Tuesday, September 1, 2009 9:40 PM CDT
Council to vote on treatment plant upgrade
By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — The City Council tonight will consider agreements for construction and engineering services for upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.
The council also will consider accepting a loan to fund energy efficiency projects at city facilities when it meets at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall, 520 Jackson Ave. The council’s meeting was postponed to tonight so that Charleston city officials could join with their Mattoon counterparts in meeting with FutureGen Alliance representatives Tuesday night.
Regarding the wastewater treatment plant, the council will consider hiring Curry Construction, Inc. of Mattoon to build the upgrades for approximately $6.6 million and The Upchurch Group of Mattoon to provide construction engineering services at a cost not to exceed $485,000.
In addition, the council will consider extending an engineering agreement with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly of Springfield for the upgrade project at a cost not to exceed $144,500. City Manager Scott Smith said this firm designed the upgrades and will provide additional design services as needed as construction is completed.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has reported it placed the wastewater treatment plant, built in the 1970s, on “critical review status” for exceeding 80 percent of its rated hydraulic capacity. The city has proposed constructing a fourth secondary clarifier for removing sludge as well as making several other improvements.
Plans call for the upgrades to be financed by an IEPA loan program and federal stimulus funds, and for paying off the loan with money from the city’s water and sewer fund.
Regarding energy efficiency, the council will consider accepting a loan of up to $300,000 from First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust to finance energy efficiency measures at City Hall, the police station, the public works garage, and on uptown parking lights. This five-year loan would have a 3-percent interest rate.
The measures would be implemented by Siemens Building Technologies. Under the performance contract that the council approved last month, Siemens guarantees that the city will save money on its energy costs during the course of 10 years and will reimburse the city if these savings do not occur.
In other matters, the council will consider allocating $64,320 in motor fuel tax funds for resurfacing Jackson Avenue from Seventh to 14th streets and Harrison Avenue from 11th to 18th streets in the spring.
The council also will consider allocating $26,000 in motor fuel tax funds for resurfacing West Polk Avenue from Reynolds Drive to west of Lynn Wood Drive, 14th Street from Madison Avenue to Illinois Route 130, and sections of University Drive and E, Fourth, and Ninth streets adjacent to their Illinois Route 16 crossings this fall.
Motor fuel tax funding for these resurfacing projects will be paired with $639,000 in federal stimulus funding.
Other actions the council is scheduled to consider taking include:
n Purchasing a police interview recording system via a five-year, $20,000 loan at a 3-percent interest rate from First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust.
n Approving the city’s participation in the Coles County Hazards Mitigation Planning Program, which plans for natural and man-made disasters.
Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 238-6861.
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Mike P wrote on Sep 1, 2009 10:10 PM: