New water reservoir completion date pushed forward to May

BRIDGEPORT – With Mayor Pro-Tem Matthew Schuh presiding, the Bridgeport City Council approved several measures at its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, Feb. 15. Among items approved:

• The city’s 2023 fee schedule.

• Sale of surplus equipment, tools, and rolling stock on the website publicsurplus.com.

       Superintendent of Public Works Stuart Dezellem said he was putting the items on a public auction website that is used by the majority of Washington cities. It is a no-cost online funded by buyers’ premiums.

•Transportation Improvement Bureau (TIB) contract for the 16th Street overlay.

       The Phase One TIB contract has a cap of $299,000.

•TIB consultant contract with engineers Gray & Osborne.

       A supplemental contract for the city engineers to design and provide construction management for the 16th Street project for a fixed dollar amount based on the amount of the TIB contract.

• Entrance Welcome signs bid.

       The two new $16,000 gateway signs will be all powder coated weather-proof aluminum with a pitched roof section similar to the PUD kiosk at the south end of the city.

•Teamster contract amendment to hire second public works person.

       The Teamster contract needed an amendment for hiring another public works, skilled maintenance, non-CDL staffer.

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Dezellem announced the final start-up of the plant earlier in the day following approval by the city building inspector. Dezellem, plant operator Martin Landin, and contractor Pease & Sons Construction did a walk-through.

The plant is close to substantial completion but the contractor has to yet address a problem with four of six doors that are “pretty major” to quote Dezellem.

Reservoir 2 Project

 Reservoir work has been delayed again.

“We were supposed to get all our electrical control panels delivered in the last week of February,” said Dezellem, “and POW (Contracting) was supposed to get on site in early March, snow permitting, and finish the project.”

Subcontractor Midland Electrical recently advised Dezellem that the control panels have now been kicked forward to May.

Well 1 update

Following some research Dezellem now thinks air in the water is caused by pump turbine impellers are creating cavitation (bubble formation) in the well column. He has consulted a specialist in Moses Lake who will pull the pump in March, inject liquid and gas carbon dioxide into the well column to improve water flow to the pump. The $20,000 project is far less expensive than drilling a new well Dezellem said.

Pool Repair

Bids for repairs to the public pool have been out for about a month now and with the submission deadline of March 1, Dezellem has received one bid submission and expects a second.

24th Street Parking Lot

City Engineer Gray & Osborne recommends funding the entire tree sculpture parking lot in one phase including sidewalks all the way down 24th and the front of Foster Creek Avenue as a more efficient use of dollars that to do the same project in stages. To do that Dezellem will have the professional paving contractor doing the 16th Street overlay also pave the 24th Street ADA parking space and adjacent kiosk base with $20,000 the city allotted for work in its 2023 budget.

Global Prosperity

A developer has purchased property on Columbia Blvd., and Fairview Avenue with the intent to replat and construct 13 homes for a project Global Prosperity. Dezellem said it will involve installing a new water main.