The Marshall Board of Public Works held a regular meeting Thursday, June 30. According to unofficial meeting minutes, Wastewater Treatment Plant Lab Technician Eric Perkins presented a bid received to remodel the plant’s breakroom and bathroom. This is part of the FEMA project and will be reimbursed at 90 percent. According to the minutes, bids were sent out to 29 area vendors, with only one responding, which was Septagon Construction, of Sedalia, in the amount of $42,025. The board approved the bid.
During the meeting, Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Travis Boss noted the correct weigh belt feeding would arrive July 1, and the belt strapper that was being constructed would be shipped, with the company coming onsite July 12 and 13 to conduct training. Also, containers for lead and copper sampling have been sent to area customers, some of which have already been returned.
Underground Facilities Chief Engineering Technician Cody Boston reported the department director, Grant Piper, is reviewing the quote from Landis+Gyr for software and programming of AMI water meters. That quote was approximately $712,000.
IT and Broadband Director Jim Widel reported that Coleman’s is finished in the southeast area of town and working in the Shackelford area. MMU crews have almost completed splicing the Lime Avenue area and started pulling fiber around Wildcat Road.
According to meeting minutes, Electric Distribution Director Doug Root told the board he was waiting on materials for the Southeast Substation new transformer and 15kV switchgear. All transformers are installed for the overhead to underground conversion, conductors have been terminated, new underground line has been energized, and crews would start connecting services that day, the minutes stated.
Human Resources Manager Megan Baldridge updated the board on vacancies. Two conditional offers had been made for positions and two current employees would be transferring to different positions.
The board heard May financial updates from
Controller Tony Bersano, and General Manager Jeff Bergstrom reported an inspection with FEMA is being finalized. He noted he has participated in several meetings with Burns & McDonnell discussing ARPA funding and has been working with staff to identify projects and submit applications, which are due mid-July. Bergstrom also participated in the MPUA quarterly meetings and noted the financing to purchase all 10 solar farms had been approved.
Bergstrom later went over items from the Peer Review and answered board member Chuck Hines’ inquiry regarding MMU’s utility costs. According to the minutes, he replied that since MMU is a nonprofit, there is no mark up and everything sold is atcost.
He added the staff is developing an enhanced communications plan, and Baldridge had developed a schedule for social media posts and is working on getting the website updated.