HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-15-20 City Commission Packet Materials - C5. Ratification of CM Signature on Agreement w MSU for SARS-CoV-2 TestingPage 1 of 2
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Mitch Reister, Public Works Director
Anna Rosenberry, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Ratification of City Manager’s Signature on Agreement for
Services with Montana State University for SARS-CoV-2 Level
Testing at the Bozeman Water Reclamation Facility.
MEETING DATE: June 15, 2020
AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Consent
RECOMMENDATION: Ratify the City Manager’s signature on the agreement for services
with Montana State University for SARS-CoV-2 level testing at the Bozeman Water Reclamation Facility.
BACKGROUND: Montana State University’s Department of Microbiology and
Immunology, in collaboration with the Bozeman Public Works Department, has been conducting
temporal detection and phylogenetic assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in municipal wastewater at the Bozeman Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) since March, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The sampling and testing methods incorporated in the study provide a time-based snapshot of the viral load present in the city’s municipal wastewater stream, allowing for a rough
correlation (and potentially early warning indications) of community spread of the SARS-CoV-2
virus within the Bozeman community, which is particularly helpful to city and county emergency management and healthcare providers in managing public policy and response to the ongoing pandemic.
MSU Principal Investigator Blake Wiedenheft, PhD, has (to date) covered the costs of the
research within his own MSU research budget; however, continuing the investigation and monitoring into the future is beyond the budgetary means available to Dr. Wiedenheft. Thus, to assist with data collection and testing to the benefit of the City of Bozeman’s pandemic management and response planning, providing direct financial support of the effort is necessary
to assure the continuation of Dr. Wiedenheft’s important work as the pandemic continues.
Total cost estimated to continue the research and testing program through the end of August, 2020, is $41,281.23, for which the City will seek reimbursement from the CARES Act in the
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future. Coordination and management of the research agreement with MSU will be accomplished
by the Public Works Department.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES: None.
ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the City Commission.
FISCAL EFFECTS: This will be paid out of wastewater funds but the City will seek
reimbursement from the CARES Act.
Attachments: Agreement for Services
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