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Economic director: focus North of 71; Willow wastewater capacity should support near-term growth
Summary
Robert Andrade, Smithville’s economic development director, told the planning commission he will focus recruitment north of U.S. 71 and the river corridor; he said wastewater improvements to the Willow plant are planned to increase capacity to roughly 800,000–900,000 gallons per day and noted reworking older facilities would be costly.
Robert Andrade, Smithville’s economic development director, told the commission he will use the comprehensive plan as a guide and concentrate economic development efforts north of U.S. 71 and north of the river, near Willow. Andrade said the city is planning wastewater improvements that should raise Willow’s capacity to about 800,000–900,000 gallons per day and that Gasly could be used as a lift station in the interim.
"Willow will reach a capacity of about between 800,000 gallons per day to possibly 900,000 gallons per day," Andrade said, adding that rebuilding older systems (referred to in the meeting as GaSy) could cost in the range of $30 million to $35 million — money the city currently does not have. Andrade said those improvements should provide a multi-year buffer for growth and that development focus will be gradual to avoid overwhelming infrastructure. He emphasized that while the plan is a guide, staff will amend it as conditions change and as economic opportunities arise.
