By Chris Moore

chris.moore@panews.com

 

NEDERLAND — The city council voted to approve the change order for Nederland Avenue Paving, Drainage and Utility Improvements project and to submit an application for a Hazard Mitigation grant Monday.

City Manager Chris Duque said the change order would increase the budget of the project by $121,733.

Duque said that there are sufficient funds in the contingency budget to cover the cost of the change order.

“The change order is necessary to continue the work on Nederland Avenue,” Duque said. “The work would assist the water department in isolating the water system during repairs in critical times, which would minimize inconveniences to the residents and commercial businesses. It would also correct the existing issue relating to reinstalling water mainlines, casings and other items associated with repairs.”

Director of Public Works Robert Woods said that the city would not have to shut the water down to insert the valves.

“There’s not really a good time to shut the water down,” Woods said. “If we shut it down, we would be taking businesses offline and shutting it down in the early morning hours.”

There is potential for a future change order for base repairs, Duque said.

“We’re going to see those as we open up the street,” he said. “We have allowances for a little more base material. If they exceed those base repairs, there would have to be a potential change order for that down the road.”

Duque said that the change order would just mean extra work and not impact the original projected completion date of late October.

The city council also approved the submittal of Hazard Mitigation grant applications. The grants would go toward four projects.

Duque said adding storm shutters and a generator at the recreation center would allow the center to be used as a short-term shelter during and after a storm.

“The storm shutters would be up to FEMA’s standards, so it could be used during or after,” Duque said. “There are (showers at the facility). There would be some cost on our part. They need to be upgraded to ADA compliance. That would be something we have to look at on our side. FEMA does not cover that cost.”

Another project that would be covered in the grant would be adding a new roof and generator to the library.

“The projects for the library would ensure that the library remains open to the public following a disaster for recovery efforts, such as applying for state assistance, applying for jobs or looking for housing.”

The last two projects would provide generators for the lift stations and a drainage project that would improve drainage along South 35^th Street and along Avenues A and B, which was one of the areas that flooded with Tropical Storm Harvey, Duque said.

“The cost of the four projects is estimated to be over $2 million,” he said. “The Hazard Mitigation grant program funds 75 percent of the project, which leaves a 25 percent local match.”