Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wastewater topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Preston council rejects Mountain West contract, advances sewer repairs
Summary
The Preston City Council on June 9 denied a proposed contract with Mountain West Water Works, approved bids to extend sewer laterals and pursue repairs to failing private service lines affecting about 50–60 residents, and tabled a proposed SCADA integration pending a cost estimate of roughly $100,000.
The Preston City Council on June 9 denied a proposed wastewater contract with Mountain West Water Works and approved steps to address deteriorating sewer service lines, while tabling a proposed integration of lift stations into the city's SCADA monitoring system pending a cost estimate.
Resident Jacob Hansen opened public comment by criticizing recent sewer‑rate increases and saying the ‘‘sewer plant operates as a profit center,’’ a claim the council rejected by explaining the sewer utility is an enterprise fund and revenues are dedicated to operations and debt repayment. Council records reflect the council assured Mr. Hansen the city does not profit from the service.
Colter Hollingshead of Keller Associates presented an amendment to the city's Owner‑Consultant Agreement to increase the contract cap for ongoing engineering services from $10,000 to $30,000. Attorney Lyle Fuller told the council he and Director of Planning and Land Use Shawn Oliverson are drafting changes to city code so developers would pay for plan reviews such as plats and traffic impact analyses. Council approved Amendment #1 and authorized Mayor Daniel M. Keller to sign it.
Public Works Director John Balls told the council that the one‑mile replacement plan affects roughly 50–60 residents and that some private service lines are in extremely poor condition. The council voted to request bids from RSCI for the cost to extend laterals to the back of curb and for per‑linear‑foot replacement of private sewer lines. Councilmember Terry Larson moved the bid request; Councilmember Chris Larsen seconded.
Treatment plant operator Brian Moss described integrating lift stations into the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system to provide immediate fault notifications and speed responses, saying the change "will enable quicker response and prevent sewage backups." Keller Associates offered a rough estimate of about $100,000 for that integration but said a precise figure requires a formal cost estimate. Councilmember Todd Thomas moved to table the SCADA integration item to the next meeting pending a cost estimate; the motion passed unanimously.
Council also heard an update on negotiations with Mountain West Water Works. Attorney Fuller said the revised draft incorporated the city's requested changes, and the council asked Brian Moss whether he could perform the items in the proposed scope; Moss confirmed he is licensed and capable. Councilmember Brent Dodge moved, and Councilmember Todd Thomas seconded, a motion to deny the proposed agreement and not enter into contracts with Mountain West Water Works; the council approved the motion unanimously.
Next steps: staff will solicit bids from RSCI for lateral extensions and line replacement unit costs and will return a cost estimate for SCADA integration at a future meeting. The council did not adopt any policy changes at this meeting beyond approving the contract amendment with Keller Associates and denying the Mountain West agreement.
