Sewer cost increases

The cost of adding a storm sewer line has increased again.

Portland Board of Works on Thursday approved a change order totaling nearly a quarter of a million dollars for the planned Meridian Street storm sewer project.

The change order covers a variety of changes and additions to the project, including an increase in the cost of materials, a change from Indiana Department of Transportation on the type of pavement to be used and a requirement to move a well head in the river bed to fix stability issues. Redkey’s Watson Excavating, which is handling the work, has also asked for an additional 145 days to complete the project.

Portland Board of Works members Mayor John Boggs and Jerry Leonhard, absent Steve McIntosh, approved the change order at $243,087.64, though they said they did so reluctantly. (Local officials noted that the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs may cover half of the cost of the change order.)

The cost of the project has continually gone up since it was first proposed at $1.3 million in March 2021. By December of that year, the estimate had jumped by $400,000 because of increases in the cost of materials. Watson Excavating was the low bidder for the project at $2.42 million in June 2022.

The project, with engineering costs included, has now risen to $3.13 million.

Construction is now expected to begin around July 17 in the riverbed and move to the stretch of Meridian Street between the river and Water Street during the second week of August. (The street will be closed for that portion of the work.) The project will then move north on a block-by-block basis, maintaining two-way traffic. The projected completion date is now in the first quarter of 2024.

The work involves installing about 2,000 feet of new sewer line below Meridian Street from just north of Arch Street to the Salamonie River. Most of the catch basins in that area of Meridian Street will then be connected to the new line.

The catch basins that will be impacted are currently connected to the Millers Branch, which has in the past had issues with water backing up out of the sewer and flooding Meridian Street in the city’s downtown area.

Designed by Wessler Engineering, the project is intended to eliminate problems during what is referred to as a “10-year-flood.”

The project is being funded with the city’s $1.355 million allocation of federal coronavirus relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, a $780,450 State Transportation and Stormwater Grant from the State Water Infrastructure Fund and $350,000 from the city’s redevelopment commission.

The board also approved the sale of 204 E. High St. to Jay County Civic Theatre for $7,246.62. It is contingent on the property being rezoned.

Jay County Civic Theatre, which was the only bidder for the property, would like to build a headquarters for the organization on the site.

In other business, the board:

•Approved the hiring of Zach Timmerman, Marisa Smith, Brandon McDavid, Mike Thomas, Monte Schmiesing and Dale Stephenson.

•OK’d sewer taps for a residents at 200 N. Charles St. and for Pioneer Warehousing’s planned daycare facility at 1505 N. Wayne St.

•Approved a water bill adjustment for a leak.