Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SILVER LAKE - Ed Foss, All Star Construction owner, appeared at the town board meeting Tuesday requesting a $116,175.92 payment for work done on the town's water line installation project. The request, eventually, was approved, withholding 5 percent, as allowed by Indiana law.
Included in this payment was a change order in the amount of $1,800 generated because of a problem encountered at Peru Road and Ind. 14. All Star moved the water line about 20 feet to the west to avoid existing utility lines.
Representatives from Triad Engineering, Jeff McKean and William Connell, were on hand as well as Tom Berhnard from Rural Development and Bob Murphy of Murphy and Associates.
Triad's position on the change order, McKean maintained, is that contract specifications call for existing utility lines to be located by the contractor and, if the utility won't move them for a project, the contractor is to bear all costs.
McKean also said that All Star is not compacting around lines as they are installed, nor disinfecting and pressure testing them.
Foss said the drawings submitted by engineers to contractors are never correct and unforeseen problems always arise on the job site, as is the case in Silver Lake.
He said compacting would not be done around the 50-year-old existing lines until taps are made into the new lines. Then they will be chlorinated and pressure tested.
"It doesn't make sense to do it now since the system isn't working," Foss said.
"I'm not a happy camper. These issues shouldn't even be in front of the board. We're not doing compacting as we go along because it is not necessary. We'll just break the cast iron lines. We can compact at any stage. We feel we have a right to be paid for the work we've put in."
Connell said the pay request represents 28 percent of the job and only 8 percent of the line has been installed.
The project is being funded with grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Indiana Department of Commerce and Build Indiana money. The project is intended to improve the water lines in and around Silver Lake. The lake supports 212 residences and about half live there all year.
Silver Lake's water distribution system was initially built in 1925 with steel pipes and has only two significant improvement projects since then - once in 1950 and again in 1968.
Work is to be complete by June 30.
In other business the board:
• Set sewer tap fees at $1,525 plus $35 for inspection and parts costs. The town ordinance regarding sewer tap fees is to be upgraded.
• Changed the wording on a building permit issued to Lester Spangle to read 16-feet by 24-feet.
• Approved payment of attorney's fees for the Silver Lake Improvement Company, as requested by Ron Fellers.
• Town marshal Craig Hollopeter reported two complaints regarding the no parking between 2 and 5 a.m. rule downtown. The board said the ordinance will remain in effect.
• The employee health insurance was renewed with an option change selecting the $929 policy premium option. The town's agent is T.J. Wilson Insurance.
