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SEP-28-98 MON 10:05 AM SAN LEANDRO PUBLIC WORKS FAX N0, 5103521192 P.04 <br />Mike Oliver <br />December 12, 1995 <br />page 3 <br />develop a spread sheet comparing costs for current City operations to the cost for both <br />alternative treatment options. <br />A meeting was held on December 8, 1995, to discuss Barakat and Chamberlin's initial analysis <br />of the preliminary offers from Oro Loma and EBMUD. This meeting was attended by Mike <br />Wallis of EBMUD and Mike Cameron of Oro Loma. <br />DISCUSSION <br />Barakat and Chamberlin's initial analysis indicates that current operations are cheaper than <br />either alternative treatment option. The savings in treatment costs are offset by the amortized <br />buy -in costs which range from $1,661,000 and $2,848,000 and the amortize capital cost for <br />the required force main. The estimated costs for capital improvements were prepared by G. <br />S. Dodson and Associates. Kennedy/Jenks has reviewed the Oro Loma Plant's capacity and <br />determined that a plant expansion will likely be required to handle San Leandro's wastewater. <br />The plant expansion needed for Oro Loma would only be for additional digester capacity and <br />aeration since there is sufficient hydraulic capacity. <br />Representatives from both agencies indicated at the December 8 meeting that the buy -in fee <br />they had previously given was only for discussion purposes and that they were willing to <br />explore a lower fee or longer period for amortizing the fee. The actual buy -in fee will <br />ultimately be established by the governing board of the agency. The attendees at the <br />December 8 meeting also agreed that while individual numbers used in Barakat's analysis may <br />not be 100% accurate they do reflect the magnitude of costs and are adequate for this initial <br />analysis. More precise numbers in some areas will be expensive and time consuming to <br />obtain. The expense for obtaining more accurate numbers is not justified unless the amortized <br />buy -in fee can be substantially reduced. <br />Completely deleting a buy -in fee would make the alternatives marginally cheaper based on <br />current conditions and estimates. There are other policy and operational issues still to be <br />negotiated. One issue is local control of rates. If the City's Water Polution Control Plant is <br />taken out of operation and wastewater treatment is provided by another agency, it will be <br />nearly impossible for the City to return to wastewater treatment at the existing plant. The cost <br />of refurbishing equipment and the assembling and training of a new staff will be prohibitive <br />without a dramatic increase in the cost of treatment. <br />