Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority members voted Thursday to approve an emergency contract with a Schuylkill County firm to help it address persistent flooding in one section of the city’s downtown.
Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority members voted to accept a $308,098 bid from Arthur “Pat” Aungst Inc., of Pine Grove, to help it complete a sewer project downtown that is expected to reduce or eliminate persistent flooding.
Sewer Authority executive director Bill Orlowsky says in 2006, a stone arch beneath Division Street – where it meets Centre Street – was sealed off as part of the Mahantongo Sewer Separation Project.
The Sewer Authority plans to reopen the arch and install new stormwater pipes and inlets to help reduce flooding in that area of downtown Pottsville.
In order to avoid going through a competitive bidding process, which would have delayed the project, Pottsville officials determined this situation qualifies as an emergency and allowed the board to seek its own bids.
The Pine Grove company was the lowest of three bidders for the job. LEW Site Construction submitted a bid of $1.279 million and PACT Two LLC put in for the work at cost of $809,700.
Sewer Authority and City of Pottsville Solicitor Ed Brennan said he believes this project meets the legal criteria of an emergency. An emergency declaration from the City allows the Sewer Authority to seek its own bids for the job.
Brennan said he sought the opinions of Orlowsky, the Sewer Authority’s engineer John Poff, of Light-Heigel & Associates Inc., and Pottsville Streets Superintendent Tom Whitaker and determined this project to be an emergency.
“I believe the Authority is justified in avoiding the requirements of competitive bidding on an emergency basis,” Brennan writes in an official opinion.
Work is expected to begin in early November, once a Highway Occupancy Permit is acquired from PennDOT, and will be done by Arthur “Pat” Aungst Inc. on state roads in the project zone – namely a right-of-way on N. Centre St. – while City and Sewer Authority street crews will handle the work on City streets.
While the work is being conducted on Centre St., traffic will likely have to be restricted to one lane in either direction.
This project will be done in two parts, Orlowsky explains. The first phase includes the contractor doing all the required work underground and complete a temporary pavement restoration on the street.
Since this work is being completed before the end of this year, Orlowsky said it will be hard to get hot mix asphalt to do anything more than a temporary pavement right now.
The permanent restoration of the pavement will likely occur next year.
Sewer Authority board chairman Barry Dewitt said, “This emergency repair will greatly reduce the flooding impact that some of our downtown properties and businesses have been experiencing.”
Especially during heavy rainfalls, the current system overloads and severe flooding tends to occur in the proposed work zone area.
Pottsville Councilman Andy Wollyung told Sewer Authority board members Thursday, “I believe that we should declare an emergency as soon as possible so we’re able to move funds in the correct direction as swiftly as possible.”
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