Committee endorses VFD replacement at Well No. 8, authorizes referral for budget amendment up to $40,000

The Middleton Public Works Committee on July 28 recommended replacing a failing variable frequency drive (VFD) at Well No. 8 and referring the required budget amendment to Finance & Personnel and Common Council.

Staff explanation: Ben told the committee the VFD in the well’s utility cabinet is overheating and failing; he said the unit is roughly 17 years old while typical VFD life is about 10–15 years. Ben said other wells are undergoing rehabilitation (wells 5 and 7), making it undesirable to have multiple wells offline simultaneously. He said staff recommend contracting with Ultranext Control Systems for the replacement, not to exceed $40,000, and that the purchase will require a budget amendment.

Capital planning context: Committee members asked whether this was an expected replacement. Ben said the failure was somewhat unexpected but that staff are developing a more robust capital improvement plan and have been working with engineering consultant Strand on long‑term well planning.

Motion and outcome: A member moved the committee recommend the VFD replacement agreement with electronics not to exceed $40,000 and to send a project reconciliation/budget amendment to Finance and Common Council. The motion was seconded, members voted in favor, and the chair declared the motion passed.

What’s next: Staff will prepare the agreement with Ultranext Control Systems and a budget amendment for Finance & Personnel and Common Council in August.