The Town of Oak Ridge Town Council voted to approve an addendum to the town’s engineering services agreement with the Wooten Company to survey and design the Town Court Loop water main, a project presented to council as a step toward connecting Oak Ridge Commons and other nearby parcels to the municipal water system.

The measure, to pay $109,900 for surveying and design, passed by voice vote. The town manager told council that Wooten has estimated up to six months for design and permit approval in a worst-case scenario.

Council supporters and the Water Advisory Committee said adding the owner-operated JPC utility system and Oak Ridge Commons to the town system would accelerate the utility’s pathway to being cash-positive. “The connection of the Commons basically accelerates our timeline about five years,” the town manager said during the presentation. Committee liaison Spencer Sullivan, who attended the Sept. 10 Water Advisory Committee meeting, told the council the committee recommended approval and said the connection was a “huge step forward” for the municipal water system.

Council discussion and staff materials gave these cost and schedule details: Wooten’s design estimate is $109,900; construction to extend service to the JPC utility system was described in staff materials as about $420,000; construction to build the entire Town Court Loop was estimated at about $1,750,000. Staff told council the town currently has $196,000 remaining in a final state grant allocation and $1,000,000 in a general fund account restricted for water purposes.

Town staff said the JPC utility owner has committed to connect to the town water system subject to regulatory approvals. The staff presentation also noted commitments from the elementary school, one or two businesses, and that the State Employees Credit Union is expected to connect. Council members described those commitments as significant to the water system’s projected customer build-out.

The Water Advisory Committee also announced two public open houses tied to the water project: Thursday, Nov. 13 (4:30–6:30 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 10 (10 a.m., time noted in committee report). Council members and staff said the town’s new water tower is scheduled for installation at the end of the month and that marketing materials for the system will be distributed to residents.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: Approve addendum with Wooten Company to survey and design Town Court Loop; design fee $109,900. Outcome: Approved (voice vote: “ayes have it”).

Authorities referenced: Staff and the Water Advisory Committee materials provided construction estimates and grant balance figures. No ordinance or statute was cited as a legal requirement for the vote.

The council did not set construction work tonight; staff said a separate ordinance or change order would be brought back to council if construction to Oak Ridge Commons is added to the Park Construction contract. Wooten’s design and permitting timeline and the stated funding balances were provided to help council weigh next steps.