Bloomsdale Will Buy Own Pipe For $1.9 Million Water Project

By MARK EVANS

mevans@stegenherald.com

T.J. Garbs of Cochran Engineering updated the Bloomsdale Board of Aldermen on the looming $1.9-million water project during a 25-minute meeting on Jan. 11.

Garbs’ discussion took up the bulk of the short meeting, in which he updated the group on the progress being made in getting started.

Garbs said that, due to the holidays, Cochran was still waiting on the bonding and insurance information to be supplied by the companies who won the contracts for the 250,000 water tank and for the site work involved in the project.

Vern Bauman Contracting was awarded the water tower site work job. The low bid was $211,329.

Phoenix Fabricators and Erectors, LLC, whose corporate headquarters are in Avon, Indiana, were awarded the bid for supplying the tower itself. Their bid was the lowest of three, at $925,820.

The city will then sign an owner of contract agreement. Then, a notice to proceed date and pre-construction meeting can both be set, Garbs said.

Meanwhile, the city has opted to take the firm’s advice and purchase the pipe for the distribution part of the project, itself. Bidders on the distribution portion then will not have to figure in fluctuating prices for pipes in their bids.

“That, we will do,” Mayor Paul Monia told Garbs.

Ward 2 Alderman Chris “Sappy” Basler asked if Monia had a space to store the pipe until it is needed. Monia said that Matt Klump of T. Drury Contracting, who was outbid by Bauman Contracting for the site work, had graciously offered to store them.

Garbs asked if they would like Cochran to help find suppliers of pipe for them. Monia said he would.

“We certainly would want to bid that out, as well,” Monia said. He mentioned a couple of companies that would like to make sure are aware of the opportunity, should they want to bid.

Garbs said Cochran would get started on that. He also noted that not every firm will necessarily have six-and eight-inch pipe available.

Garbs also brought up the topic of Clement Road.

“We’re under the impression that you guys want to widen Clement Road,” he said. 

“Clement’s probably not as vulnerable for me to want to do that as some of the others,” Monia said. “But yes, certainly we’d definitely like to look at the opportunity.”