The Bremen Town Council is coming closer to approving a bid for the proposed new construction of a Wastewater Treatment facility.
Engineer Ken Jones of Jones Petrie and Rafinski told the town council members during their meeting August 12 that the company has been working with Thieneman officials on how to improve their bid as it came in on the high side of what the town council was anticipating to pay for the project. Thieneman was the lone bidder for the project. He has also worked with Director of Operations Keith Fraine and Wastewater Superintendent Matt Cunningham.
Jones previously reported that they worked with a third party to gather an estimate and have shared those numbers with the bidder to compromise for a workable bid. The entire project will not be done, but the most important components will be constructed focusing on the extended aeration treatment facility at a cost of $20 million. The other components can be bid out separately and added as the project progresses.
The sewer rates will not need to be raised so drastically, but a meeting with larger consumers was planned to go over those numbers. It could be about a 63 percent increase, but an amended rate study has not been approved by the council for rate phase increases.
Jones said the bid decision should be done at the upcoming meeting as a bid bond deadline is looming and the company has been waiting for this project and could move on with other projects if the bid is not approved.
The funding paperwork will be worked on to be submitted for the project for the State Revolving Loan Fund.
