The renovation of the Smithville Water Treatment plant is expected to begin soon.
The Smithville Board of Aldermen Monday night approved a resolution awarding the construction bid to W&O Construction Company of Livingston in the amount of $2,542,000. The actual costs will be more when taking into consideration fees for engineering and other related services. The city will receive a $500,000 community development block grant administered by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to help fund the project. But the bulk of the funding, $2,342,000 will have to be appropriated from the city’s water and sewer fund.
Mayor Taft Hendrixson said the city would not have to borrow the money. There are sufficient funds in the city’s water and sewer fund reserves to support the project.
In a letter to Mayor Hendrixson last week, Greg Davenport, Senior Vice President of the J.R. Wauford & Engineering Company, Consulting Engineers, recommended W&O Construction Company. “We have tabulated the five bids received in your presence at 2:00 p.m., January 26th for the subject contract and find W&O Construction Company, Incorporated is the low bidder. This contractor was a pre-qualified bidder and has successfully performed work for us, therefore, we recommend award of this contract to W&O Construction at $2,542,000
The project entails modernizing the water treatment plant and making improvements to the raw water intake. Mayor Hendrixson says W &O Construction has 365 days to complete the project and service to customers will not be interrupted while the renovation is underway. The following are specific cost estimates for each phase of the project:
1. Floating Intake at Raw Water Intake- estimated cost $100,000
2. Renovate Filters with New Underdrains and Media- $250,000
3. Blower and Accessories for Air Scour- $40,000
4. New 40 horsepower Backwash Pump, Rebuild Existing Pump for Standby- $90,000
5. Convert Filter Instrumentation including Water System Telemetry- $300,000
6. Modifications to existing 1967 Clearwell- $10,000
7. New Chemical Bulk Storage and Containment- $60,000
8. Electrical Work- $200,000
9. New Standby Generator at Intake and at Plant- $200,000
10. Three New Raw Water Pumps and Valves, Painting, and Sump Cleaning- $550,000
11. Three New High Service Pumps, VFD’s and Valves- $600,000
12. Chlorine System Improvements- $50,000
Estimated Construction Costs- $2,450,000
1.Budgeted for Construction- $2,450,000
2.Engineering: Design- $140,000
Construction Administration and Observation- $135,000
3. Administrative- $23,500
4. Environmental- $1,500
5. Project Contingencies- $50,000
Total Estimated Project Cost $2,800,000
In other business, the aldermen voted to apply for funding through a Rural Development Grant/Loan program to help the city convert to a new automated water meter reading system.
Will Taylor of the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts, who addressed the mayor and aldermen Monday night, will assist the city in making the application.
Through Rural Development, the city could be eligible for up to a 45% grant for the total project, with the remainder to be funded through a low interest rate loan, which the city could carry for several years.
Taylor says benefits to the city by having an automated meter reading system are that it would reduce water loss by an estimated seven to fifteen percent and cut costs associated with the current manner of reading meters. For example, with an automated system, an employee could read all water meters in the city in just a day or two each month. This would also save fuel costs and wear and tear on city vehicles.
Many utilities are using AMR as a way of improving customer service while reducing the cost of reading meters. Some AMR systems use miniature radio transmitters attached to each water meter. These utilities are then able to collect the readings from handheld radio receivers and from moving vehicles. With this process, one driver in a vehicle is able to read more meters in one day. At the end of the day, the meter reader unloads the information to the city’s billing system.
The police chief position remains vacant.
The issue was not on the agenda Monday night and the only discussion about it was during citizen comments when Ruth Johns asked Mayor Hendrixson what’s been done so far.
Mayor Hendrixson: “No chief has been selected yet, we have some applications, they have not been interviewed yet.”
Mrs. Johns: “Will this position be advertised”?
Mayor Hendrixson: “I’m not sure, it could be or it could not be”
Mrs. Johns: “If it isn’t advertised, how will people who are interested in it, what will they do, if they don’t know about it”?
Mayor Hendrixson: “As long as you have a cadry of applications, we do not have to advertise. I’m not saying it won’t be advertised.
Mrs. Johns:”So you already have a lot of applications for the police chief”?
Mayor Hendrixson: “We have some applications”
Mrs. Johns: “Is POST certification a prerequisite?”
Mayor Hendrixson:”Yes ma’am, definitely”
In other business, the aldermen approved the officers of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department. The officers for the year are as follows: Chief Charles Parker,
Deputy Chief Hoyte Hale, Captain Jeff Wright, Lieutenant Danny Poss, Lieutenant Donnie Cantrell, and Lieutenant Anthony Wright.
Mayor Hendrixson appointed Dr David Darrah and Tim Stribling as citizen members to the Smithville Municipal Airport Committee. They will join Alderman Shawn Jacobs, who will serve as the city’s representative on the board.
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