Shenandoah City Council continues capital improvement discussions

Shenandoah City Council continued discussions regarding the city’s 2021-22 capital improvement plan during an April 28 meeting.

Shenandoah Public Works Director Joseph Peart presented several changes to the plan, noting the priority of some improvements had been moved around due to cost estimates and how vital they are to be completed.

Among the changes is work on the city’s wastewater treatment plant, which Peart said the plan is to lump in additional improvements for security cameras and replacement fencing so it is one project. Information from the capital improvement plan estimates this will cost around $77,000 for the additions.

City Council member Ron Raymaker noted the city's inflow and infiltration testing had been moved to a low-priority item out of the improvement plan and expressed concerns about it being pushed back another year.

“I just do not like to see things that are on the list multiple years in a row that do not get addressed,” Raymaker said.

Peart said the payback on the testing and repairs is lengthy. According to the improvement plan, the anticipated cost of the item is around $150,000, and Peart said the city’s cost for treating excess water is around $20,000 per year at this time.

“We budgeted and added inserts to our manholes that help reduce the amount of inflow,” Peart said. “We have done some things that are low cost to reduce the inflow aspect. You are never going to reduce [inflow and infiltration] to zero.”

No action was taken on the capital improvement plan, as it was a discussion only item on the agenda. Previous discussions for the improvement plan were also had April 14.