Caledonia Argus

City approves sewer rehabilitation project

Posted: 8/12/03

by Jane Palen
Managing editor

The city will take a major step in addressing its sewer problems this fall when a $923,000 sewer rehabilitation project gets underway.

The council approved the project Monday evening after discussing it with Michael Davy of Davy Engineering. Although the project was $23,000 over the $900,000 the city had budgeted, it was $260,000 less than the first bid received, and the scope of the project is much greater than the original. Davy estimated that the additional work was worth about $200,000.

The project was first bid in May, and a single bid was received. That bid, from Winona Mechanical, came in at $1,182,255. At that time, Davy asked the council to rebid the project and provide an option for an alternative bid for many of the spot repairs which called for using a ìno digî liner as opposed to excavation as a possible cost-saving measure.

The project includes 21 ìno digî spot repairs throughout the city, and sewer replacements in other areas. Infratech Technologies of Rogers, Minnesota, was awarded the bid for no-dig rehabilitation at a bid price of $91,895. The bid for the sewer replacement portion of the project went to Badger Environmental and Earthworks of Westby, Wisconsin, for $611,1994. Other fees include engineering, legal, and administrative fees and a contingency fund of 10 percent.

Work is expected to be completed by December 19, with the final lift of asphalt to be applied by June 25, 2004. Councilman Paul Fisch asked if the final surfacing could be done before the Caledonia Sesquicentennial June 11-14, 2004. Davy said he would speak to the contractor about completing al the work before then.

Mutual aid costs may increase

In other business, the council reviewed a mutual aid agreement for the Tri-County Firefighters Association. Under the terms of the agreement, the cost of mutual aid would increase from $25 to a maximum of $600 for a three-hour period. Mayor Robert Burns. himself a former fireman, commented that the $25 does not come close to covering the cost of personnel or equipment. Cost would depend on what the agency asking for mutual aid requests. The type of truck and number of personnel will determine the final cost.

The agreement will be discussed by the fire district before final approval is given by the council.

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