City of Cape outsources sewer collection roles

Maintenance of the City of Cape Girardeau's wastewater collection mains and manholes will no longer be the responsibility of Cape Girardeau Public Works.

Starting March 1, responsibilities of the city's sewer collection system division will be outsourced to Alliance Water Resources after more than half of the city's crew's positions have remained vacant.

Public Works director Stan Polivick said the sewer crew has been short staffed for several months. It currently has four employees when it's supposed to have 11.

Outsourcing sewer crew responsibilities will decrease liability.

Four workers simply cannot do the work of 11 people, Polivick said. Trying to only wears them out and normal tasks take longer as a result.

On top of maintaining the city's sewer system, the skeleton crew also has to ensure compliance with regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency and Mission Department of Natural Resources.

"We want to be sure we take some proactive action before we find ourselves in a position to have meetings with federal and state agencies about anything that might be a problem," Polivick said. "This way, we think we'll avoid all of that and, obviously, provide proper service to our community."

Columbia, Missouri-based Alliance Water Resources has serviced the city's water supply and distribution system since 1992. It currently maintains and operates both.

"We're very comfortable in making this transition to outsource the work," Polivick said. "We're a little sad it's come to that, on our part. But with the market conditions and the economy where it is, we just aren't getting applicants for these positions."

The sewer crew's existing staff have the option to work for Alliance or apply to a different position within the city.

Alliance will charge the city $789,036 a year for taking over the maintenance of Cape Girardeau's wastewater collection mains and manholes.

This is approximately 9% more than the actual cost to the city, according to an agenda report from Cape Girardeau City Council's last meeting. However, the city will recognize savings from fewer health insurance and workers compensation claims. Costs for recruitment and training of new employees will no longer be the responsibility of city staff.

According to an addendum to the city's contract with Alliance, the company must also provide up to 10 workers for snow removal support at any one time.

Alliance staff will also assist with riverfront floodwall pump operations during floods and clean storm drainage structures before and after rain.

"They have knowledgeable staff, so we're comfortable they have the capability to do the things that need to be done," Polivick said.