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City updates LED streetlight rollout, schedules golf course preconstruction and reallocates CHIPS funds
Summary
City staff reported progress on LED streetlight replacement (1,225 lights replaced so far, mid-April target for substantial completion), scheduled a Feb. 26 preconstruction meeting for the golf course clubhouse, and moved CHIPS reimbursements for Lyon Street paving into sewer contingency accounting.
City staff updated the Amsterdam Common Council on multiple infrastructure projects and near-term construction work during the Feb. 12 meeting.
Streetlights: The city reported 1,225 streetlights have been replaced to date as part of the LED conversion project. Staff said the contractor targets substantial completion by mid-April, subject to punch-list corrections. The new fixtures are Wi-Fi connected and can be monitored and adjusted via software; staff said the city will receive training on the lighting-management software and will be able to report outages, call for maintenance and make limited brightness adjustments. Council members discussed complaints about perceived brightness and differences in how LED fixtures project light compared with older lamps; staff said the fixtures use a downward cone projection designed to reduce scatter and light pollution and recommended addressing adjustment requests case by case. The project’s maintenance contract and National Grid coordination were described as part of the turnover process once installation is complete.
CHIPS/Lyon Street: The council approved a budget transfer to reimburse the CHIPS paving program for emergency sewer work on Lyon Street, where crews rebuilt roughly 400 feet of roadway after a storm-related sanitary/sewer failure. Staff said the city will move the charge into sewer contingency because the work was part of a sewer project rather than the annual paving allotment.
Golf course clubhouse: Staff scheduled a preconstruction meeting for the golf course clubhouse project for Feb. 26. The meeting will convene contractors to review roles, schedules, safety practices, payment application procedures and insurance/bonding; staff said notice to proceed will be issued after those items are in place and that construction time will begin when the notice is issued. The council heard that the clubhouse is a capital project with a total construction price cited in discussion as roughly $2.07 million; staff said the city is pursuing a mix of borrowing and grant reimbursement and expects to bond for an initial $1 million to fund early contract payments. Liquidated damages were confirmed in the project contracts and were described as a per-day amount to apply if the contractor fails to meet completion milestones. Staff said they expect significant payment applications in May and June as work accelerates.
Sewer pump station insurance: The council approved transfer of NYMIR insurance proceeds ($77,575) into sewer repair expense lines for work already completed at the Westside pump station; staff said additional claims remain pending.
Ending: Staff said they will return with implementation details and updates as the LED conversion, golf clubhouse and sewer repairs proceed.
