July 06, 2015
- Another cool and wet spring this year has set back crop growth; however, we were able to get all of the corn, soybeans, and alfalfa planted.
- We began to haul out our 2014 corn crop starting on May 19th and the quality is good and its test weight above average!
- Irrigation started on May 11th and we have been able to run at near full capacity since the beginning of the season. The erection of eight new rigs began in May and that work will be completed over the next few weeks.
- Major construction projects still in process for Wastewater this year include the replacement of Montague Station, the adding of a generator at Keating Station, and installation of a bypass pump at D Station.
- Staff and Prein & Newhof continue with their analysis of the Wastewater system for the SAW Grant requirements.
- Wastewater received our new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit so we now have a ground water permit as well a surface water permit. We are working daily to meet the MDEQ requirements for this new permit.
- Wastewater continued to operate and assist with getting the Sparta treatment plant facility running properly, but as of the end of May, Wastewater did not win the bid process to continue to operate Sparta’s treatment plant.
- Solid Waste is currently in the process of planning for future disposal capacity. The current site has approximately 10 years of disposal capacity remaining before it will be closed.
- Solid Waste’s groundwater monitoring well MW-C2 was replaced with MW-C2R in April due to the original well having limited water recharge.
- Solid Waste participated in a grant funded research program where researchers dissected a portion of trash from garbage trucks to determine what makes up the real waste stream in Michigan. Our landfill is the first of eight participating landfills in Michigan to go through this process.
- A DEQ Scrap Tire Grant was approved. This will be used to fund 5 collection events in Muskegon County this summer.
- Deremo Park Improvements were approved. Sustainability is currently collecting forms and information required for funding to begin improving the drive, the launch, and to install a vault toilet and a kayak rack.
- A Recycling and Collection Event 2015 was held on April 18th. The event was a huge success! Approximately 3,000 tires were collected, 14,163 lbs. of electronic waste, and 4,661 lbs. of shredding was brought in by Muskegon County residents.
- Fire hydrant painting will commence in June 2015.
- The large meter at Michigan’s Adventure was put back in service for the spring & summer. This signals increased water usage up the Whitehall Road line which helps immensely with maintaining the desired chlorine residual in the line. Public Works is assisting with the planning of a new water line service to a new structure at Michigan’s Adventure.
- A pre-construction meeting was held for a 16” water main tie-in to the 24” regional water supply line along Whitehall Road. Although not a County project, this project is being built to County specifications to supply fire protection for the new Marathon butane blending facility in Muskegon Township. The metered pipeline is being paid for by Marathon and will be maintained by the City of North Muskegon.
- The radiator on the emergency generator at the Quarterline Pump Station was removed, repaired, and reinstalled the first week of May to address gasket leaks on the unit.
- Congratulations to Anita Friend, who recently was inducted into the Muskegon County Bluebird Society. She replaced Carol LaPres-Beyer who recently retired.
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