Bainbridge approves final water project contracts

BAINBRIDGE -- Wednesday night's Bainbridge Town Council meeting was unique because of its inclusion of the utility board. It also held its own small meeting within the main meeting, but the utility board's presence was also required to recommend approval of the lowest bids on the Water Improvements Project.

The utility board recommended the lowest bid for each of the three phases of the project, which the board approved. The first phase of the project involved improvements to the water treatment plant, and the winning bid was from Graves Plumbing at $376,159. The second phase of the project entails the repainting and refurbishing of the water tower, and the winning bid was from Phoenix Fabricators out of Avon at a cost of $189,286. The final phase will replace the water meters and the computer system, and will cost $253,025.50 for United Systems to complete.

The town must also cover the cost for the individual meters at $40,697.50. The town received a water grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (IOCRA) totaling $917,500 for the total project. The grand total, including the water meters, is $859,168, leaving the town a great deal of money left over.

The town was also happy with the results of Bainbridge's Clean-Up Day, which took place on Saturday, May 7. The town collected 4.5 dumpsters worth of disposable material, which is admittedly less than the six they collected last year. Council members blamed the rain for the decrease, but the board has not decided whether it will hold another clean-up day next year.

"We're stumpless," Town Marshal Rod Fenwick said. "Clean-up went well. We had five prisoners help with the clean-up and other things like weeding."

The board is also waiting to hear from the state about a Storm Water Grant, which would be used to improve the town's storm water drainage systems. The town should hear from the state regarding the grant on Friday, May 27.