The Odessa City Council Tuesday approved several expenditures for the city’s water treatment plant rehabilitation project and the Bob Derrington wastewater treatment plant.
Specifically, the council agreed to spend just under $207,000 to rebuild a bar screen that cleans debris out of wastewater as it comes into the Derrington plant. According to materials provided to the council, the plant has two barscreens, but one isn’t operational and is causing a heavier strain on the one that does work.
City staff said the project will take six to nine months.
The council also agreed to spend $80,000 on a backup pump and motor that will allow the Derrington plant to continue to provide re-use water should the existing pump and motor fail.
As far as the water treatment plant, the council agreed to move $1 million out of contingency for the ongoing rehab project.
The money will be used to install four line stops and replace three valves before draining a tank. The cost for the additional work is $1,881,254 of which only $881,000 had been budgeted.
Assistant Director of Utilities Alex Rowlett told the council once the funds have been moved, the city will have $6.5 million left for contingencies and $684,575 left for change orders.
As part of the consent agenda, the council also approved a contract of just under $3 million for Triun Construction and Engineering to replace safety fencing and railings, replace damaged stairs and sidewalks, replace two overhead cranes and make improvements to the grit removal system at the Derrington plant.
The council, which will vote on the FY24-25 budget Sept. 10, was informed total revenues are budgeted at $282 million and total operating expenditures are budgeted at $278 million, leaving an operating surplus of $4 million.
Finance Director Kaylie Banda also said $27 million will be expended out of healthy fund balance reserves to accommodate for capital asset replacements that have been identified as “dire” by staff and for non-recurring expenditures.
She also said residents can expect to see a 3% water rate increase, 3% increase in sewer rates and a 3.5% increase in solid waste rates.
Councilmember Steve Thompson pointed out, however, that the council is lowering the tax rate by 2 cents thanks to increased valuations and new construction.
“I think that’s important for people to understand, we’re trying to get them as low as we can,” Thompson said.
In other matters, the council approved contracts the Odessa Development Corporation made with the Odessa Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Division, Current Media, Odessa Black Chamber of Commerce, UTPB Small Business Development Center, MOTRAN and City of Odessa.
The council also rejected recent bids to replace the pond liner at Comanche Trail Park so the city can add a six-foot safety barrier around the east side of the pond near the walking trail.
During the council’s work session, Assistant City Manager Cristina Burns provided council members an update on various projects that are underway. She said there were seven significant road projects under way, including signal improvements along Grandview and the reconstruction of Crane, Dorado, Faudree and Dixie, intersection improvements at Grandview and Yukon and the construction of Faudree north of Yukon.
“We are also advancing nine critical water projects, including a city-wide valve assessment and water meter replacement initiatives, expansion of the Yukon pump station, valve replacements at the Dawn and JBS Towers, waterline replacements at Lancaster, Crane and the intersection of Yukon and Grandview,” Burns said.
She said staff is also focusing on the improvements at the Derrington plant, sewer line replacements at Crane and Second Street.
“TxDOT is also completing several projects in our city. They are currently working on the rehabilitation of frontage roads on Business 20 from Eighth Street to 1788, the repair of concrete and micro surfacing on Second Street, from Hancock to West County Road, the rehabilitation of Loop 338 from 191 to US 385 north, the construction of a new overpass at Loop 338 and Yukon Road and the mill and fill rehabilitation on West County Road from Second Street to US 385,” Burns said.
She said the list of projects all over the city isn’t exhaustive, but “it highlights a substantial ongoing infrastructure effort” that comes to more than $169 million.
