Village Manager Jim Barnes and engineers from Montrose (Gary Gruber, John Karnes and Pat Kirby) presented a multi‑year plan to modernize critical stormwater pump stations in the ACME Improvement District.

"The village of Wellington is undertaking a multi year critical stormwater infrastructure improvement project to modernize and and enhance the efficiency of its flood protection system," Barnes said in a presentation video describing the program’s goals and connection to water‑quality requirements.

Why it matters: Wellington’s stormwater network relies on pumps — some installed or renovated in the 2000s — to move water across a flat landscape into the regional C‑51 Canal. Engineers warned that aging variable frequency drives (VFDs), motor control centers, generators and trash‑rake systems create reliability and maintenance risks that could interrupt flood‑control operations.

Scope and cost
- Project 1 (electrical/mechanical): upgrades at pump stations 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9, including motor control center replacement, VFD upgrades, lighting modernization, cable and conduit replacement, ventilation and building access improvements, and replacement of some stilling wells and intake louvers.
- Project 2 (Pump Station 3): dedicated generator upgrade and trash‑rack replacement; the proposal calls for a new 600‑kilowatt Caterpillar generator at Pump Station 3 with full load bank testing, plus structural modifications and improved trash‑rack design.
- The two projects together carry an estimated cost of $9,040,000, staff said. The village plans to bundle work and pursue state and federal grant funding to reduce local costs.

Grants and schedule
- Staff said the village has applied for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant funding for Pump Station 2 and is pursuing additional state resiliency grants; Pump Station 2 had earlier design work funded and a FEMA request of about $5.7 million was described for that facility.
- Engineers and staff described an 8–10 year phased program for systemwide improvements; Projects 1 and 2 were identified as immediate priorities for inclusion in the FY2026 budget.

Technical details and risk
- Engineers described pump station configurations (high‑volume, low‑head axial flow pumps, belt‑driven assemblies) and the operational role of VFDs in matching pump discharge to canal inflow to avoid overloading the C‑51 Canal.
- Consultants praised in‑house maintenance staff and said pump station aging (many elements 20+ years old) justifies the proposed modernization work.

What happens next
Village staff said they will include the first projects in the FY2026 budget and continue grant applications while pursuing a phased construction schedule.