Yorkton Council tabled an Administration recommendation to proceed with work on the city's North Sanitary Trunk Main pending the outcome of a request to have engineering costs on the project waved.
The project would see five new manholes on the trunk main.
Associated Engineering contacted companies in the area which have the ability to construct the manholes and the time to do so. Two companies responded to the inquiry.
The lowest tender was from Wyonzek Brothers Construction at a cost of $34,290 for two manholes, or $111,780 for five.
"When this work was first reviewed two years ago, it seemed financially prudent to limit the number of manholes along this trunk main. This limits, however, the municipality's ability to undertake maintenance of this trunk main with standard equipment. These additional manholes will allow a company to complete maintenance without the use of special equipment, and should reduce long-term maintenance costs," said City Planner Michael Eger.
With that in mind Eger said five manholes was the better option today.
"City Council had previously granted approval to administration to proceed with the installation of two manholes. Further discussion with the engineering consultant indicates that five manholes would be preferable from a maintenance standpoint and operation of the trunk main," he said.
"Administration recommends proceeding with the installation of five manholes as it would allow a camera company to video the entire pipeline with standard equipment and at standard rates rather than having to utilize specialized equipment. The increased number of manholes would also allow the municipality to review construction practices along the trunk to determine the probability of future failures."
When engineering and a contingency fund were added the total cost of the project was set at $150,903.
"The installation of these manholes is not covered in the capital budget. The funding is to cover the expense associated with the additional manholes will come from higher than expected revenues from the waterworks account. This account will be replenished by a transfer from the Land Fund as development occurs adjacent to this area and businesses tied to it," said Eger.
Councillor Chris Wyatt was not happy with the City facing additional engineering costs ($16,780), terming it "a little upsetting." He reasoned the City followed Associated Engineering's (AE) recommendation that the manholes were not needed initially, and to find out they now do, he was not happy with again paying fees.
Wyatt suggested the City look "to have the engineering fees waived."
City Manager David Putz said the fees include the cost of project inspections, adding the City could approach AE "to consider reducing or absorbing those fees," but added he was "not sure they'd be agreeable to absorb the entire fees."
The matter was tabled until such discussions take place with AE.
.JPG;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
