Escanaba City Council hears construction updates
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ESCANABA — The Escanaba City Council heard an update on infrastructure improvements and the subsequent construction from City of Escanaba Water and Wastewater Superintendent Jeff Lampi during its regular meeting last week.
Several contractors -- including Barley Trucking and Excavating, Five Star Energy Services, Oberstar, Payne and Dolan and C2AE -- have been hired by the city to complete work on Ludington Street, which is primarily to replace outdated water lines to comply with regulations that were developed by the State of Michigan following the lead water crisis in Flint.
During Lampi's update to council on Thursday, he expressed disappointment in the lead service line project so far.
"We did not get as many lead service lines as we wanted done," Lampi said. "From the hip, I'm going to think we're 400, maybe 600 shy of what we expected to do this summer."
Council member Tyler Dubord asked what contributed to the shortfall, to which Lampi responded his department had received "empty promises" from Five Star Energy Services for the past 18 to 20 months.
According to Lampi, the contractor repeatedly indicated it would provide additional crews for the project, but those crews never materialized.
"Sadly, we have to figure out means and strategies to replace those lines in the future. I think we've got like nine or 10 years to do this," Lampi said. "I'll keep looking for any means of forgiveness or grant money as we go along. It's bleak. I've been pretty sad the past three months on that aspect."
Lampi also discussed American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The ARPA, passed in 2021, allocated $350 billion in emergency funding to state, local, territorial and tribal governments through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program.
The city has received three different ARPA grants, each totaling approximately $20 million.
Lampi said his department has exhausted all of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) 1 funds it received for the lead service line project with Oberstar.
The department also reportedly fell short of using the city's ARPA 2 funds, which were designated for Five Star's watermain/lead service replacement work, due to the contractor's shortfalls. He estimated the city did not utilize approximately $4 million in available grant funding, which can no longer be used.
If additional grant funding is not secured, the remaining lines will have to be replaced through increased city water rates or additional loan borrowing, according to Lampi.
Lampi expects the department to exhaust the full amount of the Clean Water SRF funds on the Ludington Street work.
Residents who have complaints about work surrounding their property are encouraged to call the department to express their concerns. While not all complaints are guaranteed to be mitigated, each will be addressed, Lampi said.
"I'm sure that 90% of the people that have FiveStar have complaints about the straw, the grass and the restoration of the topsoil," Lampi added. "Regardless, FiveStar is what it is. We're going to get as many as we can get done, good restoration or not."
On a brighter note, Lampi said asphalt is supposed to begin being laid today from 9th Street to 16th Street.
"I'm sure everyone is interested in Ludington. I'm very optimistic, throwing a date out there, Sept. 12, Sept. 15th, I hope that everything is in," Lampi said.
In other business, the council:
— Approved $97,588.62 in city funding to purchase two new playground structures and install three new playgrounds through a community build. The funding, combined with an $82,336.38 GameTime grant, will address what the Escanaba Public Works Department reported as unsafe, noncompliant equipment at 21st Street and 18th Avenue South Park while advancing other playground improvements. The project is expected to be completed in mid-to-late October.
— Authorized the city attorney to file suit in the Delta County 47th Circuit Court against property owners residing on South 4th Street to abate property maintenance code violations — blight and fill below grade spaces. Multiple citations have been reportedly issued in the past.
— Denied the Escanaba Wastewater Department’s request to purchase the Sewer Truck of America 900-ECO 12-yard Combination Sewer Cleaner from Sewer Equipment Co. of America, of Dixon, Illinois, at a cost not to exceed $373,591.44 after the trade in value of $225,000 for the department’s old sewer truck. According to City Controller and Interim City Manager Melissa Becotte, the sewer truck budget is $150,000 for an overhaul rather than a new purchase. Lampi reportedly misremembered being told that the budget was changed by former City Manager Jim McNeil from his original request of $350,000.
— Approved the Escanaba Electric Department’s request to purchase 80 streetlight poles to replace the steel poles along US-2 for $212,320. The department reportedly plans to reuse most of the existing light fixtures.
— Approved special event applications for the Escanaba High School (EHS) Homecoming Parade and the William Bonifas Arts Center's Raise the Roof Bock Party. EHS' parade will take place Oct. 9 from 5 to 6 p.m. on Ludington Street from 4th Street to 14th Street. For the Arts Center's party, council approved the partial closure of 1st Avenue South from 8th Street through the intersection of South 7th Street, as well as South 7th Street from the alley south to 1st Avenue South on Sept. 4 from 5 to 10 p.m.
— Extended the interim city manager agreement with Becotte, as a new city manager has yet to begin employment with the city.
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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.