Centre Wellington officials to help train Minto staff in wastewater work

Centre Welling­ton’s Public Works Department will help operate three of Minto’s wastewater plants for at least the next three years.

The township’s committee of the whole on Monday  approved  the recommen­dation from the operations committee after hearing from Public Works Director Ken Elder. He said in his report Minto had approached the township for opera­tion and maintenance services for its facilities in Clifford, Palmerston and Harriston.

Elder said the request dove­tailed nicely with his depart­ment’s strategic plan, which calls for finding methods of raising revenue without using the tax base or raising water rates. He noted the department has “expertise and knowledge in respect to wastewater” it could share with neighbouring munici­palities.

He added the depart­ment checked to determine if it could operate those facilities in an economical manner with no cost to the township.

Elder said the contract for Centre Wellington would not be permanent.

He expected in three to four years, Minto would have its own staff capable of operating the plants using township training. “We have come to the conclusion that we would be able to operate these  facilities and also be able to train Minto personnel over a three year period to the licen­cing lev­el required to operate the plants.”