The Willmar City Council's Finance Committee on Monday recommended the council establish a budget to acquire land for the corridor where the interceptor sewer and pressure pipeline will be built for the new wastewater treatment plant.
Money for the $810,000 corridor budget will be found within the original $6,850,000 project design budget.
Craig Holmes, program manager for consultants Donohue and Associates, said the corridor acquisition budget can be established within the design budget because bids for three smaller projects associated with the treatment plant came in under budget. Those projects were construction of a portion of the interceptor sewer line just east of the Kandi Mall in 2007, construction of a portion of the interceptor sewer line between 19th Avenue Southeast and 28th Avenue Southeast in 2006, and construction of interim upgrades at the present plant.
Holmes said maintaining the original budget is good news for the city.
"The city would certainly like to acquire the corridor for less money than what is budgeted, but at least we can do it within the original budget of what we're doing right now,'' Holmes said. "We had some funds originally budgeted, but they weren't anywhere near what this is now.''
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In other business, the committee recommended the council approve modest increases in service, permit and license fees, and increases in city equipment rental rates. The fee schedule is approved annually and covers rental costs for equipment in the Public Works Department, use of Community Education and Recreation facilities and use of Fire Department equipment. The fees apply if a private party requests city assistance and are used in submittal of grant applications, Schmit explained.
