Utility Service Board approves $120,000 legal contract, $61,000 sewer amendment and three customer adjustments

The Lawrence City Utility Service Board approved a one-year engagement with Bose McKinney & Evans LLP for legal services totaling $120,000, authorized a $61,000 amendment for the Shaffner Road sanitary sewer replacement project, and approved three customer sanitary sewer bill adjustments during a routine meeting.

The superintendent presented the items and recommended approval. The legal engagement was described as a fixed-fee contract of $10,000 per month that terminates Dec. 31, 2025 (a total of $120,000 for the term). The board voted to approve the engagement letter.

The board also approved Professional Services Agreement Amendment No. 1 with Clark DS Incorporated for additional work on the Shaffner Road sanitary sewer replacement project. The superintendent said the $61,000 lump-sum increase is to cover alignment changes that were required after buried manholes were discovered and to address scheduling delays related to meetings with the Department of Natural Resources. The amendment was presented as an increase to the Fort Harris collection system work tied to that project and was approved by voice vote.

As an update on planning and operations, the superintendent said American Structurepoint provided a first suggested project area for focused efforts to reduce infiltration and inflow (I&I), based on the Indian Creek interceptor flow study performed during the 2024 wet season. The board did not take separate formal action on that study at this meeting.

The board approved three sanitary sewer account adjustments: a $273.29 adjustment for 7568 East 40 Sixth Street due to a leak at a spigot; an adjustment for 7147 Oaks Drive for a leak at a spigot (amount not specified in the meeting record); and a $1,170.71 and $0.05 adjustment for 10227 Alexia Drive due to a service line leak (noted as a three-month adjustment). Each adjustment was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.

Administrative motions to accept the minutes from the Jan. 28, 2025 meeting and to accept payment of claims were also moved, seconded and approved. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn that carried.

Discussion vs. decision: the legal contract, the Clark DS amendment, and the three account adjustments were presented by the superintendent and resulted in formal approvals. The Indian Creek interceptor study update was informational; no formal directive or additional funding was recorded for that item in this meeting.