Commissioners add $10,135 to finish auger replacement, approve $63,204 total

Carroll County commissioners on March 23 amended a capital-reserve transfer and approved a $63,204 total to complete a top-to-bottom replacement of a wastewater auger.

DPW Director Will Dit told the commission that the delivered auger casing lacked welded support hardware and that the contractor had not shipped the gearbox and electric motor expected with the unit. That omission would either require a field modification and immediate purchase of missing parts or a wait of about four weeks for a full replacement shipment. Dit said the county could run the system on a bypass while waiting, but that option requires more frequent pumping visits at roughly $800 per pump call.

“Technically it’s turning. It’s working,” Dit said, describing the partial functionality of the installed unit, but he recommended replacing the gearbox and motor when the installer returns so the system is renewed “top to bottom.” Commissioners discussed the tradeoffs and agreed that, because the installation crews were on site, it made sense to add the funds now.

The commission moved, seconded and approved an amendment to transfer an additional $10,135.42 from the capital-reserve fund, bringing the auger project total to $63,204. The motion’s mover and seconder were not specified in the transcript. The action was described as covering the auger casing, internal auger, gearbox and the electric motor to make the installation complete.

Staff said ordering the gearbox and motor now would take about four weeks for delivery; using the bypass could require two to three pumping contracts during that interval at approximately $800 per visit, increasing short-term operational costs. Commissioners noted a desire to be proactive to avoid repeated emergency repairs.

The commission recorded the amendment and moved on to remaining business. No additional formal conditions or follow-up reporting requirements were listed in the meeting transcript.