First businesses hooked to sewer

The Gallery Restaurant is to be the first business connected to the Sisters sewer.

After the Gallery closes at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 21, CRM Contracting will quickly hook up the lateral connection between the restaurant and the main sewer line.

"At 6 a.m. when they open for business, I want to have their tanks pumped and be out of there," said Project Manager Casey Kendall.

CRM Contracting is a an offshoot of Commercial Ready Mix, a Salem-based corporation. Kendall runs the company's Central Oregon operations, including projects in Bend and Redmond, from his office above the Soda Creek Gallery in Sisters. He has been here for five years.

Kendall said he plans to have mostly local workers and subcontractors on the Sisters project.

"As this job starts, I have one guy from Salem and seven from this area," he said. "All of my subcontractors, all my trucks, will be from this area, at least that's how I hope it works out."

Kendall is currently negotiating with local subcontractors for the work.

He said his crews would be working on the south side of Cascade Avenue, starting at The Gallery and moving west out to Ray's food place. He wants to do one block per day.

"I want to do this as painlessly as possible for these business, and want the business owners to know we are coming through," said Kendall.

Hook-ups on the north side of Cascade will have to wait until the mainline work is completed by J.D. Fowler.

Kendall said he hopes to have all the business hooked up "within a 70 to 90 day period." The elementary and middle schools will be connected over spring break.

Kendall hoped his work would not be as disruptive as the installation of the main lines.

"My equipment will be back in the alleys and in the streets. The big pipe was put in the middle of the street; my equipment will be more to the side," said Kendall.

"I hope to have two subcontractors, one on each end of town," he said. "The faster it is done, it is easier for me and easier on the businesses. There will be some inconveniences, but I am going to make it as painless as possible."