(June 16, 2016) Stormwater improvements near Flower Street are still coming – and soon, according to Berlin officials, who admitted that multiple setbacks had already occurred.
The question came up repeatedly during a public meeting in Town Hall on Monday evening, beginning with a quick update from Administrative Services Director Mary Bohlen.
Bohlen said the first part of stormwater improvements in that area, referred to as the “Hudson Branch and Flower Street Off-Land Wetlands Project,” had just gone out for bid. A pre-bid meeting was scheduled for June 23, with officials expected to open bids on July 6.
“Hopefully, we’ll see movement on that piece of the overall Hudson Branch stormwater mitigation project,” she said.
That first phase does not include realignment of the large drainage ditch that runs through the backyards of several property owners near the corner of Flower and Showell streets, although that area is part of the “bigger project,” Bohlen said, and should share a similar timeline. The area has apparently become a sore subject with residents.
“When the replacement of the culvert on Flower Street is done, that’s when [the town would move to address] the ditch realignment,” Water Resources and Public Works Director Jane Kreiter said.
That part of the overall project had not been sent out for bid yet, but it’s expected to immediately follow work on the off-land wetlands.
Kreiter added that the plan was to finish the entire project this summer so as not to interfere with the school bus traffic on Flower Street.
Councilmember Dean Burrell said he had often been asked to reassure residents in that area that the improvements were coming. He pressed for a more specific timeline, and Kreiter said it was fair to tell residents that work would start between “between the end of July and the first or second week of August,” and would wrap before the next school year started.
Although town staff seemed genuine in its estimates, the work is contingent on cooperative weather and acceptable bids coming in from contractors – two things that have proved elusive this year in this and other projects.
The town recently had to delay sidewalk improvements on Branch Street when the first call for bids produced nothing, and a follow-up request for proposals received only one bid, at a cost 25 percent higher than estimates.
Mayor Gee Williams said that project was “another one of those repercussions of this unbelievable spring.”
During public comments Jerome Wharton, Jr. said Berlin officials and Darl Kolar, an engineer from EA Engineering, Science and Technology, had met with Flower Street residents in November. He said residents were told improvements would start in April and finish up in July.
He asked if the new August deadline was “absolute.”
“We can’t guarantee that,” Bohlen said.
“It’s our absolute hope and expectation, but we didn’t expect six weeks of rain every day,” Kreiter said. “Some things are completely out of [our] control.”
Kreiter said she anticipated that the town would receive multiple bids for the stormwater improvements, and that she had already had preliminary discussions with more than one contractor.
“I understand your frustration,” she said.
“We go fourth with our best intentions, and unfortunately sometimes they get waylaid,” Bohlen added.
The question came up repeatedly during a public meeting in Town Hall on Monday evening, beginning with a quick update from Administrative Services Director Mary Bohlen.
Bohlen said the first part of stormwater improvements in that area, referred to as the “Hudson Branch and Flower Street Off-Land Wetlands Project,” had just gone out for bid. A pre-bid meeting was scheduled for June 23, with officials expected to open bids on July 6.
“Hopefully, we’ll see movement on that piece of the overall Hudson Branch stormwater mitigation project,” she said.
That first phase does not include realignment of the large drainage ditch that runs through the backyards of several property owners near the corner of Flower and Showell streets, although that area is part of the “bigger project,” Bohlen said, and should share a similar timeline. The area has apparently become a sore subject with residents.
“When the replacement of the culvert on Flower Street is done, that’s when [the town would move to address] the ditch realignment,” Water Resources and Public Works Director Jane Kreiter said.
That part of the overall project had not been sent out for bid yet, but it’s expected to immediately follow work on the off-land wetlands.
Kreiter added that the plan was to finish the entire project this summer so as not to interfere with the school bus traffic on Flower Street.
Councilmember Dean Burrell said he had often been asked to reassure residents in that area that the improvements were coming. He pressed for a more specific timeline, and Kreiter said it was fair to tell residents that work would start between “between the end of July and the first or second week of August,” and would wrap before the next school year started.
Although town staff seemed genuine in its estimates, the work is contingent on cooperative weather and acceptable bids coming in from contractors – two things that have proved elusive this year in this and other projects.
The town recently had to delay sidewalk improvements on Branch Street when the first call for bids produced nothing, and a follow-up request for proposals received only one bid, at a cost 25 percent higher than estimates.
Mayor Gee Williams said that project was “another one of those repercussions of this unbelievable spring.”
During public comments Jerome Wharton, Jr. said Berlin officials and Darl Kolar, an engineer from EA Engineering, Science and Technology, had met with Flower Street residents in November. He said residents were told improvements would start in April and finish up in July.
He asked if the new August deadline was “absolute.”
“We can’t guarantee that,” Bohlen said.
“It’s our absolute hope and expectation, but we didn’t expect six weeks of rain every day,” Kreiter said. “Some things are completely out of [our] control.”
Kreiter said she anticipated that the town would receive multiple bids for the stormwater improvements, and that she had already had preliminary discussions with more than one contractor.
“I understand your frustration,” she said.
“We go fourth with our best intentions, and unfortunately sometimes they get waylaid,” Bohlen added.