Saratoga County sewage plant improvements to go to supervisors for vote

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Williams

Saratoga County supervisors will vote Tuesday on $1.35 million worth of internal improvements at the county sewage treatment plant in Halfmoon.

The county board’s Law and Finance Committee, at a meeting Wednesday in Ballston Spa, recommended approving two contracts for construction of a new sludge-handling system inside the plant. The project includes replacing dewatering belts and pumps and electronic monitoring equipment in the system that moves sewage sludge to an incinerator inside the plant, where it is burned.

The current system was installed in 1977, and there are fears it could fail due to its age.

“It’s deteriorated to the point that we can no longer repair it,” said county sewer district Executive Director Chad Cooke.

The belts are being purchased under a separate $365,000 contract, bringing the total cost of the upgrade to about $1.7 million, Cooke said.

The district also recently completed installation of a new incinerator, at a cost of about $3 million.

Cooke said the two projects are being funded from the sewer district’s fund balance, and their cost won’t affect sewer user rates.

The Board of Supervisors is expected to award a $1.25 million contract for the general construction work to Blue Heron Construction of Jordan, while a $97,500 electrical contract will be awarded to Avanti Electric of Gloversville. Both were the lowest from among several bids, according to county officials.

Cooke said the work should be finished within six months. Because there are two belts and they can be replaced one at a time, Cooke said the plant should operate normally during the construction.

Also going before supervisors when they meet Tuesday in Ballston Spa will be a proposal to apply for state funding to extend the Zim Smith off-road recreation trail from Coon’s Crossing in Halfmoon into Mechanicville. The county plans to file a Consolidated Funding Application request for $200,000 to $225,000 to cover trail design and permitting costs for the extension.

The county over the last several years has been able to get permission from landowners, including the PanAm-Southern railyard, to run the trail through or along their properties.

If the extension is built, the Zim Smith Trail would run 11 miles from Ballston Spa to Mechanicville, where it could meet with north-south recreation trails being developed along the Hudson River.

The board will also consider the appointment of Susan M. Hayes-Masa as a county coroner. Hayes-Masa, now a deputy coroner, would replace John DeMartino, who died in May. The position pays $25,727 annually.