Representatives from Thieneman were before the Bremen Town Council members during their recent meeting to discuss aspects of the proposed Wastewater Treatment Plant and asked to collaborate with all involved to bring down prices.
Thieneman presented the lone bid for the project opened by the council during their June 10 meeting. The base bid submitted was $23,944,000. Alternate bid one was for gravity tank drains for $589,900. Alternate bid two was for an electric motorized gate opener with key card entry system for $38,000. Alternate bid three was for a storage building for $715,000. Alternate bid four was for the demolition of the sand filter building at $160,000.
They presented some potential changes to the design of the project that could cut costs and the representatives said they would continue to work with the town’s engineer JPR, Wastewater Superintendent Matt Cunningham, Director of Operations Keith Fraine, and the council to help find creative ways to perhaps simplify the plant to bring down the cost.
The council has not formally approved the bid for the project. They also have not approved a bid for the accompanying interceptor sewer improvement project.
The town council has already raised rates in anticipation of this project, and Town Council President Michael Leman stressed that he does not want to increase prices at a rather large percentage rate and would rather discuss the bid further. The impact could be detrimental to residents, and business and industry operators.
The town has backed out of the spring State Revolving Fund loan pool for funding that is anticipated to help fund this project and are looking at the fall pool of funding. The council members are concerned about keeping rates at a reasonable level while addressing the pressing need to build a new plant as the current plant is aged and is no longer operating at an optimum level.
More discussions may take place in a work session with stakeholders involved.
