Because of ballooning costs, Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley announced this week that he wants to halt construction of the sewage treatment plant so that the proposed site can be reevaluated and possibly changed.

“I would rather do it right the first time instead of kicking ourselves for the next 50 years,” he said.

In response, Councilman Rick Almberg called the mayor’s proposal “a really stupid idea” and claimed the mayor lacks both leadership skills and an understanding of the process.

“This is serious stuff. It’s not political playtime,” Almberg said, accusing the mayor of trying to turn the issue into a wedge as he runs for reelection.

THE DISAGREEMENT comes on the heels of a three-hour, comprehensive council workshop on the status of the sewage treatment plant, slated to be built behind the former Whidbey Island Bank on Pioneer Way. The city purchased the building.

New details about the project came to light during the meeting.

Brian Matson of Carollo Engineering, the firm designing the project, outlined a series of reasons the estimated cost of the project increased drastically from the original in the facilities plan.

Carollo originally estimated the total cost at $79 million, including construction, outfall construction, land acquisition and “soft costs” such as design and engineering.

Of that number, $60 million was estimated for construction costs.

Earlier this year, Hoffman Construction Co., the firm hired for construction management, did its own estimate and came up with more than $113 million for the construction alone — not including the outfall, land acquisition and soft costs.

NOW THAT the project is at the 30-percent design phase, Carollo said he was able to do another, more accurate estimate and came up with $98.1 million. That’s significantly lower than Hoffman’s estimate, but more than 60 percent higher than the original number.

Matson attributes the higher costs to a combination of scope modifications and changes in assumptions about the site.

Carollo originally assumed costs for electrical, instrumentation and control at the low end, he said, but changed that to the high end after further analysis and discussion.

He said the site layout was originally thought to be between three and four acres, but is being squeezed into 2.5 acres to minimize impacts at Windjammer Park.

He said that increased the costs.

THE CITY originally planned on hauling “Class B” biosolids from the facility to Eastern Washington, but the city asked to have them calculate the costs of converting to “Class A” biosolids. Class A biosolids are more environmentally friendly and can be spread on Whidbey Island, but at a significantly greater cost.

The original estimate didn’t include the cost of improving City Beach Street, extending Bayshore Drive for a block or building a 200-person training facility at the site.

Matson and City Engineer Joe Stowell said they are working on variety of ways to keep the costs under control.

The bulk of the project will be funded through rates residents pay for wastewater treatment.

Officials suggested some costs — such as the road improvements and the training facility — could be funded through alternate sources, which would lessen the impact on the fund and rates.

Dudley argues that the cost escalation demands that the council “takes a step back” and look at alternatives. He said the council and he didn’t have all the information when they chose the site in the first place; he faults Carollo and tried unsuccessfully to get the firm removed from the project.

Dudley cast the deciding vote in favor of building the plant in the vicinity of Windjammer Park after the council deadlocked with a 3-3 vote; the other site was on the north side of Crescent Harbor Road, which would have meant expensive and ongoing conveyance costs.

Dudley said he will urge the council to pause the project and reconsider other sites — he points to property on Beeksma Drive owned by the Freund family.

Dudley concedes it’s unlikely the council will listen to him.

“They are going to build the wastewater treatment plant whether the community likes it or not,” he said, “whether the community likes the price tag or not and whether the community likes the site or not.”

DUDLEY ISN’T alone in his skepticism about the site. Island County Commissioner Jill said she’s never been sold on the downtown location.

“I understand they’re on a time schedule, but they chose the wrong spot,” Johnson said.

Almberg points out that Dudley is running for reelection this year against Councilman Bob Severns.

Almberg voted for the other site and warned against escalating geotechnical costs, which turned out to be the case.

Nevertheless, he said the mayor’s proposal to look at other sites is a bad idea, especially after the city went through an extensive public process and invested $4 million so far into the project.

“It would be incredibly expensive for the community if we have to start over,” he said.

ALMBERG ALSO pointed out that the city needs a new wastewater treatment plant no matter what and there’s a timeline that needs to be followed, or the city may face a state-imposed sewer hook-up moratorium that could bring construction in the city to a standstill.

That, he said, would have profound economic effects.

Krista Kenner, a spokesperson for state Ecology, said the city has a permit for the project that expires in August 2016. She said the DOE will work with the city in early 2016 on a renewal.

She emphasized that the current location was chosen after a lengthy public process and that starting over could set the process back years.

That could represent a permit violation that potentially could come with consequences, she said.

KENNER AND and Almberg said a change to the project could also jeopardize state funding. State Ecology’s “draft offer list,” yet to be finalized by lawmakers, includes $5 million in a “grant and forgivable loan” and $15.6 million in very-low interest loans.

Finance Director Doug Merriman discussed the state money during the workshop and explained how it could have a significant and positive impact on rates.

Severns said he wants to hear Dudley’s proposal, but is doubtful that it makes financial sense. He said the city looked into the Freund site and found it isn’t suitable because it’s below the flood plain.

Severns said he agrees that the project needs “better management,” which is why he called for the workshop and updates at every council meeting.

“I think we can get a better handle on the costs if we manage better and as long as we take a harder look at all the costs.”