Geneva OK $700K for design to upgrade wastewater plant

GENEVA – In a 6-2 split vote Monday, with two absent, Geneva aldermen approved a no-bid $700,000 contract to CDM Smith for design of its wastewater plant improvements.

The improvements are necessary in order to meet required phosphorus discharge limits to the Fox River, officials said. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for the Geneva plan requires it to meet the limit of 1.0 milligram per liter annual phosphorus limit by July 2019.

Second Ward Alderman Richard Marks and 5th Ward Alderman Tom Simonian both voted “no.” Fourth Ward Alderman Ron Singer and 5th Ward Alderman Craig Maladra were absent.

Marks also cast the lone “no” vote at Committee of the Whole last week because it was not competitively bid. Simonian said he changed his mind and also voted “no.”

“I got a second thought that it was too big a line item – $700,000,” Simonian said. “I thought more about what Alderman Marks had to say and reconsidered and thought it was something we should at least go to bid with.”

“I still believe it’s a good deal,” Simonian said. “We got a very good deal. Timeliness, I know, is imperative here. … But I concur with [Marks] it should have went to bid.”

Public Works Director Richard Babica had said at committee last week the company is well-versed in Geneva’s wastewater design and going out to bid would delay the $8 million project to upgrade the treatment plant by three to four months.

Babica had said it was important to keep to its schedule to get good construction bids, as other communities will be looking to upgrade their wastewater plants to meet the new requirements, and Geneva would be competing with them for contractors.