The Harlan Municipal Utilities, Thursday, approved another change order to the new Water Treatment Plant. In a regular board meeting, the HMU board heard from Dale Sorensen of Veenstra and Kimm, Inc. on the change order and complete schedule. The change order had four additions and four subtractions amounting to an increase in the contract by slightly more than $15,340. With regard to the completion schedule, Sorenson told the board the contractors are a little behind schedule, but are doing great work. He said the Water Treatment Plant was originally scheduled to be up and running by June 19th, 2013. However, the start-up date has been moved to June 24th and the project completion is July 15th.

Sorensen said even after the completion, they will still need to work the bugs out. He said “Basically the plant will be automated. There are always bugs in the programming. Once we get the plant running in hand then switch over to automatic and what happens we have some problems. What I’ve experience it takes about 6 months to get the wrinkles out of it.”

The board did mention the contractor could face some liquidated damage penalties but those are unlikely to be charged by HMU. In other business, CEO Darrel Wenzel reported to the board on the new Collective bargaining agreement. He said the contract was a fair outcome. The new contract had very minimal changes to it including salary wages. Wenzel again mentioned the possibility of drought conditions at the water wells.

Officials at HMU recently took a lot at 3 of the wells and compared them to the drought in 2002. Wernzel said “In 2002, well number 2 was down 26 feet. Currently well number 2 is at 24 feet 9 inches. So we are 1 foot one inch above what we were in 2002. We are sitting pretty well. Well #3 was at 23 feet 2 inches, currently it’s at 22 feet. Well #4 the water was at 23 feet 6 inches. Currently the well is at 21 feet 8 inches.”

No board action was taken but Wenzel did say HMU is monitoring the situation every week.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)