Council approves replacement sludge mixer for wastewater plant at $53,415

Brighton City Council on Jan. 14 authorized the purchase of a replacement flight sludge mixer for the wastewater treatment plant from Kennedy Industries at a cost not to exceed $53,415.

DPS Superintendent Brooks explained the plant stores biosolids in a roughly 1,400,000-gallon tank and uses six flight mixers to keep solids agitated and pumpable. He said the mixers prevent solids from settling into dead zones that become unpumpable; staff previously had to manually break settled material. After disassembly and inspection by the manufacturer, one mixer was found to have parts no longer available and could not be rebuilt, Brooks said.

Brooks said Kennedy Industries is the sole supplier for this mixer type in Michigan and that the city budgeted $60,000 in the 2024–25 CIP for the replacement. Council member Pettengill moved to approve the purchase; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Council members praised staff and the vendor for managing inspections and costs that kept the purchase under budget. Brooks said another mixer is due for refurbishment in about two years.