Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environmental Testing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves environmental testing addendum for former DPW holding tank; ARPA funds will cover work
Summary
Council approved addendum No. 4 to Infrastructure & Environment LLC to test soil and groundwater near a removed DPW holding tank. Staff said follow-on remediation may be required if contamination is found; the motion used an amount corrected in the packet to $30,000–$35,000 and used ARPA funds that remain available through 2026.
The Common Council on Aug. 19 approved an addendum to a contract with Infrastructure & Environment LLC to test soils and groundwater where the city removed a holding tank near the Department of Public Works building.
Staff explained the tank removal and noted possible contamination from a leaking tank. The addendum funds will pay for confirmatory sampling to determine whether contaminants entered soil or groundwater and whether further remediation is required. City staff said the action amount shown in the council packet contained a typographical error and that the correct range for the addendum is $30,000 to $35,000 (the action sheet originally listed $25,800 for the wrong line item). Council approved the corrected amount and asked staff to provide an updated resolution.
Funding and timing: staff said the work will be paid from ARPA funds already obligated as of Dec. 31, 2024, and that ARPA-eligible expenses must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026. The memo noted that additional testing could delay parts of the project by two to three months while laboratory results are returned.
Why this matters: if testing finds contamination, additional removal and disposal work could be required and carry incremental cost beyond the approved addendum. Council members asked for clarity about the amount and for confirmation that ARPA encumbrance timing would accommodate any short delay; staff confirmed the funding remains available for the work through 2026.
Council action: motion to adopt addendum No. 4 in the corrected amount ($30,000–$35,000) to Infrastructure & Environment LLC carried by voice vote; staff said an updated resolution will be provided to reflect the corrected amount.
Ending note: the council approved the testing step; any required remediation would return to council for additional action and appropriation as needed.
