A VIEW FROM THE COUNCIL TABLE
WIMBERLEY CITY COUNCIL
(Editor’s Note: The views expressed by the writer are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the city they serve.)
I have been asked to repeat the information I read at the Jan. 3, 2019 City Council Meeting regarding the history of the Black Castle Sewer Plant Contract and how the current Council, elected this past May, inherited this problem. This report is all public information. I have sent the corroborating documents to the Wimberley View for verification.
At the November 16, 2017 Wimberley City Council Meeting a motion was made by Allison Davis and was seconded by Roberta Holland to: Award the Sewer Treatment Plant to Black Castle GC. As the Meeting Minutes indicate, both Ms. Davis and Mrs. Holland voted in favor of the motion. Additionally, from the minutes, Council member Craig Fore stated he could not support the bid because of the cost. Council member Gary Barchfeld said there was no need to rush into things and did not believe the plant could be pumped effectively with current bid specifications. The vote was taken, and Council members Davis and Holland voted to award the contract to Black Castle. Council members Fore and Barchfeld voted against the Motion. The tied vote was broken by Mayor Mac McCullough who, in the absence of Councilman Steve Thurber, voted to award the contract to Black Castle.
As indicated in the November 16, 2017 minutes, I thought the City was rushing to contract with Black Castle, an unvetted vendor. My feeling was the Collection System Contract had not been negotiated and the collection system had a longer construction timeline than the Sewer Plant. It seemed to me that rushing to sign the Black Castle contract was a hasty and imprudent way to proceed.
The timeline of the Black Castle contract is as follows:
The City and Black Castle Signed a Sewer Plant Contract for $3,068,900 on Feb. 27, 2018. Black Castle Invoiced the City, on the same day the contract was signed, Feb. 27 for $309,214 less 5% Retainage for the Period: 1-Feb-18 to 28-Feb-18.
The City, signed by Mayor McCullough, issued Black Castle a Notice to Proceed Feb. 28, 2018. TWDB did not issue Black Castle a Notice to Proceed until almost 2 months later April 26, 2018.
Black Castle Payment Estimate 1, Dated 2-27-18, Period 1-28 Feb. 2018, was for $293,753. A City Check was written to Black Castle for $293,753 on 3-23-2018 signed by Steve Thurber.
Black Castle Payment Estimate 2, Dated 3-13-18, Period 1-31 Mar 2018, was $51,318. A City Check was written to Black Castle for $51,318 on 5-22-2018 signed by Susan Jaggers.
The amount paid to Black Castle as of January 3, 2019 was $345, 071.
After the May 2018 election, research revealed the cost/yr. to operate the City Sewer Plant to be constructed by Black Castle would be $214,249. This amount is an estimate by Inframark, the current City Plant operators. Research indicated Aqua Texas’ annual cost to process 50,000 gal/day of Wimberley Wastewater is $52,776 per year. The annual savings to the City with the Aqua Texas Plan is $161,473.
The result of the January 3, 2019 vote by City Council was to approve the termination of the Contract with Black Castle for Convenience for $200,000. Council members McCullough, Fore, Barchfeld and Cantu-Kelly voted Aye Council member Davis voted Nay.