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Russellville wrapping up water tower project
RUSSELLVILLE — More than three years after town officials began its planning, Russellville’s project on its new water tower is nearing completion.
Reporting that the structure is “pretty well complete,” Brian Bullock of Beam, Longest and Neff (BLN) addressed costs and some remaining needs going forward at the Russellville Town Council’s regular meeting Wednesday evening.
As to the site itself, Bullock said that more stone has to be added, and also that the controls at the town’s water treatment plant have to be adjusted. The major issue is that an old tank has to be leveled out.
Bullock spoke mainly to the finances involved in the project, whose total budget was originally set at $1,625,000. He noted that at this time, there was $59,372 in contingency funds.
However, deductions were made on the water tank portion, carried out by Phoenix Fabricators & Erectors, as well as B&T Drainage’s work on the waterlines and valves. As such, Bullock said the town saved about $13,000 with both parts.
All told, considering the contingencies, the project budget was kept the same. With funding through the State Revolving Fund spent, money is still left over by the town’s American Rescue Plan Act allotment of $70,000.
The council is now looking toward purchasing a portable generator to shore up the water tower’s operation. This is where the contingencies come into play.
Bullock presented a $10,600 supplement to BLN’s engineering agreement with the town. Besides soliciting three bids, an amendment will also be needed with a preliminary engineering report. A generator itself could cost $30,000-$40,000.
The council, of which Council President Cary McGaughey and Councilman Tony Riggen were present, approved to sign the supplement.
“Overall, things went pretty well,” said Bullock, who has worked with the town on the project’s engineering from the outset. “I think the quality of work was really good.”
The new water tower was up for some time before Oct. 3, when the town’s old one was dismantled. The latter was built in 1958 and had deteriorated beyond feasible repair.
With all of the elements of the process considered, Bullock provided that the new generator could be secured before next spring.
In other business:
• The council approved for Troy Elless of Utility Management and Construction to have a new check valve installed. The context was a well line being struck previously and a bad check valve being found.
Elless provided the new check valve costing $1,500.
• The council and Clerk-Treasurer Martha Mandleco took under advisement a new guaranteed offer of $7,340 for the removal of trees near the Russellville Community Center. The offer came from the Baird Sawmill.
The council previously received a guaranteed offer for $6,500 from Oliver and Kingerey to do the same stated work. With the possibility that other trees need to be removed, there was agreement with Town Attorney Stu Weliever that accepting either offer could be done next month.
• The council adopted an ordinance setting out the town’s budget for 2024. Per a public hearing held on it, the budget was detailed in coverage of the council’s regular meeting last month.
With Councilwoman Cathy Jones and Street Supt. John Boller absent, Town Marshal Matt Biggs joined Mandleco, Weliever, Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Teresa Ciulla and the council for the meeting.
The next regular meeting of the Russellville Town Council is set Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. at the community center. This will be a week later than usual, as Jones and Riggen will be unavailable on the original date.
The meeting will coincide with a public hearing on the town securing a grant for repairs to the community center.