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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Room for improvement ... Electric Highway aims to spark more EV use ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... Room for improvement ... Electric Highway aims to spark more EV use ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... GOLD HILL Gold Hill wants private company to run wastewater plant Comment By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 12, 2015 at 2:00 AM By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 12, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Social News GOLD HILL — Still trying to keep a decades-old facility under state and federal compliance while planning for future wastewater system needs, City Council unanimously agreed this week to relinquish management of its wastewater system to a private firm. In the midst of a long list of projects and with multiple rate hikes on the horizon to pay for it all, council voted to seek at least a two-year contract with Southern Oregon Water Technology. Built in 1982, the city wastewater plant was deemed two years ago to be at risk for catastrophic failure and a potential threat to the Rogue River. It has undergone a series of repairs under an interagency agreement with state and federal authorities to mitigate risks to the Rogue River. The city has been working for the past year to determine whether replacement or rehabilitation of the plant — or piping waste to another town — are practical options. Before plans for the plant can be made, city officials are focused on a $2.5 million overhaul of the waste-collection system, a project required before the city can plan for existing and future system capacity. Mike Bollweg, owner of Southern Oregon Water Technology, said it was a smart move for a small municipality with few employees and without a public works director to outsource management of the plant. Bollweg's firm stepped in, as a private contractor, in July 2013, after state and federal wastewater regulatory agencies found the city in violation of releasing dangerous levels of waste into the Rogue River. Bollweg said the list of projects related to the city's water and wastewater needs could prove daunting for even a larger city. "Often it's hard for a small town to pool the resources that they need to manage something that has been in such a deep state of disrepair. Sometimes you need somebody from the outside to step in and say, 'Hey, I can see these things differently than you can,' and somebody to prioritize things in a way that makes sense and who has that background and experience to make the necessary improvements," Bollweg said. "A lot of people think a wastewater operator cleans the screen once a day and mows grass. There's a lot more to being able to take a list of improvements and move them forward and away to having facilities do what they're really capable of." In addition to voting to contract with Bollweg, city officials approved an application for a combined grant-loan package that would fund $1.25 million of the $2.5 million collection-system project. Hohnbaum said the city will seek grants for the remaining amount. Council agreed to a "minimum" $4 per month. The agreement for higher rates was a condition of the funding package but Hohnbaum said rate increases were likely to happen each budget cycle in the coming years with the collection system project and eventual solution for the ailing plant. Hohnbaum said a comprehensive rate study was planned for the coming budget year. Hohnbaum said securing Bollweg's assistance would help the city make best use of limited funds. "The reason we wanted to bring somebody in is because it takes such a diverse level of expertise that no small municipality would have because of the age of our plant, complications of our plant, issues about upkeep and maintenance and upgrade of our plant," he said. "We still have electrical that is 40 years old, so there's a long road ahead." Bollweg declined to speculate on the potential life remaining in the wastewater plant — a subject of debate between city officials. "I do actually have an opinion, but I'm not sure I'm allowed to share it publicly. People will say something is beyond repair, but then 59 months down the road we're making clean water and have a one-year plan and a five-year plan to bring something to a whole different paradigm," Bollweg said. "My job isn't to lead them one way or another, it's just to help them make good choices." Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Email her at [email protected] By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 12, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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