Wooster moving forward with treatment plant upgrades despite $900K price jump
WOOSTER − After debating the cost, City Council on Monday unanimously approved legislation to find a contractor to replace key components in the wastewater treatment plant.
The estimated cost to improve two vertical loop reactors in the facility increased by nearly $900,000 from $1.8 million to $2.7 million, largely due to inflation, said Joel Montgomery, director of administration.
Despite the increase, Montgomery said the city will foot the bill from its sanitary sewer budget and bonds. Users will not see any rate increases.
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Montgomery said the city was "surprised" at the new price, explaining that rising prices for labor and specialty equipment used in water treatment facilities are to blame.
A breakdown of the new cost provided by the city shows a 25% increase in equipment costs and a 12.5% increase in labor.
"We still hope the bids might come in under the estimate, as we have included contingencies in these estimates," he said.
The project is part of a larger effort to renovate the aging water infrastructure at the facility.
Inflation-driven prices
Councilwoman Barbara Knapic was astounded by the price change.
"When you budget something and have an almost million-dollar increase, I find it hard to think that is just for machinery and labor; that's just a huge number," Knapic said.
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Councilman Craig Sanders said the price jump is not common in the construction industry nor at Freeman Building Systems, where he is vice president of design.
"We usually see a 20% increase in costs, not a 40% increase, but again it is specialty equipment and labor," Sanders said. "It's specialty enough equipment that at this point to put what I do on a daily average basis is not an equitable comparison."
While council and the administration is concerned with the higher costs, they agreed it was best to search for a contractor now to begin construction on the wastewater plant as soon as possible.
Two public hearings slated for next meeting
Two public hearings are scheduled at the next meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 17, in Wooster City Hall to consider the zoning of multiple parcels.
The first legislation seeks to rezone four parcels on Vine Street from traditional residential to urban industrial.
The change would allow a range of uses like the raising of crops, community gardens, automotive repair, bars and taverns, offices, research facilities, warehouses, recreation and places of worship.
The addresses are 129 East Vine St., 133 East Vine St. and 139 East Vine St.
The second piece of legislation seeks to annex and zone 32 acres along the east side of Melrose Drive to an R-2 single-family residential district to build housing.
Other action at the Monday, April 3, Wooster City Council meeting
East of Chicago Pizza at 801 West Old Lincoln Way will receive a liquor license.
The city will purchase 2,000 tons of road salt from the Ohio Department of Transportation cooperative program for $150,000.
City council approved multiple pieces of legislation with the goal of preparing the city to receive a yet-to-be-determined amount of money from opioid settlements from multiple companies, including CVS, Allergan, Walmart, TEVA and Walgreens.
To fund road improvement projects, sanitary sewer system expansions and the Fire Station No. 1 renovation, the city will issue and sell bonds for the total maximum amount of roughly $9.3 million.
UP NEXT: Meets at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 17, in City Hall.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Council approves $2.7 million legislation to improve wastewater plant
