An entire steel support pallet, referred to as a skid, needs to be replaced at Hennessey’s 19-year-old reverse osmosis water plant.

That’s what Hennessey Board of Trustees were told at their Thursday, June 9, meeting at Town Hall.

Work is to start on that project June 27, Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman said.

“Both skids are rusty,” said Town Trustee David Jones.

Trustee Harold Shaw joined in and both members said the skids were not on concrete because “they found a cavity under there.”

The plant will be down for five weeks to make repairs, said Tillman.

The board hired SUEZ Advanced Solutions in March to start a 10-year servicing program on the plant, which is located south of town. SUEZ is based in Atlanta, Ga., but has a water system consultant in Kansas.

Water service will continue

All water customers will continue to have water service, “it just won’t come from the water plant,” Tillman said during that March meeting.

It will take one week to replace the skid and four weeks for the paint to dry, she told the board last week.

“I know you think we need to do both skids at the same time,” Tillman told Shaw, but “you’ll need to find another $250,000” and it would make a longer down time.

“Besides that, if the nitrate levels started to go up there would be more problems if both units were down,” she said.

No action was taken on Jones’ agenda topic “Status of water plant RO project.”

Drainage project

A $45,500 contract with Cowan Group Engineering was approved for the second phase of a drainage project.

This phase is to help flooding on Third, Fourth and Fifth streets west of Mitchell Road.

The town will match a $300,000 Community Block Development Grant to pay for the work.

Cowan’s schedule calls for the survey and planning to be done in July, then the final design would be ready in August, then bidding and construction in December.

Tillman said they need to get the work completed in December so the town could ask for a grant to fund other projects.

Shaw asked why Cowan was the engineer on all of the town’s projects and why they’d used the same accounting company for so many years.

Tillman said it’s because Cowan engineers are familiar with the community and its projects and same goes for the accounting company.

There are lots of engineering and accounting companies out there, she told him, but they’ve learned which ones are best from experience.

Officer Solis will work at school

Police Officer Christopher Solis will replace now HPD Chief Aaron Pitts as the school’s resource officer for the 2022-23 school year.

Tillman told the board about the assignment after they approved the usual contract with the school to provide an officer.

Solis is an HHS graduate and first joined the Hennessey force in 2019 as a reserve officer.

Tillman said Solis has already met with the HPS Superintendent Jason Sternberger and the school board is scheduled to approve the joint contract at its next meeting.

Officer still needed

Tillman said they still have an opening for a certified police officer.

She said the town has good health, retirement and other benefits and the town is also now part of the state police retirement system.

Online surplus auction Purple Wave, an online

Purple Wave, an online auction service, was approved to sell town surplus items next month. Tillman said the company has government auctions every two weeks.

Shaw asked if surplus guns from the police department would be sold there.

Tillman said no, because of gun sale requirements.

Surplus items include: Ford (no year listed) bucket truck with hydraulic pole saw (needs battery, solenoid, brake work); 2009 Chevrolet pickup with 162,121 miles; 2014 Ford Explorer Interceptor; hydraulic boring machine with rods and bits; 6-foot, 4-inch x 18 foot dovetail car trailer; sand filter from old town pool; 40 55-gallon plastic drums; miscellaneous office furniture (chairs and sofas); trailer mounted road repair machine; fire truck bed and water meters.

Budget meeting June 15

The board will have a special meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, to approve the budget for the July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, year.

Administrator’s report

Osborn Sewer Project – OG&E has moved its line and the town started digging June 6 and is ready to put in the first manhole. Town engineers will help with the first manhole June 13.

Aquatic Center – Pool has had several days with more than 240 swimmers. Small freezer was purchased for popsicles and they’ve already sold 1,000. Cotton candy is also new this year.

At the meeting

Present at the meeting were Vice Mayor Clif Vogt, Trustees Richard Simunek, Jones and Shaw. Mayor Bert Gritz was absent.

Vogt said he was disappointed there weren’t any citizens in the audience, except for media. He referred to the more than 50 people who attended a special meeting earlier this month about plans for the library.