Lind Town Council receives infrastructure project updates

During the Sept. 25 Lind Town Council meeting, Century West Engineering Projects Manager Steve Nelson provided updates on the Town’s infrastructure improvement projects.

Nelson said the first phase of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) street improvement project is completed and in the closeout phase.

As for the FEMA project’s second phase, Nelson met with Mayor Paula Bell and Town Engineer Joe Pessutti regarding the water line under Sixth Street. He explained crews will need to replace some of the water meters in basements of houses on the street.

He said he believes the water line under Sixth may be in better condition than he initially thought while there are other water mains in need of repair.

Nelson said if the Town wants to proceed with the second phase, Century West could design the work in the winter, bid the project in the spring with construction beginning in the summer.

Nelson added once the Town receives the income survey results, he could apply for Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) funding to pay for water line repairs and meter replacement. He is also waiting on results from water loss analysis for the line.

Century West is also designing the work for the apron improvement project at the Lind Municipal Airport.

At an August meeting, Bell announced the Town received grant funding from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Aviation Division with the match partially covered by the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB).

Nelson said the Town may be eligible for more funding from WSDOT Aviation Division to fund other maintenance projects at the airport.

He also presented potential drainage improvement projects around the Town, one being at the intersection of I and Third streets.

Nelson explained crews would need to install a catch basin and a storm drain pipe at Third and I, which is estimated to cost $16,000.

Another project consists of installing a drywell north of N Street near Lind Town Park to mitigate a ponding of water near the Lind Community Pool.

Other improvements include fixing a collapsed culvert near the Adams County maintenance shop, and extending a double-barrel culvert on the south side of Lind.

Nelson said the cost estimate for the four projects would be $111,000.

He noted the Washington State Department of Ecology is interested in having Lind submit an application for funding small improvement projects.

He explained the money for the projects would be 50 percent grant funds and a 50 percent loan. Nelson said he wanted the Council to think about the projects before they decide whether or not to apply for funding.

In regards to Complete Streets project ideas, Nelson said he would draft a list of projects that received grant funds and send it to Bell to help the Council brainstorm ideas for street improvements.

In one of the two action items of the meeting, the Council approved paying $298 for the Town’s membership fee to the Association of Washington Cities.

The Council also approved hiring a street sweeper to clean selected streets in October, before the Adams-Neilson Solar Farm ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 23.