Jasper board rejects water filtration truck bids, awaits SRF scores and final water rate study

At the June 15 meeting of the Jasper Utility Service Board, members voted to reject all bids for a planned water filtration truck and heard updates on an ongoing water rate analysis and an SRF ranking for a lead service line project.

General Manager Rob Young said the utility reviewed Baker Tilly’s first pass of a water-rate analysis and requested adjustments to capital-plan assumptions and financing scenarios; staff expects a revised draft by the end of June and will schedule Water Committee review once ready. "We went back to them with some adjustments ... they're reworking that right now," Young said.

On procurement, the board opened the filtration-truck quotations and—citing budget constraints and pending the rate-study outcome—voted to reject all bids and rebid when budgeting permits. The motion to reject bids carried on a voice vote.

Young also reported preliminary Project Priority List (PPL) rankings from the State Revolving Fund for the town’s submitted lead service line project; the project preliminarily placed fifth, which staff described as a strong initial result. Staff will await final SRF scoring (anticipated in early July) to clarify which portions of the project may be eligible for forgivable grants, low-interest loans or other SRF funding.

The board tied several near-term decisions to the outcome of the water-rate analysis and SRF funding determinations; Young said staff will return with updates next month.

Next steps: staff to circulate the revised water-rate analysis, rebid the filtration truck when budget permits, and report final SRF scoring in July.