Water Board Working On Capital Improvement Projects
The Oskaloosa Water Board met in regular session on Monday, May 13, 2019.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Oskaloosa Water Board met on Monday to discuss upcoming capital improvement projects. It was the first board meeting without former General Manager Chad Coon. Matt Van Wyk, interim General Manager was on hand to answer questions from the board members.
The board discussed and passed Resolution #1908, which approves and authorized a loan agreement between the City of Oskaloosa and the Iowa Finance Authority providing for the re-issuance of the $6,500,000 Water Revenue Capital Loan Notes Series 2008.
The move will reduce the interest rate on the loan from 3% down to 1.175%.
The cost to the water department to have the process done was approximately $1000, with the savings in interest, the department will save the ratepayers of Oskaloosa approximately $300,000.00.
The board discussed the consideration of cost sharing for a capital improvement project expansion to meet Musco MSO (Musco Specialty Operations) fire protection needs.
Musco’s new facility along 11th Avenue West, where the former DRS Trucking was located, needs additional water flow capacity in order to meet fire protection needs. The company has said they would pay $170,000.00 of the project to supply the needed water flow.
Musco won’t be given the opportunity to occupy the building without the proper fire suppression.
The city of Oskaloosa sees the project as one of importance and potentially could agree to cashflow the additional funds needed to install the needed capacity. The Oskaloosa Water Department would then make payments back to the City over a set time period.
The complication of the discussion was what capital improvement projects were already planned, and the timing of those, if they could be moved forward and what other homes and or businesses would ultimately have better service from the project.
Musco’s new facility looks to add 33 jobs over the next several years, with 9 jobs retained because the company decided to build the new facility in Oskaloosa over Muscatine.
Part of the discussion also incorporated the water needs of the new housing development underway at Edmundson North and fixing an aging section of pipe located from 11th Ave. West to 15th Ave. West along Edmundson Drive.
The board agreed to develop an agreement between Musco, the city of Oskaloosa, and the Oskaloosa Water Board to design and build the needed additional water capacity.
The Water Board agreed to get the engineering and design started to help expedite the project.
The board discussed the option of cost sharing for hiring the new general manager for the Oskaloosa Water Department. With the Water Department being the managing department for wastewater for the city of Oskaloosa that was set via a 28E agreement with the water department.
The Oskaloosa Water Department has paid 20,000.00 of the money in the search for a new general manager.
The total cost of the search will cost at least $30,000, with the city of Oskaloosa paying the balance of the search fee.
In the wastewater operations, a discussion took place in regards to restaurants and industrial kitchens and the collection of grease before it enters the sewer system after wastewater had to jet a line that was plugged completely with grease as well as having the manhole full of grease.
The department also had several sinking concrete complaints. The issues have been discovered and will be addressed in the coming weeks.
Also discussed were some plugged up lift station issues that were resolved with the jetting truck. Also planned is the replacement of the Armory lift station control panel.
At the north water treatment plant, the old chlorine building and the former animal shelter are in the process of being removed.
For the water distribution side of things, hydrant flushing has been completed for the spring.
Water meter replacement is continuing, while sampling of the new line going to the new Fairfield Inn was completed.
There were two line breaks in the city this past month, one on Maywood Drive, and the other was located along 9th Avenue East.
There were approximately 70 water shutoffs during the previous month.
There is a meet and greet with the Water Department General Manager candidates on May 31st, beginning at 6 pm at the Musco Technology Center on the campus of William Penn University.
