Well project in Lind reaches substantial completion

The Lind Town Council received positive news regarding the ongoing well project during the meeting on Aug. 25.

Stantec Engineer Alan Gay presented Well No. 6 is completed, minus a few punch list items needing to be completed by the contractor.

Gay said some of the items could already have been completed, but he planned to meet with the contractor during the next week to check each of the items.

Gay told the council after a pump test has been successfully completed at the well, the closeout paperwork can begin and the well can again be operational.

He estimated the earliest the closeout paperwork could be completed would be October.

He also updated the council about Well No. 7, which is now functioning properly and back online.

Gay advised council the retaining wall at the wastewater treatment plant had been completed. Gimmaka Enterprises, Inc. of Lind completed the work for a total cost of $5,169.60.

The council also approved Payment Request No. 11 for well rehabilitation projects as part of the water system improvements.

The council unanimously agreed to approve Payment Request No. 11 from the Washington State Department of Commerce in the amount of $44,278.55.

There is one more payment needed to complete the project, Gay informed. The retainage payment of $20,078.91 should be presented to the council at the next meeting.

The stormwater application grant through the Department of Ecology has been an ongoing discussion for the Lind Town Council.

Gay said Ecology has submitted a draft offer to the Town of Lind with a budget based on the main seven components of the project.

The stormwater project would help the Town of Lind capture rainfall during peak storm events, Gay said, protecting the town from damage.

Gay said Ecology is interested in the project to work to protect the new wastewater treatment plant from damage.

The grant is 90 percent funding through Ecology, with a 10 percent match from the town. The estimated loan amount is $98,110. If accepted, Lind residents could expect to see a utility rate increase by an estimated $1.76.

Gay said the draft offer will be discussed during the next two Lind Council meetings and encouraged the council members to make a decision in 2015. If the contract was signed in September, Gay said bids could be received by early 2016.

By postponing the decision, construction costs will continue to rise and push the project back nearly a full year. The council agreed to discuss the offer during the upcoming regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 8.

Mayor Jamie Schmunk asked the council to approve travel and hotel expenses for her to attend an infrastructure conference in October. Schmunk advised council she could receive a scholarship to cover the conference costs. The council unanimously agreed to pay the expenses for her to attend the conference.

Schmunk also presented to the council regarding the possibility of reimbursing town funds with sales tax collected from projects. She estimated the town had nearly $50,000 collected in sales tax, which is currently in the current expense fund.

The auditor’s explained to Schmunk many cities put the money back into the funds it was earned from.

The majority of the sales tax collected has been from water projects, and the sales tax collected would be put into the town’s water fund, Schmunk explained.

Schmunk said she encouraged the council members to consider the idea, especially since the last year when Well No. 8 failed; the town did not have enough money in the water fund to pay major expense.

Moving the sales tax money collected could help the town avoid future payment issues, Schmunk said.

The council members agreed all of the money should be appropriated to the correct fund, and requested Schmunk provides a detailed list of sales tax collected in the last two years and the fund the tax was collected from.

Schmunk agreed to present the amounts and fund information during the upcoming meeting.

Council members also raised concern about the Town of Lind not having multiple substitutes available to fill in for the Town Clerk Denise Snead in her absence.

The current substitute is struggling with health issues, and the council members agreed another individual should be hired as a temporary fill-in until the current substitute is able to return at full health.

The Lind Town Council meets next on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Lind Town Hall.