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Council to consider awarding Grama/Bond Secure drainage repairs and undergrounding overhead power in difficult ravine
Summary
City staff recommended awarding construction and inspection contracts for a drainage project at Grama/Bond Secure and presented a separate contract to bore underground electric across an unopened right of way to avoid ongoing maintenance issues; staff recommended low bidders and sought council consideration.
City public‑works staff asked the council to consider awarding a multi‑part project to address longstanding drainage failures and difficult electric access along the Grama/Bond Secure corridor. The package presented combined drainage rehabilitation with a concurrent utility project to convert a section of aerial electric to underground conduit where an unopened right of way includes a deep ravine and limited access.
Richard Johnson (city staff) said the city received eight competitive bids on the drainage work and recommended awarding the construction contract to C Thornton Incorporated as the low bidder. He also described a separate contract to bore four 4‑inch conduits (three primary, one spare) under the ravine and to pull electric conductors into those conduits; Alon Boring was the recommended contractor for the boring work at a proposed cost of $89,800 for pipe and bore operations. Johnson said the wire and termination equipment will be purchased separately; staff estimated a minimum order of $10,000 for the conductor inventory.
Why it matters: staff said the unopened right of way carries an aerial electric circuit that has caused access and tree‑trimming difficulties, and the adjacent ravine has complicated maintenance. Converting the line to underground in that corridor would reduce future disruptions and limit the need for repeated difficult access through private property. Johnson told the council the city plans to proceed with the engineer selection (professional construction inspection services) to oversee sensitive work near neighbors and to coordinate the two projects to minimize repeated disturbance.
Key details from staff: the boring scope calls for four 4‑inch bores totaling roughly 3,200 linear feet of conduit (three circuits plus a spare). The $89,800 Alon Boring quote covers the pipe and bore; additional in‑house or separately procured work (wire, terminations, minor on‑site installations) would be processed through existing utilities operations. Staff emphasized neighbor sensitivity, easement and restoration standards, and the need to avoid future roadway replacement if drainage is not corrected.
Discussion and next steps: staff asked council to consider selecting Sawgrass for professional construction inspection services for the bond‑securing Grama drainage project, to award the drainage construction contract to the low bidder and to award the boring contract to Alon Boring. The transcript records staff presentation and council questions but does not record a formal council vote at the work session; council consideration and formal action will occur as agenda items on the regular meeting agenda.
No formal motions or roll call votes were recorded during the work session for these awards; staff requested authorization to proceed to formal agenda action, and recommended contracts will return for council action.
