The utilities commission this month forwarded a new negotiated agreement with department employees to the city council for review.

The commissioners voted unanimously to forward the agreement to the city council for review following an executive session for the discussion of contractual matters. Utilities Commission Chairman Bob Hodgson said that the contract included both the negotiated wages for members of Utilities Workers of America Local 560, the union which represents the city’s utilities workers, as well as adjustments to the wage scale for the department’s non-negotiating employees. Commissioners also voted unanimously to authorize the development of bid specifications for the Goshen Road water line project and to submit them to council for review following the executive session.

The commissioners also received updates on several of the department’s ongoing projects. Water Plant Manager Larry Sebrell said that the ongoing work for phase one of the water plant improvements was proceeding well, with many repairs completed, and the raw water valve controller installed and awaiting fine-tuning. Sebrell also gave an update on the Water level at the Salem City Lake, Sebrell said that the water level was continuing to decrease at a rate of “about a half an inch a day,” and was down about five and half feet from average so far. Sebrell said if the water level continued to fall at this rate, it would likely see similar lows to the 1992 drought, which saw water levels fall a full nine and a half feet. Sebrell said he was hopeful this year would be “a wet winter,” that would help to replenish the diminished water level.

Hodgson said that all of the reservoirs in the area were currently experiencing similar declines in water level.

Utilities Superintendent Buth Donnalley provided told commissioners that the recently approved purchase order for $58,995 for a three-quarter ton four-wheel drive Ford F-250 with a utility body for the Salem Water Shop had been received by Klaben Ford Lincoln of Warren, and that the truck had been ordered.

Progress remains stalled on the Lincoln and Snyder Road water line connection as the department is still waiting to receive the final permit to install from the state. However, junctions for the connection are being prepared so that work can begin once the permit is received.

Commissioners also discussed the long-stalled cleaning of the Stewart Road water tanks by Liquid Engineering, which had been scheduled to occur sometime in September; however, Liquid Engineering pushed the project back last month, once again citing staffing issues as the cause for the delay. Donnalley said that he had been in contact with another potential company to do the cleanings; however, they said they were experiencing similar staffing issues. Donnalley said he did not expect the project to be completed before the end of the year.

Hodgson and City Safety Service Director Joe Cappuzzello both thanked the department’s repairs crew for their recent efforts repairing damage to a water line on State Street Sunday Oct. 8, working through the evening to ensure the repairs could be completed without significant disruption to traffic on State Street.

“You guys taking your Sunday evening to do that, so we didn’t interfere with people on State Street, again thank you, and we appreciate you. I’ve said it before, we have good folks who care about what they do, and we’re blessed with that and it’s why we want to keep it the city of Salem Utilities Department,” said Hodgson.

The utilities commission will meet next 4 p.m. Nov. 16.

mahat@mojonews.com