<i>"I can tell you we are down, but we are not out," CV Sanitary District Chair Suzy Burnside said. </i><br>Sewer bids come in higher than budgeted

Staff photo by Carol Keefer

Tom Galeziewski, HDR Design engineer, opened and announced the bids for the sewer project on Sept. 15 during a short meeting at the district's office.

Overall, the bids, categorized into three jobs, were almost $8 million higher than the district had budgeted. The district set figures at $6,089,000 with loans and grants. Based on the lowest bids, the total for all three jobs was $13,996,615.

The project includes construction of new collector lines, a force main and upgraded sewer plant. The bids were opened and announced publicly by HDR Design Engineer Tom Galeziewski during a short meeting at the district's office on Sept. 15.

Three contractors submitted bids for Contract No. 1 while only one contractor bid for Contracts No. 2 and 3.

The bids were as follows:

Contract 1 Arizona State Utilities: $1,172,946 Highland Engineering: $1,288,612 Eagle Mountain: $1,259,706

Contract 2 Highland Engineering: $2,398,585

Contract 3 Archer Western Contractors: $10,425,084; with seven deducted items at $9,550,084.

Contract No. 1 includes sewer construction from Dickinson Circle to Reddell Ranch Acres; Contract No. 2 is Reddell Ranch Acres including collection systems for Reddell, Fort River Caves to the new Main Street Lift Station built by Arizona Department of Transportation; and Contract No. 3 is the force main from the Verde Ranger District to the plant and the waste water treatment plant upgrade.

"Where do we go from here; what do we do?" Chair Suzy Burnside asked Bond Counsel Fred Rosenfeld following the bid announcements.

Rosenfeld told Burnside that the agenda would not allow comment from the board or public, and suggested another meeting be set soon.

The district, after many lengthy setbacks, was finally in a position to advertise for bids on Aug 15. The CV Sanitary District started the sewer upgrading process in earnest in 1999.

Chair Suzy Burnside was hesitant to comment after Wednesday's meeting but did indicate that the team that has worked on the project for the past five years, including the lender, bond counsel, and district counsel, would meet Tuesday.

"I can tell you we are down, but we are not out," Burnside said.