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Home My WebLink AboutMN-SJC-2026-08-12ITHACA AREA WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY TOWN OF ITHACA CITY OF ITHACA TOWN OF DRYDEN, OWNERS 525 THIRD STREET ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 (607) 273-8381 SJC MEETING August 12, 2026 P = Present, PZ = Present Via Zoom, E = Excused and A = Absent STAFF P Wendy Cole, City of Ithaca A Kelly Anderson, Town of Ithaca P Scott Gibson, City of Ithaca PZ Joe Slater, Town of Ithaca P Kelly VanRiper, City of Ithaca P Justin McNeal, Town of Ithaca P Carissa Ralovsky, City of Ithaca P Matt Sledjeski, City of Ithaca PZ Brodey Z GUEST A Peter Wernsdorfer, Camden Group PZ Jesse Semanchik, B & L P Ken Scherrieble, Camden Group A Brigid Mulroe, B & L P Jackson Slade, Camden P Chris Kianka, Lectre P = Present, PZ = Present Via Zoom, E = Excused and A = Absent Called to Order 1:00 pm 1) Agenda Review 2) Approval of Minutes: 05/13/2026, 06/10/2026, and 07/08/2026 3) Financials – Carissa a. Review 2026 monthly ﬁnancials i. Year to date spending through July 2026 is about 58%. ii. Continual concern and Sludge disposal fees. The costs are over budget, and we will reﬂect on this in the 2027 budget proposal. iii. Currently that is the only item of concern going over in the 2026 Budget. 1. Important information about sludge is that when incoming waste increases the outgoing sludge will also increase. 2. 2026 has seen a large increase in the amounts of waste being brought into the plant. 3. This also created more revenues for the plant receiving more waste as well as increasing the amount of sludge leaving the plant. 4. The large increase in milk way is also offset by: a. Producing gas b. Offsets to the electricity. c. The increase in revenue from hauler fee. iv. Parts 5477 budget currently looks like under budget currently. No, that is not accurate, because there a several repair invoices that we are currently waiting for to be posted. b. 2027 Budget Progress i. We had a meeting with Scott Gibson last week to go over the proposed numbers for the 2027 budget. ii. There is a need to have funds in account 5477 for unplanned repairs that come through the year. iii. We are looking at a 20% increase in the fees at the plant. This is still 10% below the fees at other local wastewater plants. iv. The new fees schedule is looking to take effect at the beginning of 2027. All fee increases must be approved by the SJC before increasing any of the rates. 1. It has been proposed that the new rates be proposed at the September 9th, 2026, meeting. v. Looking at the expense side now, we have added high contingency back in. vi. Staff salaries don’t look to be going up a lot, and this is a contract item. vii. We have seen that Camden’s contract went up by $42,000.00. viii. Extra money has been included for T&M around the plant as needed. ix. Peter is suggesting spending about $80,000.00 to do a gas study. 1. To maximize the gas and electric income side. 2. Hiring a third party to complete the study. 3. Also to maximize gas production at the plant. 4. Looking into whether is a need for another digester? x. Would Camden take over all billing and administrative items of business? xi. Defunding or eliminating 1 to 3 City funded staff positions to have Camden staff at the plant? xii. This would save money paid out for employee health insurance beneﬁts. xiii. At the next iteration of the budget, we can actually look at the distribution and prepare the draft. xiv. We need to look at a couple of other large line items 1. Utilities 2. Equipment / Repairs unplanned xv. Is it possible to pass the 2027 Budget at the September meeting? 4) Operations & Engineering Report - Peter, Scott G a. We continue our discussions about critical plant process and capacity improvements and meeting those challenges. Additionally, we are preparing to meet the challenges of ensuring our cybersecurity. We recently submitted and were awarded a $50,000 no match grant for assessment and development of Incident and Emergency Response plans speciﬁc to facility Internet and Operational Technology. With recent events in the news, it is imperative that we complete this with some urgency. b. Operations i. Regulatory Compliance – There are no issues to report. The treatment process is using one primary settling tank, two aeration tanks, and two ﬁnal settling tanks. We are addressing the criticality issues as part of the short-term CIP ii. Personnel – A Camden Operator Trainee joined the team reducing staffing stresses iii. Inﬂuent – Progress continues. We have four of ﬁve pumps operational. IP#4 replacement quote came in at ~$152,000 for the pump and $22,000 for the check valve. Installation costs will bring the total to $200,000 – $210,000 when complete iv. Blowers – We await a warranty replacement of one of the recently purchased actuators v. Digesters – Our gas production was off due to the odor conditions that emerged with one of our haulers. Unfortunately, it is a revenue stream we rely on and we hope to have them return soon vi. Micro Turbines (CHP) – All turbines are operational vii. ActiFlo (Tertiary Treatment) - ActiFlo is operational. The issues we must address are in the short-term CIP viii. Clariﬁers – We ordered the remaining materials needed to complete the repair. Brentwood will provide on-site assistance at installation ix. Aeration – We delayed converting a second basin as we analyze results from the converted basin and determine if we will move forward x. Trucked Waste – Status has not changed despite activity. The urgent issues remain and we hope to have the revenue stream re-established by the end of August. This is contingent on the entrance overhead doors and odor control system being repaired xi. Facility Improvements - Our meetings with NYSDEC continue with B&L. The Acting Superintendent can provide details xii. Asset Management – OpWorks is in general use. We anticipate delivery of Rounds as an addition to OpWorks soon. It has signiﬁcantly greater usability features. Inventory, Asset Heath, and Asset Details are on track to be completed by end of September xiii. Staff Management - Weekly check-ins continue. Safety Toolbox Talks are distributed weekly c. Reporting i. Regulatory reports were sent as scheduled d. Business, Long-Term Development i. Capital Planning - Semi-monthly meetings continue, B&L will give update ii. Energy Management - We extended our subscription to Gazebo for energy management and modeling. e. Operations Data – The MOR and Gas Data Tables are attached. 5) NYSDEC Permit Modiﬁcation – Jesse a. Update on NYS communications b. Data acquisition, lake monitoring update c. ASI outfall inspection report d. Geosyntec – accelerate modeling schedule as NYS approval is slow in coming 6) Capital Improvement Projects Update – Jesse a. Final short-term plan (2026/2027) b. Amendments 3 and 4 in progress c. Discuss possible plans for funding emergency repairs d. Long-term CIP plan/WQIP updates e. SEQR progress 7) Executive Session - Contracts 8) Misc. Updates a. Foundational Agreements approval progress – Rich b. Interceptor study/ ﬂow metering – Joe S Adjournment – 2:54 pm Upcoming Meeting Date September 9, 2026 Please See Attached Appendixes: 1 – August 12, 2026, Agenda 2 – 05/13/2026, 06/10/2026, & 07/08/2026 Unapproved Minutes (Minus Appendixes) 3 – 08/12/2026 Unapproved Minutes (Minus Appendixes) 4 – Financials 2026 5 – Proposed 2027 Budget Draft 6 – Operator’s & Engineer’s Report 7 – DMR Report 8 – Gas Usage Report 9 – B&L Notes for SJC Meeting 10 – B&L IAWWTF Capital IPP Recommendations