By Wyndi Veigel
News Editor
Council recently discussed and selected an engineering firm for the wastewater treatment plant project.
After Mayor Joe Helmberger handed over the reins of the meeting to Mayor pro tem Jim Foy, presentations were heard from both Kimley-Horn and Associates and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN.) Helmberger is an employee of Kimley-Horn.
As Jeff James with Kimley-Horn spoke to council, he said that the company had done two similar plants and things had gone seamless.
“We start off with a construction savings mindset,” he said.
City engineer Eddy Daniel, who was part of the evaluation team for the engineering firms for the plant, said he had reviewed references and they came recommended.
Noise and smells associated with the new treatment plant were concerns that had been voiced by citizens according to City Manager Ben White.
James said those were items the company was focused on and they were looking for ways to minimize traffic and would look at ways to build odor control mechanisms into the project.
Daniel stated that the engineering firm would be ready when the city was ready and representatives from Kimley-Horn would be ready to start immediately on the project if selected.
The longest amount of time, James said, would be to attain easements for the project.
From LAN Inc., Terrance Stewart presented their project presentation.
“We provide turnkey service and have worked extensively with North Texas Municipal Water District,” he said.
LAN will be focused on traffic, noises, aesthetics and odors associated with the plant.
“We can have a traffic control engineer brought in,” he said.
According to Daniel, the timeframe to begin the project would be 12 to 15 months and they could get started immediately.
The right-of-way and easement acquisition would be done in house.
After both engineering firms presented their projects, city council members discussed who they thought would be the better selection for the job.
Councilmember Michael Hesse asked Daniel whom he felt the most comfortable with.
“Kimley-Horn was the highest scored and was preferred,” Daniel said. “But both are very qualified.”
Over the past few months, an engineering firm selection committee comprised of Daniel, White, Kevin Meguire, JP and RT have met to score and analyze who would be the best fit for the job.
Kimley-Horn scored 1530 and LAN 1488.
Kimley-Horn was chosen preliminarily and will enter contract negotiations.
In other business council:
- read a proclamation for Motorcycle Awareness Month in May
- read a proclamation declaring April 25 as Joe Hayes Day
- read a proclamation dedicating May as preservation month
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