The village board of trustees awarded two of the three parts of its phase one water project to provide service along the Route 5 corridor contingent upon financing.
Out of the six bidders, Scott & Son of Macks Creek had the low bid to drill the well with an estimate of just under $155,060. The next closest bidder was Harper Drilling with a bid of approximately $192,420. The highest bid was $335,000.
The board also approved letting the contract for the phase one water system's distribution system to Hutchins, a Kentucky-based company, which bid a low $747,802. The highest bid was for $1,025,680.
Upon recommendation from village engineer Matt Marschke, the board decided to re-bid the water tank and its foundation.
Marschke called this portion of the bidding “the only glitch.”
He had budgeted about $250,000 for the water tank and foundation, but the one and only bid on the project, from Arment, was for $335,000.
The other two parts of the bid actually came in under budget, however, each about $100,00 to $150,000 lower than Marschke said he had anticipated.
He attributed this to the slower economy for contractors.
Because the well and distribution system came in so low, Marschke said the village would be able to afford the bigger 12-inch water mains.
Marschke said he would contact some of the bigger tank suppliers to see what he could come up with.
“I think we can re-structure the bid a little better,” he commented. “The problem is the tank guys just want to sell it and go.”
With firmer numbers in hand, Marschke said the board could set user fees into its proposed ordinance of $30 for residences and $80 for businesses.
“If we collect $30 from residences and $80 from businesses, plus the $8,500 a month from the sales tax, that should be enough to make our payments,” he said.
Marschke added that he had included the cost of hiring an operator and electrical consumption into the village’s budget for the water system.
The board of trustees also approved the endorsement of the comprehensive master plan, completed by the planning commission in October.
State approves Route 5 widening project
Village planner Roger Corbin provided the board with more information about the Route 5 widening project, officially approved by the Missouri Transportation Finance Committee Nov. 6.
The total cost of adding a third lane to the approximately 1-mile strip from Route F to Sunrise Farm Market, possibly to Lake Road 5-39, will be $848,000, of which Sunrise Beach will pay $424,000.
Because cost-sharing project funds were not immediately available, Sunrise Beach will finance the widening, paying interest only, until the Missouri Department of Transportation has funds available to pay its share in 2011.
The infrastructure improvement should take about nine months to a year to complete, according to Corbin. It is scheduled to be bid in July 2009, with construction to start around Labor Day.
Amy Wilson is a reporter for the WestSide Star. Contact her at news@westsidestar.net.
