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The Manchester Water Commission Approved a recommendation during the Sept. 5 meeting to approve a contract with J.R. Wauford & Company, Consulting Engineers, Inc. for a roughly $15,000 initial report on upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.

The firm comes highly recommended by Water and Sewer Director Jeffery Perry from his former dealings with the firm in West Tennessee in utility companies near the Blue Oval megasite.

Perry stressed he had no qualms with Griggs and Maloney, the firm that designed the plant and its 2011 upgrade. He rather felt J.R. Wauford had more experience with preparing a system for the industrial growth the city will soon likely see.

“Their only focus is water and wastewater, and not a multidisciplinary firm,” Perry said. “Their working on the Blue Oval megasite and the state would benefit us.”

Vice Mayor Mark Messick said he would support the contract on the word of Perry.

“I think Jeff’s done an amazing job so far, Messick said. “I don’t like the idea of swapping the company, and I’m going to have a hard time voting for it. But I think Jeff is worth the try.”

The Commission voiced concerns about the city hiring a second engineering firm after hiring Griggs and Malone to do a similar

“My question, we paid Griggs and Maloney over $150,000 a couple of years ago for what,” Water Commission member Gary Hunt asked. “Why do we need another report? What did they recommend that we haven’t done or that the other firm is going to recommend?”

Messick suggested the city contact with J.R. Wauford for phase one as a sort of test. If the city isn’t satisfied with the report, then it can decline to hire them for the second phase.

The commission questioned how the city can be refunded unused money paid to with Griggs and Maloney, and asked way has the report not been followed up on.