Council presses Mountain West Water Works on steep startup price and tables operator contract for two weeks

Representatives from Mountain West Water Works presented two options to operate Preston’s new wastewater treatment plant, emphasizing that the Department of Environmental Quality requires Class 4 operators and that the startup phase will require on-site support as equipment is delivered.

Councilmember Brent Dodge criticized the firm’s pricing and markup, calling the proposed monthly startup fee "quite excessive." Dodge cited third-party salary and markup comparisons and asked the company to reexamine hourly and mileage rates. The vendor, Greg Roberts, said the published rates reflect overhead, vendor relationships and specialized equipment lead times and that much of the quoted startup cost covers scope-matching services and licensed staff deployment.

The mayor stressed the city’s concern with long-term rate impacts after a roughly $70,000,000 plant investment and asked the vendor to sharpen numbers. Council members discussed a hybrid model that would use qualified city staff for routine duties and rely on the contractor for specialized tasks. After debate, the council voted to table the matter for two weeks and directed Mountain West to work with city staff to present a revised proposal and possible discount.

Key facts from the presentation included the DEQ-driven requirement for Class 4 operators, an estimated 6–8 month startup timeline, vendor-stated startup pricing (just over $11,000/month in the firm’s packet) and a lower long-term operations price once the plant is commissioned. Council requested clearer breakdowns of labor, subcontractor markups, travel and material rates before any agreement is finalized.