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Town council approves backflow meter and hears wide-ranging utility maintenance plan
Summary
Staff presented quotes for a casino flow meter and radio modems, described sanitary-survey follow-ups and treatment-plant maintenance, and the council approved purchase of a backflow meter; staff warned a 4,000-gallon sulfuric-acid tank is overbuilt and proposed safer, smaller replacements.
A staff member told the council they had "given you all the quotes for the meter at the casino" but that the quote covered only the meter, cell modems and wiring, not a tower or base required for the modems; the county must supply exact base dimensions before that work can proceed. The staff member said the uninstalled items and conflicts with existing power lines could add roughly $10,000 in costs and that the overall project estimate was a rough figure "right at 50" thousand dollars.
The council voted to approve purchase of a backflow meter after staff identified two quotes and recommended the smaller option for piping work the town did not need. "I make a motion to approve," a council member said; another seconded, and the motion carried on a voice vote.
Staff also summarized a recent sanitary survey that cited three minor items: unlabeled chlorine cylinders, a missing backflow test report from Caesars (now obtained), and a review of water loss. The staff member said water loss is the primary driver of the automatic-meter program and the proposed casino meter and described coordination with the fire department over hydrant usage and metering.
On plant operations, staff reported ongoing painting of floors, pumps and piping and scheduled flow tests on wells (work not done since 2023). Several tanks have not been inspected since 2019; staff plans inspections this spring, including the clear well.
Staff raised safety and maintenance concerns about a 4,000-gallon sulfuric-acid tank that far exceeds projected use. "The 4,000galon tank is is absurd," the staff member said, noting annual sulfuric-acid use of roughly 700 gallons. They proposed replacing pumps (estimated $3,000 each) and installing a smaller 600–800-gallon tank with a remodeled containment pit to reduce pump strain and spill risk.
The council did not set a firm implementation date for a tank-room remodel but instructed staff to prioritize meter installations, radio meter rollouts and flow meters this year and defer larger remodeling work until the fall.
