By Greg Ellison

(Sept. 30, 2021) Along with approving funding to replace failing storm-water piping on Washington Street, Berlin’s mayor and Town Council also reviewed new tree lighting slated for downtown.

Councilmembers voted to authorize spending up to $110,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to replace a town-owned storm-water pipe running from 105 Washington Street.

Water Resources Manager Jamey Latchum said the 18-inch terracotta pipe section has failed and needs replacing.

“There’s quite a few sinkholes,” he said, adding that neighboring properties are suffering as well.

“It has been affecting the homeowners there in their driveway,” he said.

Latchum asked the council to authorize a downstream modeling study before issuing a request for proposal for repairs.

Latchum said initial plans included installing larger 24-inch pipe.

“We’ve now been informed by EA Engineering that an 18-inch pipe dimension would suffice,” he said.

The  replacement plans also call for substituting plastic pipes for the current clay ones.

“We have to get approval from Maryland Department of the Environment because this outlets into Bottle Branch,” he said. “It’s an old pipe and it’s not uncommon to see failures.”

Latchum said state review would take up to 60 days total.

“When they come back, we find out what they want to see,” he said. “They will tell us at a minimum what we have to do.”

Councilmember Dean Burrell suggested the 24-inch pipe option should still be examined.

“It could impact downstream,” he said.

Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood said cost differences for the varying pipe sizes would be minimal.

Project cost estimates include $99,000 for engineering and up to $8,000 for modeling studies.

Latchum said regardless of dollar totals, starting the project would be delayed 6-9 months due to supply-chain challenges.

“They’re waiting for ships to come in with supplies to make materials,” he said.

Councilmembers also got a sneak peak at new accent lighting for trees in the downtown district.

Electric Utility Director Tim Lawrence said upward accent lighting has been ordered for a cost of $1,200.

“These are just like the ones we had before in the trees,” he said.

Councilmember Jack Orris asked if the replacements would match streetlights downtown.

Lawrence confirmed the lighting is identical to the earlier lamps.

“It’s called cool lighting and it does match the downtown lights,” he said.

Lawrence said work crews are in the midst of trimming trees in anticipation of installing lighting.

“We won’t have to do that again for 3-4 years,” he said.

The new light installation is intended to feed power lines from underground.

“We’re going to try and go around the base of the trees,” he said.

Last week, Lawrence consulted with EA Engineering representatives to flesh out details for underground work.

“Some of it is going to require a little bit of directional boring,” he said.

Armstrong said the estimated price of roughly $4,800 would include underground boring.

Orris asked if the price estimate includes lights for trees along West Street.

Fleetwood said the West Street inclusion would add $2,500 to the bottom line.

“We budgeted $110,000 for this at beginning of the fiscal year and it is projected to fall below this,” he said.