By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
During the regular meeting of the Guthrie Center City Council on June 10, the councilmembers heard from a representative of Team Lab, a company that offers solutions for municipalities’ wastewater treatment systems. They council was told that because the city’s wastewater treatment lagoon hasn’t been dredged in more than 40 years, it has roughly 2.5 feet of sludge built up.
The representatives said dredging would cost approximately $100,000, but Team Lab offered a biological alternative. The company provides micro-organisms (“bugs”), which would be added to the lagoon on a regular basis. The bugs would gradually eat much of the sludge over the next few years. The council voted to approve this proposal for a three-year period. The first year will cost $22,405, with the second and third years to each cost slightly less. City Clerk Kris Arrasmith said the city already has adequate funds set aside to cover this plan.
Streets Department Head Darin Sloss shared additional repairs needed at the city’s swimming pool.
“You don’t have a pool to make money. You do it as a service to the city,” Arrasmith said.
Councilmember Carolyn Masters said she’s heard complaints about vehicles being illegally parked on North 12thStreet. The consensus of the council was that this doesn’t appear to be a frequent problem. Sloss will check to see if additional signage is needed in that area.
The council approved two personnel actions. Erick Van Cura was appointed to fill a vacant spot on the city’s Utility Board. The council also approved hiring Molly Claman to start July 2 as a new hire at City Hall. Claman will start at $25 per hour.
Arrasmith reminded the councilmembers of the upcoming citywide garage sales.
“As of tonight, we’ve had 17 people sign up. The maps will be available Thursday afternoon or Friday morning,” Arrasmith said. “We’ll have them at both banks. We will have some here (City Hall). We’ll have some at Dollar General, and then Sparky’s and Casey’s.”
Arrasmith said citizens can continue to sign up for citywide garage sales through Wednesday (June 12). She added that 36 citizens have signed up for citywide cleanup.
“I just want to know about brush, when they do the city cleanup,” Masters said.
Arrasmith said brush is not accepted during citywide cleanup, but the landfill accepts brush at no cost.
The council’s next regular meeting will be June 24. The public is welcome.