Kim Hathaway, Chuck Simpson and Ed Ormsby sign documents prior to Monday’s meeting of the Tippecanoe & Chapman Regional Sewer District. Photo by Deb Patterson.

By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — Slight alterations in the final completion of the construction project for the Tippecanoe & Chapman Regional Sewer District were presented Monday evening, July 11, at the board’s monthly meeting. Instead of a 16-month completion, the board approved a two-year completion.

There will also be a 16-month milestone completion date for the main pump station and force main, instead of 12 months.

The discussion was held by the engineering committee at its June 27 meeting and presented to the entire board. The change was prompted after Jones Petrie Rafinski officials had found bids for similar type of projects are coming in significantly higher than the engineers’ estimate. The reasons vary from higher costs to limited availability.

Offering more contract time could help with the costs.

The project has been divided into three areas: Chapman Lake, west Tippecanoe Lake and east Tippecanoe Lake. Bids for each of these areas will be opened at different times, read and taken under advisement. Bid openings for contact A, Chapman Lake, will be at 4:30 p.m. July 28; contract B, west Tippecanoe Lake, 4:30 p.m. Aug. 2; and contract C, east Tippecanoe Lake, at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 4. All bids are expected to be presented to the board for bid awards at the Aug. 8 meeting.

Special meetings will then begin for the board.

Jeff Rowe, Baker Tiller Financial Advisors, explained the procedures and presented a proposed timetable after the bids are awarded. This includes a potential special meeting Aug. 15, to introduce the rate ordinance to the trustees, followed by notice of a public hearing on the rates and charges with that hearing to coincide with the regular September meeting. A special meeting would then be called for Sept. 19 to adopt the rate ordinance.

Rowe did state he held a telephone conference with officials on the State Revolving Fund, in which the project is No. 16 on the priority list for funding. “It is within the fundable range and guaranteed money,” he stated.

Rowe was asked why the two August meetings could not be combined. He stated it would not give them enough time between the bid acceptance and the regular meeting to create the rate structure and have the ordinance drawn up. The rates cannot be set until the bids are awarded.

During the discussion Rowe did state with the possibility of the costs coming in higher than estimated, SRF could be able to extend the additional funds, if the overage is within a range. “SRF does provide a funding gap,” Rowe stated, adding it would be easier than going back to USDA as it would delay the process.

He stated the gap would potentially be filled through a loan, but he would not rule out the possibility of it being by way of a grant. He indicated additional funds have been allocated by SRF over the $5.5 million it is providing on the project. One-half of that amount will be through a grant, the other half through a loan. He also gave a breakdown of what funds would come from USDA: $11,641,332 in a grant and $24,968,000 as a loan.

During other matters, the board learned there are 80 easement agreements not yet returned for Tippecanoe Lake and 57 for Chapman Lake. It was stressed that those individuals not returning easement agreements will not have an option of system installation locations, which could be more costly to the homeowner.

The board was also updated on the engineering committee’s recommendation on two properties not in the project. The committee recommended approval of Ransbottom Family Farms LP property on Stanton Road to be included as part of the project and the denial of a request by a property owner at 134 EMS C29 not to be included due to the substantial cost for just one property.