Middletown Forum : Agenda 12-17-2013

Deal to save Middletown more than $600k

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN —

The city is expected to save $93,500 annually — or more than $607,000 over the length of the contract — after City Council approved City Manager Judy Gilleland to sign an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Dayton to maintain water treatment plant lime softening operations and lagoon lime sludge removal.

The city’s lime softening operation produces lime sludge that collects in the lagoon located behind the Treatment Plant. Lime sludge has been collecting in the lagoon since 1971 and must be removed periodically to keep the lagoon from overflowing, city officials said. Five lime sludge removal contracts at a cost of $1,830,000 have been needed since 1999 to maintain the lagoon level, officials said.

They said the lagoon is at “overflow level” and lime sludge removal will be needed at estimated cost of $600,000 next year. The City of Dayton operates a lime kiln that is used to recalcinate lime sludge for their operational use and resale to other municipalities. Due to the expense of operating their kiln, Dayton explored the option of expanding their kiln operation to produce more saleable lime, Middletown officials said.

Dayton reached out to Middletown and Troy to create a partnership that would provide Dayton access to lime sludge for their kiln operation, lime removal services paid for and administrated by the City of Dayton, and recalcinated lime supplied by Dayton to Middletown and Troy for their lime softening operations.

Lime purchased from Dayton at $170/ton will be slightly higher than the 2013 contract price with Carmeuse at $155/ton; however, Dayton will cover the cost of lime sludge removal from 2014 to 2020 that will result in significant savings for the City of Middletown, officials said.

Storm water use to cost more

Middletown residents will pay 25 cents more per month for storm water use after council approved the increase. The rate of $3.25 per month is schedule to increase by 25 cents every January for the next three years. The new rate is effective on Jan. 2, 2014, and the other increases are set for Jan. 1, 2015 and Jan. 1, 2016.

The storm water utility fee was established in 2006 upon the recommendation of the advisory committee to improve the management of the city’s storm water infrastructure. This will be the first increase since then.

According to the city, the fee is similar to those in surrounding communities, with the lowest being Monroe ($3) and the highest being Loveland ($4.25).