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Council authorizes continued cleanup work at 132/120 Franklin amid larger-than-expected contamination
Summary
Contractors uncovered far more contaminated soil than bid allowances anticipated at the former station site. Staff told the council the village will cover added excavations from bond funds while contractors proceed; the council gave consensus to proceed with excavation pending formal resolution next meeting.
Chris Rudershauser, the village engineer, told the council the removal of abandoned underground fuel tanks at the North Walnut Street / 132 Franklin Avenue municipal parcel has revealed substantially more contaminated soil than the bid allowance anticipated. Project bids initially included removal of roughly 400 tons of contaminated material; field work and testing now estimate about 3,000 additional tons will require excavation and off-site disposal.
Rudershauser said the previously abandoned underground storage tanks — removed in the current project — were originally in place and “filled” under earlier practices in the 1970s and left contaminated soils behind. The licensed site remediation professional (LSRP) is overseeing work. Rudershauser and staff emphasized they are excavating to property limits and that groundwater is within roughly 10–12 feet below grade in this area.
The village manager and staff told the council the additional excavation will be financed from bond proceeds already set aside for the project; auditors reviewed the change order and advised it is permissible under local public contracts law because the per-ton rate remains the same while quantity increased. The council asked timing and environmental questions and discussed whether any residual contamination might require deed restrictions or institutional controls after excavation.
Council members asked whether subsurface detention or other stormwater-friendly solutions could be incorporated at final restoration; staff said they will consult the LSRP and DEP because features that alter groundwater movement or create subsurface detention require regulator approval. Residents and council members asked staff to consider grass species or permeable surfaces in final restoration; staff noted the site is intended to return to surface parking like it was historically unless the council directs otherwise.
To speed removal, the council gave staff consensus to allow the contractor to start additional hauling and disposal as soon as manifest and receiving-facility approvals are in place, with formal resolution to authorize execution of required shipping manifests to be adopted at the March 12 public meeting. Staff said the extra hauling would begin immediately given available facilities’ review of lab analytics and the village’s interest in winter excavation.
