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Council weighs fee adjustments and options to replace sewer‑camera equipment amid contracting cost tradeoffs
Summary
Council reviewed proposed fee schedule changes (including a demolition permit increase and garbage 'large item' tag policy) and compared quotes for new sewer inspection camera systems versus contracting the service; staff recommended maintaining in‑house capacity while refining fee language and return with clarified garbage tag coverage and camera warranty details.
Manchester staff presented proposed updates to the city fee schedule and multiple procurement options to address aging sewer inspection equipment.
On fees, the council reviewed proposed increases tied to staff time and coordination, including a proposed demolition permit increase (from $50 to $75 in the example discussed) and a $30 curbside 'large item' garbage tag; council asked staff to clarify whether a single $30 tag covers multiple bags/containers for spring cleanups and whether the city should offer a discounted tag for those events.
On equipment, staff compared vendor bids for replacing a failing sewer inspection camera and for purchasing a trailerized turnkey system. One vendor quoted a camera (without trailer) in the low‑to‑mid five figures and a higher turnkey trailerized system at about $102,349; another smaller configuration was quoted near $15,000 without trailer. Staff noted contracting out pipe inspection could cost approximately $60,000 per year under multi‑year contracts and would reduce rapid response capacity for urgent repairs, so keeping an in‑house camera/trailer was recommended despite higher upfront cost.
Council asked staff to return with clarified garbage‑tag language, camera warranty and maintenance terms, and a recommended procurement timeline and budget implications.
