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Thursday, June 11, 2015
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County OKs work on courthouse/jail Some county board members question why projects were not put out for bid By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Between the Bureau County Courthouse and the Bureau County Jail — there’s much restoration work to be done.
At the county board meeting on Tuesday, June 9, building and grounds committee chairman Kristi Warren reviewed all emergency work needing to be done between the two buildings. In the coroner’s office at the courthouse, Warren said there is an issue within the wall where water is leaking inside.
She explained it can’t be determined whether it’s a roof issue or problems in the masonry. Because of this, the buildings committee recommended restoration work be done to the masonry first on that section of the building. On Tuesday, the board approved a $24,800 bid from Westside Masonry to do all necessary work related to the repairs. Warren confirmed prevailing wage would be paid, and the work would be guaranteed for up to five years.
The building and grounds committee unanimously approved the bid, however, board members had some more questions before the approval. Board member Joe Bassetti questioned whether or not the committee went out for additional bids; Warren said no. “I think we should start going out for bids. We need to go out for bids,” he said. Warren explained the reasoning the committee did not go out for bids on the
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A new wastewater treatment plant Spring Valley looks at $$$ for project By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
SPRING VALLEY — Spring Valley continues to move ahead with planning for construction of the city’s new wastewater treatment plant. At the Spring Valley Council meeting on Monday, June 8, city engineer Larry Good confirmed the plant’s project plans are currently out for bid. Right now, Good has put together cost estimates of the project with a 5 percent contingency and 10 percent contingency. He confirmed using the 10 percent contingency was a little more of a conservative estimate to make sure the project doesn’t go over that cost. Good said the price of the project when only factoring in construction costs totals around $10.5 million, however when non-construction totals are factored into that price, it bumps it up to $11.7 million. Good confirmed $11.7 million will leave the city $900,000 short of available funding. As previously reported in the Bureau County Republican, a big chunk of costs will be covered by the $9.5 million state grant that was awarded by past Gov. Pat Quinn. The city still has $185,000 on hand from insurance money. The city is also getting $996,000 from FEMA assistance. It didn’t help the city any in having to add $275,000 to the project costs because of the replacement of the sewer interceptors at the treatment plant, which were later found to be inoperable. As previously reported, the city plans to pay the portion not covered by funding with an IEPA low-interest loan and city funds. Good said the real test will be on Wednesday, July 29, when the city will open bids to contractors and see where they say the project costs will fall. “After we get bids and see where they are, we will actually be able to look at real numbers and not have to look at estimates,” Good said. Good said he has sat down with several city officials to look at cost-saving
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BCR photo/Mike Vaughn
Making a splash into summer weather This pelican, captured by Bureau County Republican correspondent photographer Mike Vaughn, was found in the back waters of the Mississippi River — just a short drive from Bureau County. While it appears this bird is enjoying the warm weather and water, area residents are also doing the same at private and public swimming pools in the area. Temperatures for the next few days are expected to be well into the 80s.
Speeding! Tiskilwa discusses speeding motorists in the village By Lyle Ganther lganther@bcrnews.com
TISKILWA — Dick Fisher, a resident of Tiskilwa who lives on East Main Street, fears that speeding drivers will cause a
terrible accident in town unless some measures are taken to slow them down. Fisher appeared before the Tiskilwa Village Board at its meeting Tuesday, June 9, asking what can be done to slow traffic down in front of his house, since the railroad crossing was recently renovated and made smoother for traffic crossing. Fisher lives in a house closest to the railroad crossing and said the worst areas when drivers speed in front of his house are from 7 to 8 a.m. and 3:30 to
4:45 p.m. Fisher said he saw one car pass two other cars one day going an estimated 70 miles per hour on East Main Street that has a speed limit ranging from 20 to 25 miles per hour. Fisher said a police officer is only in town late at night from 9 p.m. to midnight. Village Board President Randy Philhower said the village’s police officer was in town one day recently, but one
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