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COUNCIL DISCUSSES WATER PROJCT DETAILS

Getting ready to hire contractor

The June 2nd meeting of the Salmon City Council was mostly about the upcoming water distribution system project and began with an advertised public hearing to solicit public input on whether or not the city should use the Judicial Confirmation process to obtain project funding. The alternative to the Judicial Confirmation process is holding an election to get public approval.

The hearing drew no written comments, no comments in support or against the project and no neutral comments so, the hearing was closed shortly after it began.

The council went on to review the Construction Contract Agreement document that will become the agreement between the city and the firm selected for the project. The document outlines the general conditions as well as the technical specifications required of the chosen contractor. City Administrator Emery Penner said preapproval of the agreement language will help speed along the project once a decision on the contractor is made. The Phase One Water Project Contractor Contract has been released for bids and the bids are due to be opened on June 10th. An evaluation of the submissions will be prepared and ready for the council to award the contract at its June 16th meeting. It will be up to the selected contractor to ratify the agreement with the city which is why the council was reviewing the contract beforehand.

Councilor Robin Phillips said she was very impressed with the agreement document and how well the city was protected by what was built into the contract. Her one question concerned a warranty on the new generator which is part of the project plan.

Matthew Hill of Keller Associates, the firm selected by the city to oversee the project, explained the contractor will have a standard one-year warranty for installation of the generator and the generator’s manufacturer will also carry a warranty

Councilor Jim Baker is a former Forest Service engineer and had many questions concerning the agreement which Hill answered to Baker’s satisfaction. The questions concerned pressure reducing valve placement, housing for the generator, contract time and the various project “milestone” dates which will be governed by seasonal weather. After council discussion, the September 15 date of Broadway Street water line installation and paving completion was changed to October 15. Councilor Russ Chinske questioned dates for asphalt availability and Hill said the asphalt plant usually operates into mid-November before it has to shut down due to cold weather.

A motion by Councilor Fred Waidely to extend the waterline installation completion date to October 15 was unanimously passed.

Keller will be the main oversite entity and expects to be in Salmon three days a week. On days they are not present. and in an effort to not delay the project, Public Works Supervisor Charles Cockrell was appointed the authority to make non-financial project decisions which occur between council meeting dates. Penner will share the decision-making authority. The motion to appoint Cockrell was made by Councilor Jim Bockelman and it passed unanimously.

Hill commended Penner on the clarity of the written document and thanked Baker for his questions. He also thanked the council members for their efforts in reading and understanding the Contractor Contract.