BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — Management of Starke’s wastewater treatment plant is going in a new direction as the city proceeds with reconstruction.
City Manager Drew Mullins said engineering firm Woodward and Curran provided the revised design of the new plant and understands how the current and future plants function. The firm has also help secure funding for improvements.
Mullins said he began thinking about the challenge of running one plant while another was being constructed. He knew the engineering firm was both capable and experienced in doing so. The firm manages the city of Groveland, for example.
Starke will retain ownership and ultimate responsibility for the wastewater treatment plant. Woodward and Curran will oversee daily operations and maintenance and serve as liaison to regulatory agencies. This covers routine operations but not emergency operations due to natural disaster, fire, disruption of electric service or equipment failure resulting from the city’s failure to adequately invest in the plant.
But Woodward and Curran would assist, if possible, for additional compensation. It would also rely on the city’s security devises and public safety staff to secure the plant.
The city will continue to be responsible for all capital expenditures; fines for violations of wastewater treatment standards; property, flood and fire insurance; salaries and benefits; overhead, the cost of chemicals, residuals management, testing and supplies; and other miscellaneous costs. This includes unbudgeted repair and maintenance costs.
For the first 12 months of the contract, Starke will pay Woodward and Curran more than $912,000 in 12 equal installments, plus 8% of the reimbursable costs based upon the city’s annual budget. Based on the current budget, that amounts to nearly $73,000. Starke and Woodward and Curran will negotiate annual facility budgets moving forward.
The contract also calls for a $64,000 transition fee, payable over three years — the term of this initial agreement. In all, the budget for year one totals just over $1 million.
Mullins said the city will see a slight cost savings through the arrangement. It is not anticipated to lose existing staff members, who are well qualified and will be in a position for even further training in operating the new plant.
“The first thing we sat down and talked to (Woodward and Curran) about is how can we take care of our employees, because we don’t want them to lose jobs. (They’re) highly qualified,” he said. They will have the opportunity to transfer to Woodward and Curran.
The firm also has operators on staff to call upon if needed, which Starke has already taken advantage of. Mullins said that’s important because wastewater plant operators are becoming harder to find.
According to the city manager, construction of the new plant will take 18 to 20 months during which there will be a lot of switching back and forth between systems, followed by year one operation of a new plant and any issues that come up. Woodward and Curran’s experience with the existing plant and design of the new plant can get the city through the transition, he said.
The city and engineering firm will ‘work together to develop and execute future capital upgrade projects to reduce operations and maintenance costs or to improve operations control, productivity and compliance. Improvements will be suggested alongside funding options.
The contract approved last month passed without public discussion from the board. Mullins said commissioners were instead given the opportunity to meet with him and an operator from Woodward and Curran with 40 years’ experience to familiarize them with the proposal and answer any questions.
