The Monterey board of mayor and aldermen approved an emergency expenditure of more than $20,000 on Monday to replace a broken motor at the town water plant.
Monterey Mayor Alex Garcia presented the emergency request after plant staff reported that one of the facility’s two primary motors had failed. The board needed to act quickly to authorize the purchase of the replacement equipment and cover the associated installation costs.
“So it’s kind of an emergency that we kind of get this going, but we’re looking at just over $20,000 between a new motor and getting it put in and installed,” Garcia said. “So 15,2, 52.90 for the motor, which is a brand new motor, one week lead time. And then field labor and mileage, removal of existing motor, install the new motor is $5,800.”
Garcia said the water plant operates using two motors, and the second motor is currently 15 to 20 years old. The town might eventually need to purchase a backup motor to keep in storage in case the older unit also fails.
“So this could potentially happen again and then we’d have a motor sitting here that we can just install,” Garcia said. “So. But that’s down the road. We’re just trying to get this done now.”
In other business, Garcia said the board needed to approve an updated resolution outlining the job duties of the town administrator. The request came from Senator Paul Bailey’s office, which required the document by Wednesday to avoid waiting until next year’s legislative sessions.
“Basically they want the resolution with the job duties of the town administrator,” Garcia said. “And the email shows there that they need it by Wednesday. If it doesn’t happen tonight then we have to wait till next year’s sessions.”
Garcia said the updated resolution was largely copied from a document originally written by the town attorney in 2003. The mayor added a couple of new items to the list of duties in section four of the resolution.
“So this is basically what was already on the resolution,” Garcia said. “I just copy-pasted.”
The board conducted a roll call vote to officially approve the emergency water plant expenditures.
