Monterey Aldermen awarded a bid Monday night for the town’s Highway 70 sewer line extension project.
The project will install new sewer lines on the east and west sides of Highway 70 and will connect to the current system that was installed at exit 300 on I-40. Consulting Engineer Nathaniel Green said the original low bid was an estimated $763,000, but the bid dropped to an estimated $672,900 after the contractor realized they had made a pricing error.
“We did call them and make sure they were okay with the mistake that they had made, cause that’s often something that we do just to make sure that it is not gonna string somebody out, and they were satisfied with continuing on with the project,” Green said.
Green said the town will use an estimated $1.1 million ARP grant for the project. Green said the grant does require construction to begin by the end of August and be completed by the end of September 2026.
“So there’s a lot of work that’s going on right now in the state, and so it really just depends on Isonguard’s (contractor) workload whether they will be able to get it complete in a shorter period of time,” Green said. “Now, their time frame is actually going to be less than the September 30th timeframe, so I anticipate they would complete it at least a couple of months early if not earlier than that.”
Green said the grant does have a 10 percent match for the project. Alderman Jamie Phillips had concerns of where the matching funds would come from, as the town had not budgeted matching funds in this year’s fiscal budget. Green said he believes the town has the funds to cover the match cost.
“I think that my anticipation was always for this particular grant was that you would use the funds that it accumulated in your, I guess, in your coffers, cause there is around $3 million now in water and sewer funds,” Green said.
Monterey Mayor Alex Garcia corrected Green and said that the town has an estimated $2.4 million in water and sewer funds.
Green said the sewer line additions would not only provide sewer to existing residents but also assist in future development opportunities. Green said for those reasons, the project would be a money-making opportunity.
Green said T-DOT is the only remaining obstacle, but assured the aldermen that he would be able to work something out on the plans.
In other business, the aldermen discussed doing a property survey on Johnson Avenue. Garcia said an arrangement was made several years ago that a particular property in which the town’s pump station is located, would be given to the town.
Garcia said he would not turn down free property, especially property that has a town pump station on it. Garcia said all the town would need is to complete a property survey that would cost an estimated $2,000. Garcia said he has already inquired to have the survey completed.
The alderman approved road closures for the October 25 Jack-O-Lantern Jamboree.
The alderman approved a street paving list. Streets include Romine Avenue, Crossville Street, Walton Hillis Road, Emby Street, East New Avenue, Wilder Avenue, East Price Avenue, East Williams Avenue, East Speck Avenue, East Louis Avenue, West Minnie Avenue, Hoyt Avenue, Holly Street, Cates Road, and Swan Lake Road.
The town will not repair the streets in any particular order. The town’s road supervisor will begin patchwork on the streets that are in the worst condition. The town has an estimated $113,000 to do patchwork. The alderman set a cap of $50,000 so that the aldermen can review how much work will be needed before spending the rest of the money.
