Albany Utility Board approves several equipment purchases and repair contracts

The Albany Utility Board on Oct. 9 approved a series of equipment purchases and repair contracts intended to maintain fuel, water and wastewater operations.

Board members authorized a $86,012.72 purchase from Barber Equipment of Albany to replace aging fuel dispensers at several city facilities. Staff said the existing pumps are 20–25 years old, replacement parts are scarce and downtime can last weeks; the purchase includes a one-year warranty.

The board also approved a $44,710 purchase of a Benshaw-series soft starter for a wastewater plant blower, following a consultant recommendation; that product carries a three-year warranty, staff said. For a downtown well (Well 13) the board authorized a contract with Donald Smith Company of Hedland, Alabama, to replace a pump for $46,930 after staff and the contractor determined the unit could not be repaired.

At the wastewater treatment plant the board approved a $58,683.92 repair with Waco Electric Supply. Staff said replacement would cost roughly $200,000, and that a repair is expected to extend the pump’s life by about four to five years. The board also authorized purchase of a 6-inch trailer-mounted Godwin pump from Xylem Dewatering Solutions under a Florida Sheriffs Association cooperative contract for $53,276.81; staff described those pumps as standardized emergency backups used citywide to manage flooding and prevent sewage overflows.

All contracts were approved by roll-call vote. Board members and staff stressed that equipment age, spare-parts availability and emergency service needs guided procurement choices. Several presenters noted the value of cooperative contracts or established maintenance relationships to expedite repairs and keep costs down.

The board recommended the Godwin pump purchase for city commission approval and recorded no dissent on the listed procurement items.