Plants' upgrade bids below estimates

MINSTER - The cost of improving the wastewater and water treatment plants may be about $400,000 less than city officials had expected.

Village council members at Tuesday's meeting approved bids for a centrifuge sludge filter at the wastewater treatment plant and for a new membrane filter at the water treatment plant.

Peterson Construction was awarded the bid of $1,580,000 for the centrifuge project. The project cost had been estimated at $1,850,000, village administrator Don Harrod said. The work should take about three months, he said.

"We've worked with Peterson before. They built the wastewater treatment plant. They've done a good job for us," he said.

The centrifuge process includes a digestion system used to reduce pathogens in the sludge. Working the sludge through the system allows the dry material to be land applied.

The village currently ships out the sludge at a cost of 10 cents per gallon. The village spends about $500,000 per year in shipping costs, Harrod said.

The filter could be operational early next year, officials said.

Council also chose H2O Innovations' $146,880 bid for the new membrane. That project had been expected to cost about $225,000, Harrod said.

However, council members want to negotiate a cost for an 18-month warranty to help cover any possible issues with the product, which would clean water at the treatment plant. Harrod will contact company officials about the warranty.

Council also approved an amendment to the contract with the centrifuge filter's designer, CDM-Smith, to oversee the installation. Additional costs could be as much as $35,600 for 96 hours of work, Harrod said.

"If we get started and we find out this is a lot easier than what we thought it was going to be, we won't need that much time," he said.

Council members and Harrod discussed additional oversight from CDM-Smith for the centrifuge project. CDM-Smith has offered construction administration, project representative and application engineer services for an additional $266,000.

Company employees would look at plans, perform weekly inspections and assist with pairing the centrifuge with the current control system, Harrod said.

Council members Rick Schwartz and Tom Herkenhoff suggested Harrod ask Peterson Construction if they would need the supervision of CDM-Smith before deciding. Harrod agreed to ask.

No action was taken.

Council members also,

• approved a resolution to eliminate parking in three locations.

No parking sections ranging from 50-75 feet will be added to Ohio Street and Industrial Park Drive across from entrances to Spring Creek Boating Supply and to Executive Drive across from Woehrmeyer Construction, Harrod said.

• approved ordinances allowing two-way traffic on Lincoln Drive and adding stop signs necessary due to the change. Signs will be installed at the intersections of Lincoln Drive and Lincoln Street as well as Lincoln Drive and Fourth Street.

• chose Andrew Schmitmeyer as the village's representative to the Minster Community Fund Distribution Committee.

• approved promoting Julie Schneider from introductory to full-time status as administrative assistant with an hourly pay of $15.35.

• approved Bryan Koesters as a part-time Minster police officer with hourly pay of $11.50.  

• approved the creation of a bullet-proof vest grant fund with about $6,500 in federal funding for the police department.

• heard first reading of a resolution allowing Minster Local Schools to use diamond No. 5 at Four Seasons Park for the girls' softball games.

The field is underutilized, Harrod said.

"They would utilize a field that doesn't get used a lot," he said.

The athletic department would like to move the outfield wall in, change the infield from baseball to softball, replace sprinkler heads and possibly install a new scoreboard, Harrod said.

The athletic boosters would pay for the majority of the costs. The village could provide labor, he said. The field is projected to be ready for play by the start of the 2017 season, he said after the meeting.

• heard first reading of a resolution designating Minster Bank as a depository for public funds.

The bank's current five-year term will expire this year and this measure would renew the bank's role for another five years, Harrod said.

• heard the first reading of a resolution adopting the solid waste management plan for the Auglaize County Solid Waste Management District.

• heard resumes are being reviewed and a recommendation will be made to council in the near future concerning the open position at the wastewater/water department, Harrod said.

• heard electric department workers are removing dead ash trees in the village right-of-way. About 25 trees will be removed, Harrod said.

Department workers also will trim branches of other trees that are becoming tangled in power lines throughout the village, he added.

• learned trick or treat is set for 6:30-8 p.m. on Oct. 29.