Sewer work nears

The Jay County Regional Sewer District’s three projects outside Portland and Dunkirk are finally ready to go to bid.
“Rural Development has authorized us to go and advertise and do our bids,” said board president Gerald Kirby at Monday’s meeting. “They’re satisfied with our progress.”
Rural Development, a wing of the United States Department of Agriculture, has been reviewing the district’s engineering plans for sewer installations near Foxfire Drive southwest of Portland, the Skeens Addition north of Dunkirk and around Willow Drive in southern Dunkirk.
The three projects were chosen by the USDA as a “spotlight” project and the district was awarded a 45 percent grant on Earth Day this year. The district has been waiting for the review so that the project can be bid and Rural Development can release the funds.
The district board authorized its engineering firm, Commonwealth Engineers, to draft bid specifications and advertise the project for contractors.
The total estimated cost for the three projects is $1,242,750.
Monthly fees for users were estimated at about $70 after a preliminary rate study by financial group H.J. Umbaugh and Associates conducted in June 2009. That number, however, will likely be less since the district received a lower interest rate on the 55 percent of the project cost that is being covered by a USDA loan.
The end-user rate may also decrease further if the accepted construction bid for the project comes in below the engineer’s estimate. Commonwealth Engineers’ Ben Adams, who has worked with the district on the project, has said in past meetings that nearly all projects he’s worked with are coming in about 20 to 25 percent lower than the estimates.
In other business Monday night, the sewer district board:
•Was informed by Kirby that he has authorized the bank to send all of the district’s financial information to the board’s hired bookkeeper, Rose Morgan.
•Discussed situations that could arise in which a tenant would not need to pay their sewer bill.
The board specifically discussed people who wished to “turn off” service if they are gone for extended periods of time, for example, people who travel and stay in Florida during the winter. Board members also discussed situations of vacancies due to fires or other issues. Kirby said such exceptions would need to be agreed upon by the board and inserted into the district bylaws.
Board members also agreed that, in the matter of rental properties in the affected areas in Dunkirk, sewer bills should be sent to the property owner.[[In-content Ad]]