VESTAL, NY (WSKG) - The identity of the firm recommended to manage the Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Treatment Plant could be known by month's end.
Once a government committee set up to make the selection announces its choice, it will go before the Johnson City village board and the Binghamton City Council for a vote.
There was hope they'd wrap-up the process by October 1st. However, Binghamton Mayor Rich David calls that more of a guideline than a deadline. David wants each board to have all the information it needs to make the decision.
“We don’t have, necessarily, a deadline to say ‘okay, we’re going to give you 30 days or 45 or 10 days with which you have to evaluate this,” David said.
Privatization of the upgraded treatment plant has been controversial. There’s a fear jobs will be lost and there would be less public accountability. Plus, there are concerns over a possible conflict of interest. One of the companies in the competition, Jacob's Engineering, currently manages the $275-million rebuild of the plant.
Bids to manage the facility were opened in June. The plant, which serves much of Broome County, would still be owned by the City of Binghamton and Village of Johnson City.