Carson City wastewater treatment plant design contract inked

A $930,000 engineering services contract on the first phase of an eventual $30 million wastewater treatment plant project received unanimous approved Thursday after several questions at Carson City’s Board of Supervisors.

The pact, which actually is for a “not to exceed’ amount of $930,802, is with Carollo Engineers, Inc., for what city government calls Water Resource Recovery Facility Phase 1A Engineering Services During Construction.

“This is a contract with our designers,” said Utility Manager David Bruketta after Supervisor Brad Bonkowski pressed him about potential change orders in a construction manager at risk (CMAR) process.

Bonkowski asked, for example, if the project could turn out to come in at a range of from $20 million to $435 million as he made his point about change orders that might alter construction costs. He asked if budget projections are realistic.

“I think very realistic,” said Bruketta. He said the overall project should take 24 to 36 months. He also said if the CMAR process doesn’t result in a negotiated pact, the matter would convert to a low bid process.

In addition to board oversight, Bruketta said, project financing decisions and progress will be monitored by the Utility Finance Oversight Committee. It was appointed earlier by the city governing board.

There was no public comment on the pact with the engineering design firm, which will be paid for from the city Sewer Capital Construction Fund.

City government must keep the wastewater treatment plant working well, which staff says at times presents problems with aging equipment, because federal clean water law and regulations require it.

Even the effluent from the treatment plant can’t go into the Carson River.

Other contracts approved Thursday were for $304,252 to purchase five water/sewer work trucks and $175,000 for city vehicle tires, tubes and services from three tire companies.

The board also voted to approve an abandonment of a portion of Anderson Street and a related subdivision map sought by Wayne Lepire for seven attached residential townhomes to be built just east of 501 Caroline St.

The Caroline Court Townhouse project included a planning condition that would bar eventual residents from parking recreational vehicles on driveways there.

In addition, the board revised the community support services grant program process to improve internal controls, restructure the program and end the annual trek to the board by some service units seeking grants.

The board increased the overall funds from $257,200 to $260,000, a boost of less than one percent, and automatically allocated amounts to some agencies that provide unduplicated services seen as among critical city needs.

Among the units involved was Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which works to help children in troubled circumstances. Chris Bayer of CASA thanked the board, calling the move “very appropriate.”

A working group who included Supervisors Lori Bagwell and Brad Bonkowski labored the past year to fashion the process, taking care of recommendations from the Moss Adams LLC internal auditor. Bagwell is on the city’s Audit Committee.