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Batesville ratifies emergency wastewater repairs after lift-station failure; seeks design work for tennis grant
Summary
City leaders ratified emergency repairs to restore sewer service after pump failures affected areas east of Batesville, approved a lagoon survey and authorized hiring an engineering firm to produce 60% design plans required for a $200,000 USDA grant for a tennis complex.
Batesville officials ratified emergency repairs after two pumps at the Pine Lodge lift station failed on Dec. 23, temporarily disrupting sewer service to neighborhoods and businesses east of the city.
Nelson, the city's public works director, told the board the pump impeller needed replacement and staff secured an impeller the next morning for $5,518 and performed an emergency purchase to restore service. "We pulled that pump ... pumps everything east of Batesville," Nelson said, explaining the rapid purchase and asking the board to approve the emergency documentation. The board voted to ratify the emergency purchase.
Nelson also reported an additional repair discovered during related work: a severely damaged shaft bearing on the north oxidation ditch. He said the shaft required remachining at an added cost of $4,500 to return treatment operations to normal and address ammonia-limit compliance; the board approved that emergency repair as well.
The board approved a $6,500 contract with Mid Drop Engineer to survey a lagoon at the wastewater treatment plant to estimate solids and inform possible future dredging. Nelson said the survey will inform a timeline for dredging and budgeting needs.
Separately, the board authorized a $25,000 contract with Drop Engineering to produce 60% construction plans for a new tennis complex, a milestone Nelson said USDA requires before it will consider releasing the discussed $200,000 grant. "To get that grant through USDA, they had to have 60% plans before they would even consider releasing that money," Nelson said. The board approved the Drop Engineering contract and the lagoon survey, and authorized staff to advertise and recruit for entry-level wastewater operator candidates after a recent resignation.
Board members closed the meeting by directing staff to continue project closeout tasks and file the emergency- repair paperwork with the motion recorded in the minutes.
