Final change made on street project (12/07/07)

Three groups of change orders reducing the cost of a street-widening project in Portland by about $150 were approved by a local board Thursday.

The change orders are just some in a series of several approved by the board, which contributed to the cost of the Industrial Park Drive decreasing by about $77,000.

Dan Watson, Jay County Engineer, told the board that the cost of the Industrial Park Drive project has decreased to $1,220,198.46 from the projected $1,297,563.79, due to several change orders.

Watson served as engineer for the project, which is the first for the Portland Redevelopment Commission. Construction is complete.

On Thursday, Watson asked the board to approve three change orders. The first one was a $2,990 increase for the replacement of traffic sensors on Industrial Park Drive, near Meridian Street.

Watson said the sensors tell the traffic lights when to change for traffic. The sensors are supposed to be 3 or 4 inches below the pavement. However, the sensors were only 1 inch below the surface. The street had to be milled and the sensors had to be installed deeper.

The second change order is a $6,210.60 cost increase for an additional line between the new and old lift stations. Watson said that the line that would have connected the two lift stations had concrete on it so it could not be used. An additional line had to be installed. Watson said both lift stations had to be running during construction until work was complete.

The final change order is a $9,451.63 cost decrease for 62 items. The cost of some of the items increased, while some decreased. This change order includes milling, guardrails, asphalt, manholes and pipes.

In recent meetings, board members Dolphus Stephens, Bob McCreery and mayor Bruce Hosier approved three other change orders that contributed to the cost decrease. Hosier did not attend Thursday's meeting.

Also Thursday, board members:

•Approved an inter-local agreement with the city of Dunkirk, allowing Dunkirk to borrow the city's Hydrostop machine for one month. Dunkirk employees will use the machine to temporarily stop water flow on some water lines while making repairs.

Dunkirk will pay the city $4,000 for the equipment rental.

•Approved the purchase of two Clari vac pipes for the city's wastewater treatment plant. Bob Brelsford, wastewater plant superintendent, said the two pipes the city currently has were installed in 1981 and are in very bad shape. They are used to vacuum sludge off the bottom of a tank. The pipes will be purchased from Fullenkamp Machinery, Portland, at a total cost of $15,560.

•Approved a quit-claim deed to the city from Jay County. The deed is for a small grassy lot located across the street from city hall. The lot is near a parking lot and a Mexican grocery store. The county acquired the lot after property taxes went unpaid on the property.

•Opened and accepted all annual bids for gas and petroleum services from G&G Oil Company of Indiana Inc., Muncie, and AgBest Co-Op Inc., Muncie.

•Accepted and opened all bids for street and alley supplies and services from Lica Construction Corp., Berne, Stoneco Inc., Bryant, Berne Ready Mix, Berne, Unique Paving, Cleveland, Ohio, and Ernst Concrete, Dayton, Ohio.[[In-content Ad]]