staff response stated, “That’s what we’re shooting for,” and the city attorney/legal advisor (referred to in the meeting) confirmed no additional formal legal vote was needed: staff only required direction to proceed because a contract with the driller already exists.
Staff also told the council the drillers had bid on the set of sites and had accepted the city’s option to move among the six proposed locations; staff said the driller was “okay” with the selected sites. Council members and staff emphasized that these are test wells, not production approvals, and noted zone testing is materially more expensive.
The council gave direction to proceed with planning for a potential fourth test well provided the total cost for the three previously approved wells and any added work would remain within the original combined budget. The city did not record a formal vote on the change in the transcript; staff was told to continue coordinating with the driller and to return with budget updates as needed.
The discussion included operational details (deeper boreholes, zone testing) and schedule/contract clarifications (driller bid covered multiple sites and can move between them). No binding contract amendment was recorded at the meeting; staff indicated they would proceed in accordance with the existing contract and council direction.
