-
NATIONAL HEALTH CARE, HOSPICE MONTH - Members of Interim Health for Levelland met along side City of Levelland Mayor Barbra Pinner at city hall as she proclaimed November as National Home Care and Hospice Month. Interim Home Health, the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, and thousands of home care agencies across the U.S. have declared the month of November as National Home Care and Hospice Month. (Staff Photo by Dom Puente)
After numerous meetings, multiple workshops and additional questions, the Levelland City Council has settled on a wastewater treatment plant option.
Parkhill Engineer Daniel Albus has been at the head of the project to this point.
Albus has gone through multiple options that could replace or refurbish the current plant as well as including current projected costs as prices continue to increase.
Setting their certificates of obligation at $20 million, the additional two options that were considered pond-in-pond options exceeded the amount in the front end, but provided a low cost of operations yearly.
The first two options originally presented fell slightly under the $20 million mark which was the refurbishment of the current plant or the installation of a mechanical plant.
City Manager Brandon Anderson recommended the city consider option two which was the mechanical plant as there was more flexibility with that type of plant.
Albus also expanded on the wide variety of mechanical parts that go into making the plant and the quality of parts will correlate with price.
The probable cost of the mechanical plant presented by Albus sits roughly at $19.3 million.
Annual operations are projected at $142,160, while the labor costs will be $210,00.
Additionally, the mechanical plant option will fit the current foot print of the plant in place as well as creating consistent effluent for current and future reuse options.
Ultimately Council unanimously agreed upon the construction and addition of a mechanical plant to the current facility, which will allow a greater efficiency throughout the facility.
In previous meetings Albus stated that construction could take as much as two years to complete, but assured council that he would be overseeing the process.
Council Members Breann Buxkemper and Michael Stueart voiced their desires to see local business have the opportunity to place their bids as they amount of work that will be needed is immense.
Buxkemper also added that she understood that there are some aspects of the plant that local companies may not be able to handle or take on, but she would like to see them included if possible.
Moving forward, the board unanimously approved the negotiated scope, fee and contract with Parkhill engineers.
Albus assured the board that he will be on site and head of the project as he has continued to be.
Council Member Mary Engledow also brought up work that was done during the building of the new fire station that was inadequate and was left in a terrible condition.
Albus assured that any work done will be tight to the contractor and as well as himself as his name is on the project.
With an immense amount of concrete being poured, he understood the councilwomen’s.
Also pertaining to the wastewater plant, the farm lease for surrounding land had expired bids were discussed in an executive session. After discussions, it was decided that J&B Cattle Company would be awarded the bid.
The City Staff Holiday Calendar was discussed and slighly modified.
It was decided that the schedule would contain a total of 12, with two floating as the employee sees fit.
The floating holidays would allow employees to take certain holidays that weren’t included or for any other reason as needed.