Utility Director Ron Urton informed the city council on Monday night that work at the water plant reservoir pump station is substantially complete. Regarding the upgrade to the river pump station, Urton mentioned a finalized contract, with work tentatively scheduled to begin next March. This schedule allows for the cleaning of the wet well. He also reported that equipment is being fabricated for the clarifier modification project at the water plant and noted the completion of disinfection work at the sewer plant in October. New blower motors have been installed, and lime sludge has been spread on fields.
Urton stated that bids for the second phase of the water line project, located north of 10th Street and Oklahoma Avenue, would be sought in January. Similar to the first phase, this work involves replacing dead-end pipes and installing larger pipes to improve water flow.
The Trenton asphalt plant ceased operations for the season, having sold over 44,000 tons of asphalt. Urton observed that the street department exhausted its rock supply towards the season’s end. Bids for the city’s purchase of rock and sand for the upcoming year’s use at the asphalt plant have been advertised.
One of Urton’s short-term goals is to review specifications for boring work at 28th Street and Muddy Creek. The Trenton finance committee meeting on December 7 at 4:30 p.m. is expected to include a discussion about the proposal to separate the roles of the city administrator and utility director into two distinct positions.
