The meeting’s most pressing discussion centered on the aging sanitary sewer force main, which carries 99% of the city’s wastewater to the treatment plant. An infrastructure conditions analysis revealed the main is nearing the end of its life cycle, prompting the commission to consider three alternatives: doing nothing, rehabilitation, or replacement. Ultimately, the replacement was deemed the most viable solution. The engineering services proposal from Bolton and Mink for $270,000 was put forward for approval. Although this project was not initially budgeted, it was noted that sufficient reserves exist to cover the costs. A motion to authorize the city manager to accept the proposal was made and received unanimous approval.

Another project discussed was the redevelopment of wells 20 and 21, aimed at maintaining water supply efficiency. The wells’ capacity had diminished over time, necessitating cleaning and redevelopment efforts. A quote from Trout Companies for $68,500 was presented for this unbudgeted but essential project. Although results cannot guarantee restoration to original capacity, significant improvements are anticipated.

The commission’s focus on infrastructure extended to addressing a steam pressure pipe issue, where an old spool piece and manhole failed. To rectify the situation, a proposal to order a full-length stick of 40 feet of pipe and remove the obsolete manhole was presented. The importance of looping the line for redundancy was emphasized. Budget allocations for a low-pressure steam project made the expenditure feasible, and a motion to file the quote from RE Carlson Incorporated for $10,900 was approved.

Attention also turned to the water department, where aging valves required urgent repairs. The main plant valve was reported as non-functional, with five additional underdrain valves also failing. Given that the plant has been in operation since 1992, a condition assessment was necessary. A budget of $100,000 had been set aside for valve replacements, and a motion to accept quotes from Vesco Incorporated for $11,370 and Minnesota Mechanical Solutions for installation at $9,223.88 was approved, totaling $20,593.88.

Amid these infrastructure discussions, the commission celebrated its electric system’s exemplary reliability. A presentation on the system’s performance metrics revealed that New Ulm had achieved remarkable results, with an interruption frequency improvement from 0.02 to 0.01. This placed the city ahead of Region 3 utilities, where customers experienced an average of 50 minutes of outage time compared to less than a minute for New Ulm’s residents. The commission’s proactive maintenance and upgrades, such as the Center Street bypass project and substation updates, were credited for these achievements. Future projects, including upgrades to transformers and relay systems, aim to sustain these reliability standards.

The presentation also highlighted the importance of staffing and operational recognition, with a focus on training and retaining skilled technicians. A backup system was established to ensure continuity in power delivery. The commission’s strategy included maintaining an aggressive maintenance budget and system redundancy to prepare for potential outages.

In recognition of these reliability accomplishments, the American Public Power Association awarded New Ulm a certificate of excellence for 2024. The report’s satisfactory reliability numbers reflected effective maintenance, though past issues with contractor oversight during testing were noted.