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Olive Branch approves environmental task orders, TVA permit filing and contract amendment for sewer projects
Summary
The Board approved three environmental/cultural resource task orders, a $500 TVA permit filing, and an $8,980 contract amendment to advance multiple water and sanitary-sewer projects, including Old Town sanitary sewer rehabilitation.
The Olive Branch Board of Aldermen on May 2025 approved environmental review task orders, authorized submission of a Tennessee Valley Authority permit application, and amended a professional-services contract to keep multiple water and sewer projects moving toward construction.
City staff told the board the actions are limited to permitting, cultural-resource work and design adjustments needed before bidding. "These have to do with the environmental investigation, which is basically getting permitting through the Corps of Engineers, and cultural resources," a staff member said, and then listed the three task-order amounts: $15,733; $18,466; and $7,595.
The board’s vote cleared a $500 TVA application fee for a sewer crossing in the city’s east area. "They require $500 for us to even submit a permit," a staff member said. The board also approved an $8,980 amendment to a Neil Shaffer, Inc., contract, increasing that contract from $87,760 to $96,740 to cover additional engineering and design work tied to property acquisitions and plan changes for the Old Town sanitary sewer rehabilitation project.
Why this matters: staff said the environmental clearances and contract changes are prerequisites to letting construction contracts. The city hopes to finish property acquisitions and move the Old Town rehabilitation to bid and construction later in the year, though no guaranteed start date was given.
What the board did: motions to approve each task order and the TVA filing carried without recorded opposition. The contract amendment with Neil Shaffer also passed after staff explained the need to shift in-house work to consultant services following personnel changes.
Discussion vs. decision: the board’s action was limited to approving consulting work and permit applications; no construction contracts were awarded at the meeting. Staff described the approvals as steps needed "to put this thing out for bid," and the board did not set firm construction start dates.
Next steps: staff will complete permitting with the Corps of Engineers and TVA and finish property acquisition work so the projects can go to bid. The board did not specify new funding sources at the meeting.
