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Council approves water system study, liquid chlorine conversion and server purchase amid flood recovery work
Summary
The council hired CliftonLarsonAllen for a full water rate study, approved switching to liquid chlorination, and authorized a new server purchase; staff reported watermain valves had been clogged with flood sediment and that vacuum crews removed sand under existing MCO contract.
Council members approved several infrastructure and utility actions at the June 8 meeting aimed at system reliability and long-term finance.
John Bork of MCO reported that while exercising watermain valves after recent flooding crews found many valves "plugged with dirt;" a vacuum crew removed sand today and Bork said that work is covered under Marion’s contract with MCO. Council also approved Resolution WS2026-01, Marion’s WDNR Compliance Maintenance Annual Report, which the Utility Board recommended; the resolution notes the utility’s overall grades were all “A.”
On treatment infrastructure, the Utility Board recommended switching from a tablet chlorination system to a liquid chlorination system for greater accuracy; the council approved the Hawkins Chemical quote of $6,028.35 plus shipping (the project budgeted $10,000). The council also authorized hiring CliftonLarsonAllen to perform a full water rate case study; staff said the utility’s 2026 rate of return was estimated near 1% while an appropriate target is about 6%, and that the $9,000 study cost plus an estimated $2,000 PSC fee would be part of any rate increase submitted to the Public Service Commission.
Separately, Finance recommended and the council approved a Heartland Business Systems server quote for $46,306.32. Members noted the city had budgeted $13,500 in the capital plan but that supply-chain issues and data center part shortages raised the cost and created an 8–10 month lead time; the invoice is not expected until 2027. The council accepted the recommendation to proceed.
