The Ashland Board of Aldermen considered what it would be like when they get their new mechnical sewer plant up and running. Mostly, they considered maintenance, filling out state-mandated reporting, purchasing supplies and more.
Which is why the aldermen are considering contracting with Alliance Water Resources to manage and maintain the sewer plant when it is built next year.
“We are in a similar position to contracting with someone to haul our waste,” said Mayor Gene Rhorer. “We contract with Republic to remove our garbage and that relationship works well.”
City Administrator Lyn Woolford said the city has worked over the past five years at hiring and developing licensed sewer/water maintenance workers, however, it has been a challenge to hire, train and develop those employees.
“We been working at it for four or more years, and we are right back where we started,” Woolford said. “We advertised in the area for employees and the only applications we received were from those who are not certified.”
Woolford said contracting with Alliance would cost $238,000 – but that is only $4,000 more than it would cost us to have employees, pay for their health plan and buy all of the necessary chemicals and supplies.
Alliance purchases chemicals and supplies in bulk as it operates sewer and water systems for multiple communities in Mid-Missouri, including Bowling Green and Boonville.
“There are just big advantages to using Alliance’s experience and expertise,” Woolford said, “they have been around for 30 years and they have done ‘start-ups’ with new plants very similar to ours.”
Rhorer agreed with Woolford and cited employee turnover and state-mandated reporting as two large, looming factors.
~ Find out more in today’s Journal ~
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