Board puts out Request for Qualifications

SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board moved forward with advertising a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and discussed water testing and an increase in eDNA testing at its Feb. 17 meeting.

At last month’s meeting the Board discussed whether to send out a RFQ or Request for Proposals (RFP). District Manager Bill Decker wrote up a proposed RFQ for the Board to consider at this meeting.

Director Cheri Thompson said the proposed RFQ was not specific enough and wanted specific details about the District in it instead of the entire community.

District Manager Bill Decker explained that an RFQ is “just an advertisement for people to come and help us solve our problems.” Engineering firms that feel they are qualified can apply and then the Board will choose which firms they would like to work with and send them a RFP. The RFP would have all of the details specific to the District in it.

The Board voted to advertise the RFQ. The full text of the RFQ can be found on page 19 of this week’s issue or on the District’s website at seeleysewer.org

At its November meeting the Board approved up to $5,515 for Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) to conduct eDNA of water in Seeley Lake. The cost of the tests however is higher than estimated.

CRC’s Executive Director Caryn Miske explained that when she originally did the proposal she didn’t think the tests were as expensive as they are. Instead of $150 per test, they are closer to $300 per test.

The Board discussed how to fund the testing and at which locations to do the testing. The possibility of adding a test for formaldehyde to see if the contamination could be linked back to RV waste was also discussed. RV users commonly put chemicals in their black water for various reasons including odor reduction.

Miske said that testing for formaldehyde sounded like a good idea, however, when she searched RV chemicals online the most popular tests do not include it. She felt some more research would be needed to identify a test that would accurately indicate if RV waste was present.

President Tom Morris said that the only reason he supported doing eDNA testing was to differentiate nutrient loading from human waste versus other sources like animals. He said he was not supportive of trying to single out and pick on a single human source.

Because the testing will span two fiscal years it was determined that the budget didn’t need to be adjusted but that testing could commence and the Board could look at adding the extra funding in next year’s budget.

The Board voted to pay CRC up to $5,515 for testing at three locations through the end of the fiscal year.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Thursday, March. 17. The agenda and information on how to participate will be posted on the District’s website seeleysewer.org