OOLITIC – Council members provided updates on projects during the Oolitic Town Council meeting Monday night, including an update to the wastewater treatment plant project, as well as plans to clean areas throughout town.
Jeff Farmer from Bynum & Fanyo provided the board with a list of items for the board to consider when thinking about the future of the plant and operations. This included:
- Return sludge pumps and control replacement costs, flow meter rehab for RAS & WAS meters, piping to replace the telescopic weirs, clarifier weir re-alignment
- Control System for Wet Weather Protocol (install RAFA Control, repair replacement cost for dissolved oxygen meters and probes, installation of new pH and D.O. meter on Effluent),
- Discussion of digester operation and needs (decant weir and pump, blower operation and electrical usage, land application, digester, and mis liquor tank cleaning)
- Discussion of I&I Reduction (influent lift station and flooding issues, backup pump when raw influent station fails, smoke testing), General Needs (autosamplers).
The board then discussed the possible options on how to better maintain the town and keep it clean and safe for community members and those who pass through. The council is working on options for cleanup around Town and Smith Avenue.
Several suggestions have been bought forward including a Town clean-up day, an adopt a road/street program, as well as continuing to work on paperwork for Town Marshal James Harrington, to serve the homeowners who are in violation. After a brief discussion, it was determined the council will continue to work together on a solution.
Councilmember John Dillon stated they had received a quote for the tree work at the wastewater treatment plant from Camelot Wright for $4,500. In addition to clearing the trees around the plant, the quote included cleanup and removal of debris leftover from the project. The council accepted the contract unanimously.
Bids have begun to come in for the renovations to the old fire station next to Oolitic Town Hall. With more coming in, the council hopes to have contracts to discuss during the next meeting in May.
Before closing, councilmember Steve Kerr brought up one last item for discussion. He presented the idea to have one council member as a liaison for each department versus each board member needing to be contacted each time something comes up.
After a brief discussion, Council President Brenda Corey stated the board would need to look into the Open Door Policy to determine the best way to go about communication via a liaison, and the board will look into further options to address the idea.
