The City Council acted Monday on a number of infrastructure projects — and received updates on three others.
Council actions included:
— Accepting a bid from Brandt Construction Co. of $94,800 for this year’s sidewalk replacement program.
The city has allocated $33,000 from sales tax funds and $73,260 in state motor fuel tax receipts for the program.
— New equipment will be installed at a city water well, after a $78,030 expenditure received council approval.
Public Works Director Kevin Newton reported to the council that Well 1, which supplies the water treatment plant on North Tremont Street, has been out of service. Without the raw water supplied by the well, the reverse osmosis membranes at the treatment plant might need to be replaced, at a cost of up to half a million dollars.
A contractor made repairs at the well and brought it back into service, but Newton reported that the system they fixed is 20 years old and should be replaced. The new system will be considerably more energy-efficient, he reported.
— An application for grant funds to expand a sidewalk project on Lake Street was approved.
The city previously received a state Safe Routes to Schools grant to install 2,200 feet of sidewalks leading to Belle Alexander School. The resolution passed by the council Monday authorizes Hutchison Engineering to apply for the money to extend the new sidewalks out to Lakeland Terrace Apartments, an additional 1,200 feet.
— The council approved a plan to replace a 30-inch storm sewer between the 100 blocks of Lyle and East Oak streets.
The project, which will cost $57,350, will replace a brick storm sewer that has collapsed, creating a large sink hole in a resident’s back yard.
“Besides the collapsed area, the overall poor condition of the entire storm sewer that runs through the residential area is a significant concern,” Newton wrote in a report to the council.
— City Manager Gary Bradley reported to the council that the summer street maintenance program won’t begin until the last week of September. “The work will take. . .almost a full month to complete with good weather,” Bradley wrote.
— Bradley also reported that work can begin on improvements to Francis Park, as the state has released grant funds the city had sought.
— Progress should come “within the very new future” on a $3 million state grant for a downtown improvement project, Bradley wrote.
