News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Construction crews are hooking up houses to the sewer system.
Residents in Sisters will hook up to the city's sewer system over the next six months as construction crews complete the third phase of the $13 million project.
Two contractors will be at work on opposite sides of Cascade Avenue. Richard Bartels, Inc. bid $259,910.16 to lay in 159 laterals to houses on the north side of Cascade Avenue. Scenic Builders, Inc. will work to the south, hooking up 231 laterals for $572, 945.
According to city administrator Barbara Warren, the Bartels bid for "Schedule A" came in about where expected. Bids for "Schedule B" south of Cascade Avenue were slightly higher than anticipated.
Bids have consistently run a little high on the project, leaving city officials "nervous" about staying within the budget and keeping monthly fees down, Warren acknowledged.
The city council has repeatedly reaffirmed a commitment to a monthly charge of $39 per month per "equivalent dwelling unit."
However, the city has realized some savings on previous phases of the project, where less material has been used than was bid.
According to Warren, the city won't have a clear picture of the project's finances until Phase Two, construction of the residential main lines, is completed and any savings are calculated.
The work north of Cascade Avenue is expected to take 150 days; 180 are allowed for the work to the south. According to Warren, the construction crews will need to be prepared for winter weather, which may slow progress.
Last winter, work proceeded on or ahead of schedule due to generally mild weather conditions.
The final phase of the project, which will serve the Sisters Industrial Park, is scheduled to go to bid in mid-September. The city has lined up just over $1 million in grants and loans to complete that phase.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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