The Washington Times-Herald

Local News

May 4, 2010

City gets first look at bids for sewer, wetlands project

WASHINGTON — City leaders hoped that bids for the upcoming sewer project would be well under the estimated $24 million price tag.

They weren’t. Bids opened at Monday’s special City Council meeting ranged close to the $24 million specifications.

Four bidders vied for the contract, two from Indianapolis, one from Evansville and one from Orleans.

In a room filled with contractors and engineers, the council sent the bids to the Board of Public Works and Safety, who then immediately tabled them.

Mayor Larry Haag said the bids could be awarded at the council’s meeting May 10. Haag said he was not disappointed when the bids came close, even over, the engineer’s estimate of $23.8 million.

“They are right in there where the engineer’s estimate was,” Haag said. “When you bid these, you hope you are right in that neighborhood.”

Out of the seven companies that inquired, Haag said after the meeting, the four that submitted bids were Reynolds Inc., from Orleans, Deig Bros from Evansville and Wilhelm Construction and Bowen Engineering, both from Indianapolis.

On the base bids alone, Bowen was the lowest with a bid of $23.86 million. Reynolds was next at $24.20 million, Wilhelm bid $24.27 million and Deig bid $24.87 million.

The plans are to build a large retention basin near the wastewater treatment plant and a constructed wetland. Those two items would then handle any excess runoff from storms. Currently, any excess water the stormwater system cannot handle runs untreated into the White River.

All bidders submitted two mandatory alternates to the base bid. The alternates were to open the retention basin instead of the original plan to close the basin. The second alternate is to increase the size of a main pipe.

If the council chooses to leave the basin open instead of closing, they could save up to $1 million in construction costs. Wastewater Superintendent Scott Rainey said he would provide council members with information. City Engineer Ed Barnett said he visited an open retention basin in Lafayette.

Barnett said the basin was smaller than the one planned in Washington, but city workers in Lafayette said there was no problems with smell.

Although none of the contractors were local, Haag said there is the possibility that local labor could be used for the project.

“That may be within the protocol of the bid documents,” Haag said. “I know they have made phone calls, but where those prices came in I don’t know. I know that it is an option.”

The project is mandated by the state Department of Environmental Management and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. To pay for the upgrades, the city received $9 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funds and will borrow $15 million from the state Revolving Loan Fund.

Haag said the city has almost finished closing the bond process. Public Works member John Gray was not at Monday’s meeting.

Text Only
Local News
  • Hill arrested on $100K bond

    Andrew Logan Hill, 32, Washington, was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on a warrant for petition to revoke a suspended sentence. He remains in the Daviess County Security Center on a $100,000 bond.

    May 26, 2012

  • OakGroveCleanUpDay.jpg Cemetery owners plead for time, help

    For nearly a century and a half, Daviess County folks have been laid to rest in Oak Grove Cemetery at the west edge of Washington, but in recent years maintenance of the 23-acre property has declined and people are no longer wanting to bury family members there.

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • Washington High School to graduate 167 Saturday

    Washington High School will hold its 135th Commencement Exercises at 2 p.m. today in the high school gymnasium.

    May 26, 2012

  • WC to graduate

    Washington Catholic High School Commencement Exercises will be held at 8 p.m. today at the Bird Cage.

    May 25, 2012

  • PC to graduate

    PETERSBURG — Pike Central High School will hold its 37th Commencement Exercises at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the high school gymnasium.

    May 25, 2012

  • ND commencement is Friday evening

    North Daviess High School will hold it commencement exercises at 7 p.m. Friday.
    Following the processional led by North Daviess faculty and juniors Janice Knepp and Cari Jo Wilson, the voluntary invocation will be led by Chelsea Graber. Stacey Beard, class president, will then make welcoming and introductory remarks.

    May 24, 2012

  • firesouthofwashington.jpg Fire destroys home in minutes

    A Tuesday afternoon fire in rural Daviess County has left a family homeless, although unharmed.

    May 23, 2012 1 Photo

  • Barr-Reeve holds 47th commencement Saturday

    Barr-Reeve High School will hold its 47th Commencement Exercises on Saturday afternoon in the high school gymnasium beginning at 2 p.m. Again this year, the graduation will be an afternoon affair.

    May 23, 2012

  • Loogootee to hold graduation Friday

    Loogootee Junior/Senior High School Class of 2012 will hold its graduation exercises at 7 p.m. Friday.

    May 22, 2012

  • ND finds ways to use cell phones

    A lengthy discussion between North Daviess school board and administrative members concerning future student cell phone usage dominated the board’s Monday meeting.
    Board members were considering a second reading for the school’s junior and senior high school handbooks when the discussion began.

    May 22, 2012

Featured Ads
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
Poll

Should students who fail IREAD-3 (twice) advance to 4th grade?

Yes
No
There has to be other options?
     View Results
AP Video
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Clicker Ticker
Facebook