The Midlothian City Council on Tuesday night authorized an agreement that will start the ball rolling for improvements to the Tayman Water Treatment Plant.

Councilmembers gave the green light to an agreement for professional services with Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd, Inc. for design and other engineering-related services associated with the water plant’s sludge mechanical dewatering press. The cost of the agreement is $230,000.

The design work will set up the installation of a sludge press at a later date, city director of engineering and utilities Mike Adams said. The council will have to authorize the estimated $2 million expense at that time.

The improvements are needed because the amount of sludge at the plant has increased along with its output of treated water, and Adams said dealing with it has resulted in more man-hours of work.

The sludge, which comes from sediment in Joe Pool Lake, dries out in beds at the plant and is then hauled to the Auger water treatment plant, where it is land-applied in accordance with a state permit, Adams said. A press would speed up the process and remove the need for drying beds as well as reduce man-hours of work.

Adams said the Tayman plant has a present peak capacity of 12 million gallons per day and in the future will be expanded to as high as 24 million gallons.

All councilmembers were present.

Other items

• The approved consent agenda included previous meeting minutes, and special event permits for four upcoming events in the city: the Rock City Summer Bash on Friday, July 26; Midlothian Revival Night on Sunday, July 21; the Minority Baseball Prospects Junior World Series July 25-27; and the Spike for Hope Sand Volleyball Tournament on Friday, July 19.
• A specific-use permit was granted for a new grocery store in the Midlothian Plaza Shopping Center at 1000 E. Main Street.
• The zoning at 5631 Kolter Lane was changed from Agricultural to Single Family-2, and the zoning at 4040 Parker Lane was changed from Single Family-1 to Single Family-2.
• An amendment to a planned development district was approved in the MidTowne development on the southwest corner of 14th Street and George Hopper Road.
• A 7.328-acre property south of U.S. Highway 287 and west of 14th Street was changed from Community Retail to a planned development.
• The city’s traffic and vehicle ordinance was amended in order to change the maximum speed limit on South Walnut Grove Road to 40 mph once all lanes are open.
• The council authorized an expenditure of $34,606 by the Midlothian Community Development Corporation for costs associated with a consultant services agreement for design and engineering services for the renovation of Ridgeview Park. In a separate motion, councilmembers approved the agreement with Teague Nall and Perkins, Inc. in a full amount of $190,290.
• A contract was authorized with Master Turf Products and Service, Inc. in the amount of $69,212 for the laser leveling of Jaycee Park.
• An extension was granted to the timeframe for completion of the public improvements for Main Street Towne Crossing.
• The council approved the appointments of Wanda Wilkerson to Midlothian Economic Development, Jackie McDonald to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and Tiffany Carra to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.