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Council presses for hire of certified water operator as contractor costs continue
Summary
Council discussed replacing contractor work with a certified water/sewer operator, flagged an electrical issue at Well 6, and said an Oregon company will inspect the system; a council member estimated a larger idle project at roughly $1.2 million.
Council members urged the city to replace some contractor services with a hired, certified operator, ideally someone with both water and sewer certifications, to reduce contractor costs and improve continuity.
"We can't keep Jay on in-depth because that could be 2, 3, 4 years from now," one council member said, arguing the city should hire a permanent operator or an operator with both certifications to avoid long-term contractor reliance. Council asked staff to run cost comparisons showing potential savings from hiring a certified dual operator versus continued contractor payments.
Staff confirmed an Oregon-based company would visit the next day to evaluate the system and that there are candidates in testing for operator positions. Council also raised a reported electrical issue with Well 6 and asked for updates on repairs. One council member described a large, idle project tied to water infrastructure that they estimated at about $1.2 million and urged the city to get the project operational if possible.
Staff acknowledged the need for further evaluation and said they would report back by email after the Oregon company's assessment and provide cost-comparison figures for hiring versus contracting.
