NORTH WEBSTER – Town council approved a $12,863 change order Tuesday for the wastewater system overhaul project.
The extra cost will upgrade two backup motors planned for the wastewater treatment plant from 30 to 40 horsepower at the direction of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, according to Rick Pharis with Triad Engineering. The motors are redundancies for the aerobic treatment system and will replace two older units that are less efficient, said Mike Noe, town utilities manager.
Pharis added that he may have change orders that deduct from the project cost to submit at future meetings. He said based on talks with Selge Construction, which the town awarded a bid of $2.68 million for the collection system, they might look forward to a cost deduction of $150,000 to $190,000, and that he is still in talks with R.E. Crosby and Son, which is performing treatment plant upgrades for a bid award of $1.38 million.
Also Tuesday, town council:
• Voted to appoint resident Brian Sand to head the park board. Sand, who is council member Lisa Strombeck’s husband, replaces former park board President Dave Waliczek, who was elected last year to town council.
• Heard a request from resident Gene DeRolf that North Webster allow leaf burning within town limits. Council President Jon Sroufe said a change is unlikely, explaining that North Webster was among several towns that accepted money from the state years ago to buy a leaf vacuum truck with the stipulation that they must ban burning.
“But it’s not much money, and I’ve always jokingly said let’s give the money back and get out the matches,” Sroufe added.
