Kimberley City Council was scheduled to do the first three readings on an amendment to the five year financial plan to allow for an additional expenditure of $40,000 on the waste water treatment facility, which is scheduled for replacement.
The money would be used for a feasibility study to explore alternatives to actually constructing a new facility.
Mayor Don McCormick, while he can’t say what those alternatives may be because the discussion is still in camera, says that it requires looking at the problem a different way.
“We’re looking in the face of what appears to be a $45 to $55 million investment to replace the waste water treatment plant — that’s daunting,” he said. “Even if we maximize the grant opportunities, the amount of money we would need to borrow, with the corresponding tax increase, would be substantial.
“So we are looking for solutions that are not as obvious.
“We an look at the problem as having to replace the plant or we can look at it as how do we deal with our waste water? The second option opens up other possibilities.”
McCormick says that engineering evaluation is needed no matter what.
“Given that we are spending $200,000 (from a grant) on the engineering for the plant replacement, it seems prudent tot look all the possibilities.”
“Prior to committing to the estimated $46.5 million cost to construct a new facility, staff is proposing that a feasibility study be conducted to explore other, potentially less costly, solutions,” says a memo from Chief Financial Officer Jim Hendricks. “A quote of $40,000 has been received to have a consulting engineer undertake this work. As this project is not currently included in year two of the 2019- 2023 Five Year Financial Plan Bylaw, staff is recommending that the Bylaw be amended to include the $40,000 expenditure in order to authorize completion of the study in 2020.
READ: City of Kimberley discusses plans for wastewater treatment plant
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