Little Elm looks at odor control for wastewater plant expansion
By LAURA CHILDRESS

With designs for the expansion of the town's wastewater treatment plant 65 percent complete, the Little Elm council received a presentation Tuesday on a proposed odor-control system for the plant.

Plant expansion project manager Kenneth Tillman with TRC Solutions noted that staff are making every effort to ensure the odor is controlled.

"The plant is relatively surrounded by residential areas, which makes odor treatment an important issue,” he said.

Tillman said that upon touring the site, four problem areas were identified as odor generating, most notably the liftstation.

To control the odor at the plant, Tillman said TRC is looking at four types of scrubbing systems: biological, wet chemical, carbon and dry chemical. He noted they are currently meeting with area municipalities using the various systems to determine which is best for Little Elm.

In addition, public works director Doug Peach said the town is acquiring mobile odor detectors to monitor the entire system.

Peach said the plant expansion project should begin construction near the end of the summer.

He added that town staff hope the odor control system, combined with the chemical treatment injected at remote liftstations and the upgrading of the line along Eldorado Parkway, will alleviate the odor problem from the wastewater system.

With new businesses springing up across town, the council also approved an agreement with Kasner and Associates for sales tax analysis services.

Finance director Ryan Adams explained that Kasner will be, in effect, conducting a sales tax audit to ensure that the town is receiving all the sales tax it is due. Kasner will be reviewing the sales tax records of all businesses in Little Elm, going back four years, to make sure that the sales tax is being directed to the town and not another municipality.

Kasner will receive 33 percent of the amount collected on errors in sales tax reporting.

In other business the council: * Received an update from Charlena Peach on a pancake benefit breakfast for the Barta family Saturday, which raised $6,800. Peach thanked the police and fire departments for their support.

* Approved the consent agenda, consisting of the minutes of the Jan. 2 work session, precouncil meeting and regular council meeting; acceptance of the 2008 Capital Improvements Projects; and authorization to purchase two trailers to haul mowing equipment for the parks department, one half-ton pickup for the water department, one half-ton pickup for the street department, two three-quarter ton pickups with utility bodies for the water department, one F-150 Super Cab for the building inspections department, one F-350 Crew Cab for the parks department and one brush chipper from the solid waste fund.

* Approved an interlocal agreement between the town and Upper Trinity Regional Water District regarding UTRWD's construction of a new wastewater treatment plant, including zoning and platting issues, infrastructure and utilities, law enforcement and EMS and landscaping and screening * Approved an amendment to the designs for the Lakeshore paving and drainage project. Additional work needed includes design of a 4,200-foot water line, survey and grading work to raise the area south of Lakeshore at the low water crossing and geotechnical services to study the slope stability. Work no longer needed includes 79 percent of the boundary survey and a Corps of Engineers permit. The amendment will result in savings of $81,650.

* Approved a 60-percent reduction in impact fees for phase 2 of the Villages of Eldorado.

* Authorized staff to bring back an ordinance opening up membership of the parks board to members living outside town limits. The board currently has three vacancies, one of which has gone unfilled for close to a year.

* Tentatively scheduled work sessions for Feb. 12 and March 11, both at 6:30 p.m.

* Received an update on plans for the primary elections March 4 at Little Elm Town Hall. The Republican party will be based in the downstairs lobby, while the Democratic party will be in the upstairs lobby.