Mentone Pays Increased Fees For Wastewater Treatment Project
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Michael R. Strang, Bonar Group, said the increase is within the budget for the project originally presented to the town.
"This is really nothing more than we expected to pay in the beginning," Strang said.
Monday night, the Mentone Town Council reluctantly agreed to accept the additional $52,800 fee.
"We have to," said Council President Tim Croy.
"We have no choice," agreed Councilwoman Jill Gross.
The additional scope of the project, according to Strang, includes installation of gaseous chlorine effluent disinfection system; installation of Aerated Horizontal Flow Submerged Attached Growth Reactor by Nelson Environmental Inc. to achieve year-round nitrification, construct new building at the wastewater treatment plant to house blowers and disinfection system, new piping, electrical upgrade and replace lift station A to increase capacity.
The total project budget is $1,534,500. The town received a $600,000 grant for the project, but local funds will have to cover $934,500 of the cost.
The budget includes $1,075,000 for construction and a $107,500 construction contingency. Non-construction costs include $56,000 for grant administration, $66,800 for bond counsel, $164,200 for Bonar's engineering work and $65,000 for resident personal representation.
The town will try and save money by using local banks instead of bond counsel for the local matching funds.
While Kenna Consulting & Management Group Inc. secured the $600,000 grant for the project during the second round of the grant cycle this year, the town council was not happy Monday night that Kenna missed the first round earlier this year. That potentially could have saved the town some money, Croy said. Kenna missed the first round because they failed to publish a notice and on time.
The council signed and dated the acceptance of the $600,000 grant.
Strang told the council the bids for the project will go out in mid-March and should be received by late March. Once Bonar completes the design plan, it has to go to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for review and their concurrence. Once IDEM approves, the bids can be let. IDEM's approval could take two to six weeks, Strang said.
Croy wanted to know how long it would be before the town could begin the process to raise the sewer rates. Gross said she thought they had to wait until they heard back from Umbaugh & Associates first.
"I don't know if this confused us when all of this would get started," said Clerk-Treasurer Barb Ross. "It seems like we've been in the planning process for two years."
In other business, the town council:
n Approved $1,650 by Mike Strang for soil borings for the wastewater treatment plant project. The soil borings will be conducted where a lift station will be located and at the plant site.
n Heard from Town Marshal Jim Eads that the Mentone Chamber of Commerce redid the Christmas lights around town and they look very nice.
"The Chamber did a nice job on that," Eads said.
Eads also told the council that a Ford truck to replace one of the police department's vehicles would cost $26,509 from Dimension Ford. That doesn't include trade-in costs or adding on equipment such as a topper and emergency lights.
The council approved for Eads to pursue the vehicle purchase. Instead of trading in the old vehicle, the town may bid it out early next year because it has more than 145,000 miles on it.
Eads also was approved to purchase two portable Kentwood radios for two officers.
He also will spent another approximate $400 to help pay for video equipment in his vehicle. KCODE is paying for the remaining approximate $3,600 for the video equipment.
n Utilities Superintendent Eric Carlin also was given approval by the council Monday to pursue the purchase of a new dump truck. Total cost of the chevy will be about $41,517.74. The cost includes $23,323.74 for the truck; $8,918 for the dump bed and accessories; and $5,276 for the snow plow. The Chevy dump truck is about $2,000 less than the Ford.
With the purchase of the police truck and the utilities department dump truck, the town will have no more money in 2010 for new equipment, according to Ross.
n Appointed Roger Moriarty to another term on the library board. The term is for four years.[[In-content Ad]]
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Michael R. Strang, Bonar Group, said the increase is within the budget for the project originally presented to the town.
"This is really nothing more than we expected to pay in the beginning," Strang said.
Monday night, the Mentone Town Council reluctantly agreed to accept the additional $52,800 fee.
"We have to," said Council President Tim Croy.
"We have no choice," agreed Councilwoman Jill Gross.
The additional scope of the project, according to Strang, includes installation of gaseous chlorine effluent disinfection system; installation of Aerated Horizontal Flow Submerged Attached Growth Reactor by Nelson Environmental Inc. to achieve year-round nitrification, construct new building at the wastewater treatment plant to house blowers and disinfection system, new piping, electrical upgrade and replace lift station A to increase capacity.
The total project budget is $1,534,500. The town received a $600,000 grant for the project, but local funds will have to cover $934,500 of the cost.
The budget includes $1,075,000 for construction and a $107,500 construction contingency. Non-construction costs include $56,000 for grant administration, $66,800 for bond counsel, $164,200 for Bonar's engineering work and $65,000 for resident personal representation.
The town will try and save money by using local banks instead of bond counsel for the local matching funds.
While Kenna Consulting & Management Group Inc. secured the $600,000 grant for the project during the second round of the grant cycle this year, the town council was not happy Monday night that Kenna missed the first round earlier this year. That potentially could have saved the town some money, Croy said. Kenna missed the first round because they failed to publish a notice and on time.
The council signed and dated the acceptance of the $600,000 grant.
Strang told the council the bids for the project will go out in mid-March and should be received by late March. Once Bonar completes the design plan, it has to go to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for review and their concurrence. Once IDEM approves, the bids can be let. IDEM's approval could take two to six weeks, Strang said.
Croy wanted to know how long it would be before the town could begin the process to raise the sewer rates. Gross said she thought they had to wait until they heard back from Umbaugh & Associates first.
"I don't know if this confused us when all of this would get started," said Clerk-Treasurer Barb Ross. "It seems like we've been in the planning process for two years."
In other business, the town council:
n Approved $1,650 by Mike Strang for soil borings for the wastewater treatment plant project. The soil borings will be conducted where a lift station will be located and at the plant site.
n Heard from Town Marshal Jim Eads that the Mentone Chamber of Commerce redid the Christmas lights around town and they look very nice.
"The Chamber did a nice job on that," Eads said.
Eads also told the council that a Ford truck to replace one of the police department's vehicles would cost $26,509 from Dimension Ford. That doesn't include trade-in costs or adding on equipment such as a topper and emergency lights.
The council approved for Eads to pursue the vehicle purchase. Instead of trading in the old vehicle, the town may bid it out early next year because it has more than 145,000 miles on it.
Eads also was approved to purchase two portable Kentwood radios for two officers.
He also will spent another approximate $400 to help pay for video equipment in his vehicle. KCODE is paying for the remaining approximate $3,600 for the video equipment.
n Utilities Superintendent Eric Carlin also was given approval by the council Monday to pursue the purchase of a new dump truck. Total cost of the chevy will be about $41,517.74. The cost includes $23,323.74 for the truck; $8,918 for the dump bed and accessories; and $5,276 for the snow plow. The Chevy dump truck is about $2,000 less than the Ford.
With the purchase of the police truck and the utilities department dump truck, the town will have no more money in 2010 for new equipment, according to Ross.
n Appointed Roger Moriarty to another term on the library board. The term is for four years.[[In-content Ad]]
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