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Albany County water district requests budget transfers for overtime, an emergency repair and a CHA study for grit removal design
Summary
Executive Director Gaudio told the committee the water verification district needs a $135,000 budget transfer for overtime and replacement of failed lab equipment, a $150,000 emergency transfer for a failed bar screen (with a prior $665,000 replacement estimate and a low bidder named Keller), and authorization to hire CHA Consulting for a grit removal system study priced at about $600,000 (discussed as $550,000 base fee plus $50,000 contingency).
Executive Director Gaudio presented several interrelated requests for the water verification district, describing operational and capital needs the district said are necessary to maintain treatment operations.
On the staffing and equipment request, Gaudio said a $135,000 budget-neutral amendment is needed to cover staffing shortages and overtime. "Right now we've got a 135,000 requested. 3,000 of that would be to address overtime overages with our collection group and then the remaining 132,000 would be with our primary operator group," he said. The request also includes funds to replace failed lab equipment, specifically a deionized water system that failed earlier in the year.
Gaudio also described an emergency authorization to address a failed bar screen (number 3) at the North Plant. He said the repair was estimated at roughly 30 percent of a replacement and that a $150,000 transfer was requested to pay for part of the work. He noted a prior replacement estimate of about $665,000 and said the district put the work out for an emergency bid; the low responsible bidder was identified in the meeting as Keller and the bid was reported to come in under the earlier estimate. The meeting transcript contains a numerical transcription that is unclear for the exact bid amount; the record does make clear that the low responsible bidder was Keller and that the bid was below the prior estimate.
Finally, Gaudio presented a contract request to hire CHA Consulting to study and design a new grit removal system for the north and south treatment plants. He said CHA was preselected under an RFQ in 2024 and that the study would be funded with EFC (Environmental Facilities Corporation) money and district funds. Discussion clarified the design request as a $600,000 total authorization composed of a roughly $550,000 base fee plus a $50,000 contingency to cover potential additional survey work.
Committee members asked questions about potential capital cost for full replacement; Gaudio said total capital costs were likely north of $20 million and that the design work is already programmed into larger design appropriations previously approved. The committee moved these items forward during the meeting.
