Though last week’s commission meeting was rather short, commissioners unanimously approved a consent agenda that furthered several ongoing projects throughout the city.
During last week’s commission meeting City Manager Bill McDaniel was authorized to execute an Engineering Work Order with Dewberry/Hydro for the design of the replacement/relocation of the water main on Collins Street.
This is another step in a long-line of upgrades to the project, which was the direct result of 2013 Corridor Study. The study suggested a complete street improvement concept for Collins Street and then in 2017 “the Florida Department of Transportation, with the approval of the Alexander/SR39 street swap agreement, provided a $700,000 50/50 matching grant to be used for the project.” According to the city, the project is now in its final phase of design.
While the project was being designed some conflicts were identified between the proposed stormwater system and the existing 10-inch water main on Collins Street. The water main was installed in the mid-1960s and city staff decided it would be in the best interest of the city to “mitigate the conflicts, and replace the entire 10-inch cast iron water main between the intersections of East Alabama Street and Laura Street.”
The city already has a continuing contract with Dewberry Engineering Inc. under the water/wastewater category and its scope of services includes design, bidding and limited construction oversight for the replacement/relocation of the water main. The city agreed the work order would be for a not-to-exceed amount of $72,150. The money is available in the Water/Sewer Fund.
Commissioners also awarded a contract to Inter-Bay Electric Company, Inc. to purchase and install a backup generator on Amberjack Boulevard. Commissioners approved a work order to design a fire protection booster pump station on the boulevard back in Feb. 2019 in order to ensure the city was providing adequate fire protection and pressure to the warehouses and commercial development near that section of County Line Road.
In 2015 the city installed a 12” water main to connect the existing water main on the boulevard via looping to the 12” water main on Wilder Road. The Water System Master Plan verified that installation would provide adequate pressure to the area and that the booster station would no longer be necessary. City staff then concluded that the stationary generator — which originally had been a part of the booster station’s design — would “provide resiliency of the lift station and the Lakeland Interconnect. The Engineer of Record completed the design.”
Four bids were received for the project and Inter-Bay Electric Company, Inc. was determined to be the lowest responsive, and responsible bidder. Commissioners voted to authorize McDaniel to execute a contract with InterBay Electric Company, Inc. for $125,000 to install the backup generator. The budget is coming from the Water/Sewer Fund.
Every five years the City of Plant City is required to hold a public hearing to solicit citizen comments on the list of projects that it funds using the community investment sales tax. It’s time for the public to get a chance to weigh in once more as the next commission meeting on July 26 will have the public hearing on the CIT projects.
According to the city, “the Local Government Infrastructure Surtax will be used for the following capital expenditures:
- Land acquisition and infrastructure for public purposes
- Parks and related infrastructure improvements
- Public Safety vehicles, equipment, substations, and computer equipment
- Drainage and stormwater improvements
- Transportation infrastructure, including streets, sidewalks, acquisition of right of way, resurfacing, railroad crossing improvements, traffic calming and traffic signalization
- Parks and recreation improvements, including restrooms, equipment, buildings, and structures”
Each year the City of Plant City receives approximately $2 million annually from this funding source and that money is then distributed into the categories listed above. McDaniel said next week’s public hearing is simply a generic renewal, however, if a citizen wants to come forward and voice their thoughts on how to use the money or wanted to comment on projects they believe should be a priority, that public hearing would be a great place to do so.