Board keeps amendment in place

An agreement for an additional $20,000 in engineering work on a local project will remain in place.
Board members voted to keep the contract amendment with Jones & Henry Engineering for additional time spent on the west side sewer project. The board considered rescinding the deal because there were questions as to whether or not it was already in the original contract of $192,000.
Jones & Henry’s Brian Houghton explained why the company requested the amendment, noting that the original contract called for 58 days of work on design, construction and inspection services. He said he had emailed Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman, letting him know that his firm had spent 71 days on the project
“Right now we’re $11,000 into the $20,000,” Houghton said.
Board members Jerry Leonhard, Bill Gibson and Geesaman voted unanimously to keep the $20,000 contract amendment.
Geesaman said the project is in the paving phase and is expected to be complete by Monday.
The board also opened quotes for two projects to replace catch basins and clean out sewer lines on North and Race streets between Pleasant and Middle streets. They are part of an effort to improve water flow and mitigate flooding in the area.
Watson Excavation of Redkey had the lowest bid — $48,000 — for the catch basin work, which had been estimated at $80,000. Other bids came from Landon Excavating in Portland for $63,150 and Culy Contracting in Winchester for $58,827.
For the second project, which will include televising, root cutting and cleaning, Culy Contracting turned in the low bid of $16,600. Fluid Waste Services Inc. of Noblesville had a bid of $17,775.
The board tabled the bids and plans to vote on them when it meets again at 10 a.m. Thursday.
In other business, the board:
•Heard from resident Cindy Wright, 943 W. Arch St., who complained that damage to a water line was caused by city excavating. Her husband, Jim, told the board there wasn’t any damage until the city started working on the sewer line in front of the house.
They requested to have the water and sewer bill adjusted, which was more than $180. Geesaman said by city ordinance the amount of the water bill cannot be adjusted. The board approved an adjustment to the sewer bill.
•Approved repairs to Portland Fire Station totaling $10,477 from Frontline Construction of Portland. Fire chief Mike Thomas recommended Frontline for the repairs to fix mold problems at the station.
•Gave permission for street and parks superintendent Ryan Myers to trade in a city truck for a new vehicle. Myers will trade in a 2001 Ford F-350, which is used as a utility truck for plowing snow and spreading salt, and purchase a new vehicle from Les Wenning Motors Inc. in Fort Recovery for $58,614.
•Voted unanimously to accept the vacant property at 910 E. North St, which was offered to the city by Jay County Commissioners because the land went was not purchased at a tax sale.