MONROE - The city of Monroe is seeking help from outside legal counsel on inefficiencies it has discovered at its new $24.8 million wastewater treatment plant on the city's west side.
On Tuesday, the city hired the Minneapolis-based law firm of Hammagren & Meyer at an average rate of $300 per hour to guide it in keeping the treatment plant's system designer, AECom, in check. Also on board is McMahon Engineers/Architects of Machesney Park, Ill. to provide third-party opinions in identifying design and/or construction issues.
The plant's two digesters, which process waste and make it appropriate for spreading on area farms as fertilizer, are running at temperatures in the mid- and upper-80s, respectively. They should be at 98 degrees.
"My time is almost solely dedicated to this now," said Colin Simpson, Monroe's director of public works. "As a staff, we are putting in between 40 and 80 man hours on this per week. This project was supposed to be closed out by now."
Also potentially at risk, Simpson said, is the city's permit with the Department of Natural Resources, which regulates how solid waste, known as cake, is disposed.
The higher the temperature, the less cake there is to deal with, Simpson said, and there are only so many farms where it can be spread at only so much per farm.
AECom, a global design firm, has the contract with the city, a contract that calls for all specs to be met. Since the project began in 2013, it has closed its closest office in Sheboygan and communication has waned.
"It's never easy changing horses in mid-stream," Simpson said.
The situation has become one of concern, City Administrator Phil Rath said.
"They're well aware we're not happy with the project," he said. "There are issues that are not being resolved and areas where things were not done properly."
A call to AECom project manager Mike Zapinski seeking comment was not returned.
Meanwhile, roughly $1.5 million in change orders, which are cost variances in accordance with the contract, have sprung up. While a bit disappointed, Rath said a 5- to 6-percent differential in a project of such magnitude is to be expected.
"We're within that range, so that's not a surprise," he said.
The project is at the 90-percent completion mark, Rath said, so any additional unforeseen costs could surpass that comfort level.
Construction of the physical plant was handled by Neenah-based Miron Construction, and the city is generally pleased with its work.
"They built it right to the specs," Rath said. "The problems are with the design."
On Tuesday, the city hired the Minneapolis-based law firm of Hammagren & Meyer at an average rate of $300 per hour to guide it in keeping the treatment plant's system designer, AECom, in check. Also on board is McMahon Engineers/Architects of Machesney Park, Ill. to provide third-party opinions in identifying design and/or construction issues.
The plant's two digesters, which process waste and make it appropriate for spreading on area farms as fertilizer, are running at temperatures in the mid- and upper-80s, respectively. They should be at 98 degrees.
"My time is almost solely dedicated to this now," said Colin Simpson, Monroe's director of public works. "As a staff, we are putting in between 40 and 80 man hours on this per week. This project was supposed to be closed out by now."
Also potentially at risk, Simpson said, is the city's permit with the Department of Natural Resources, which regulates how solid waste, known as cake, is disposed.
The higher the temperature, the less cake there is to deal with, Simpson said, and there are only so many farms where it can be spread at only so much per farm.
AECom, a global design firm, has the contract with the city, a contract that calls for all specs to be met. Since the project began in 2013, it has closed its closest office in Sheboygan and communication has waned.
"It's never easy changing horses in mid-stream," Simpson said.
The situation has become one of concern, City Administrator Phil Rath said.
"They're well aware we're not happy with the project," he said. "There are issues that are not being resolved and areas where things were not done properly."
A call to AECom project manager Mike Zapinski seeking comment was not returned.
Meanwhile, roughly $1.5 million in change orders, which are cost variances in accordance with the contract, have sprung up. While a bit disappointed, Rath said a 5- to 6-percent differential in a project of such magnitude is to be expected.
"We're within that range, so that's not a surprise," he said.
The project is at the 90-percent completion mark, Rath said, so any additional unforeseen costs could surpass that comfort level.
Construction of the physical plant was handled by Neenah-based Miron Construction, and the city is generally pleased with its work.
"They built it right to the specs," Rath said. "The problems are with the design."