The Highlands Town Board of Commissioners approved $350,000 to rehab the Arnold Road pump station at last week’s regularly scheduled board meeting.
Highlands public works director Lamar Nix said they have been having trouble with the pump since August of this year.
“Due to the world we are living in today, parts are extremely hard to get your hands on,” Nix said. “For example, one of the issues we are having ordering something in last July and getting it last week. Meanwhile, while we were waiting for the part, the motor went bad.”
While they were waiting for parts to fix the pump, Nix said they realized the pump was built in 2000.
“The whole combination has become fairly obsolete,” Nix said. “Getting a new one off the shelf is not going to happen. You’re going to have to commission the company to build that. So, we are looking at several months. It is basically worn out. One pump is down. The other one we have had to cannibalize to keep it working. We have had to rent a diesel-powered backup pump that comes on as needed in case the other one fails. That is how we are working today.”
Nix said the average lifespan of a pump is about 20 to 30 years, which the Arnold Road Pump Station is in.
“There are three big pump stations, this being the second biggest one,” Nix said. “The biggest one is on Mill Creek, and it is set up with three pumps and fortunately that gives you a little bit of extra room for error. The third biggest one is the same type of pump station, and it is giving us the same problems, but it is not quite aged out. That one is out on Mirror Lake. Some of the other pump stations are much, much smaller, and we actually have spare parts on hand. I feel pretty comfortable with them. The Arnold Road pump station caught us by surprise.”
Highlands Mayor Patrick Taylor said the pump station is a critical part of Nix’s work.
“We aren’t handing you a blank check, but if you need any more equipment, do not hesitate to come back and update the board on any needs you require,” Taylor said.
The motion was passed unanimously.
In other business the board:
- Approved the annexation of Ellis Property and voted to zone it R-1 Residential.
- Swore in Mayor Patrick Taylor and commissioners Dr. Amy Patterson and Eric Pierson.
- Approved the following commissioners be appointed to the following committees:
- Finance Committee: John Dotson, Brian Stiehler and Amy Patterson
- Public Works Committee: Eric Pierson, Marc Hehn and Brian Stiehler
- Recreation Committee: Eric Pierson, Marc Hehn and Brian Stiehler
- Land Use Committee: John Dotson, Amy Patterson and Eric Pierson
- Sustainability and Community Wellness: Amy Patterson Marc Hehn and John Dotson
- Scholarship Fund Raising Committee: Patrick Taylor, Marc Hehn and Brian Stiehler
- Business Group: Patrick Taylor, Brian Stiehler and Marc Hehn
- Public Safety: John Dotson, Eric Pierson and Brian Stiehler
- BearWise: Amy Patterson, Marc Hehn and Patrick Taylor
- IT/Communications Committee: Amy Patterson, Patrick Taylor and John Dotson
- By Christopher Lugo