Blog Oct. 27
It is nice to see the Press & Sun-Bulletin has caught up. It took them only 10 days. I posted
this information on this web site Oct. 17 (http://www.arzouian.com/blogoct17.html).
I raised this very question about the additional cost at the 3-hour meeting downtown that
day.
This issue was also brought up on Sept. 22 at the Binghamton City Council meeting. I was
the only citizen in the crowd at the time. Councilwoman Rennia was very surprised to hear
the bids had only gone out in August 2008 because the Council had approved the bids in
January of '08.
This is just further proof that the current decision-making process is not effective. This will
cost us between $300,000 to $400,000 simply because of delays, nothing more.
It is one more reason why the status quo at the plant is no longer acceptable. It is why I
believe Broome County needs to take over the plant and change the way it operates.
Voters in JC and Town of Dickinson feel the same way.
I will be visiting the treatment plant this Friday with small business owners.
We get more detail on how the $38,000 is being spent below:
Delayed repairs are costing sewage plant $38K a month
Digester has been offline since last year
By Eric Reinagel • Staff Writer • October 27, 2008
VESTAL -- The Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Treatment Plant is spending an
additional $37,948 each month its largest digester is shut down.
The digester has been out of service for repairs since April 13, 2007, said Plant
Superintendent Catherine Aingworth. That leaves the plant with two smaller digesters.
Digesters reduce the amount of sludge that has to be shipped to the Broome County
Landfill.
Aingworth said she expected to have use of the digester by the time the plant's new
biological-aerated filtration (BAF) went online in April 2008, but that hasn't happened.
The largest digester's equipment has been replaced, but it will take another eight months
to install a new roof, said Robert Bennett, Johnson City's public works director. Johnson City
and Binghamton own the plant.
C.O. Falter was awarded the general contract for roof repair for a bid of $1.1 million
Blanding Electric was awarded the electrical contract for a bid of $52,492.
Bennett said one reason for the project's delay was a supplemental agreement that
needed to be worked out with C&S Engineers, which has overseen the $60-million upgrade
at the plant that included the BAF system.
Also, a $1 million state Department of Environmental Conservation grant wasn't secured
until earlier this year to offset costs, Bennett said.
The inability to use the digester has increased operational costs at the plant located on Old
Vestal Road in Vestal by $37,948 each month, according to a joint sewage board report.
The plant must pay an additional:
* $17,109 a month in tipping fees to take sludge to the Broome County Landfill;
* $3,250 in transportation costs for the undigested sludge;
* $7,292 in electricity for additional centrifuge operation and additional lime stabilization
system operation;
* $3,516 for operator time for centrifuge operation and additional sludge stabilization with
lime;
* $4,719 for additional lime;
* $2,062 for additional supervisory and clerical time that includes filing tipping fee
paperwork, overtime payroll and claims to standby trucking services.
http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20081...70329/1001/news
this information on this web site Oct. 17 (http://www.arzouian.com/blogoct17.html).
I raised this very question about the additional cost at the 3-hour meeting downtown that
day.
This issue was also brought up on Sept. 22 at the Binghamton City Council meeting. I was
the only citizen in the crowd at the time. Councilwoman Rennia was very surprised to hear
the bids had only gone out in August 2008 because the Council had approved the bids in
January of '08.
This is just further proof that the current decision-making process is not effective. This will
cost us between $300,000 to $400,000 simply because of delays, nothing more.
It is one more reason why the status quo at the plant is no longer acceptable. It is why I
believe Broome County needs to take over the plant and change the way it operates.
Voters in JC and Town of Dickinson feel the same way.
I will be visiting the treatment plant this Friday with small business owners.
We get more detail on how the $38,000 is being spent below:
Delayed repairs are costing sewage plant $38K a month
Digester has been offline since last year
By Eric Reinagel • Staff Writer • October 27, 2008
VESTAL -- The Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Treatment Plant is spending an
additional $37,948 each month its largest digester is shut down.
The digester has been out of service for repairs since April 13, 2007, said Plant
Superintendent Catherine Aingworth. That leaves the plant with two smaller digesters.
Digesters reduce the amount of sludge that has to be shipped to the Broome County
Landfill.
Aingworth said she expected to have use of the digester by the time the plant's new
biological-aerated filtration (BAF) went online in April 2008, but that hasn't happened.
The largest digester's equipment has been replaced, but it will take another eight months
to install a new roof, said Robert Bennett, Johnson City's public works director. Johnson City
and Binghamton own the plant.
C.O. Falter was awarded the general contract for roof repair for a bid of $1.1 million
Blanding Electric was awarded the electrical contract for a bid of $52,492.
Bennett said one reason for the project's delay was a supplemental agreement that
needed to be worked out with C&S Engineers, which has overseen the $60-million upgrade
at the plant that included the BAF system.
Also, a $1 million state Department of Environmental Conservation grant wasn't secured
until earlier this year to offset costs, Bennett said.
The inability to use the digester has increased operational costs at the plant located on Old
Vestal Road in Vestal by $37,948 each month, according to a joint sewage board report.
The plant must pay an additional:
* $17,109 a month in tipping fees to take sludge to the Broome County Landfill;
* $3,250 in transportation costs for the undigested sludge;
* $7,292 in electricity for additional centrifuge operation and additional lime stabilization
system operation;
* $3,516 for operator time for centrifuge operation and additional sludge stabilization with
lime;
* $4,719 for additional lime;
* $2,062 for additional supervisory and clerical time that includes filing tipping fee
paperwork, overtime payroll and claims to standby trucking services.
http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20081...70329/1001/news