The Holbrook City Council voted unanimously to purchase a new trash pump for the Romero Lift Station at their March 13 meeting. “We had a pump go down at the Romero lift station,” reported City Manager Randy Sullivan. While it is not an emergency at this point due to the second pump still functioning, Sullivan requested that the council approve the purchase of a new pump for $8,998, plus tax.
There was some discussion as to whether the purchase should come from the capital improvements fund or from the wastewater maintenance and operation fund. Councilman C.J. Wischmann said, “Last year we set aside money for emergencies in a capital improvements fund for times such as these.”
Sullivan’s recommendation was to use the maintenance and operations fund for wastewater. “We have enough money in that fund, and I would rather keep the capital improvements fund for larger and more major projects.” The council gave unanimous approval for the purchase.
In a later interview, Sullivan shared that the capital improvement fund was implemented last year, as there had not been a rate increase for water and sewer since 2004. The rate increase was $1 per account to pay the attorney fees for the ongoing water adjudication lawsuit and $5 per account for a water/waste water capital improvements fund.
