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FM 518 lighting project progressing; easements and conduit damage could delay full energization
Summary
Contractor Pfeiffer and Sons is installing light poles along FM 518; staff reported conduit damage—likely from a TxDOT project—and outstanding easements that could delay a final wire pull. City staff said the circuit from Whispering Pines toward City Hall could be energized first when crews are available.
City staff and the contractor reported steady progress on the FM 518 illumination project, but said a limited number of easements and some conduit damage will need resolution before the full system can be energized.
Steven Ray, city staff, said the contractor Pfeiffer and Sons is installing foundations and poles and that crews are preparing to pull wire for the final connections. Ray reported the contractor "discovered some conduit damage most likely from a TxDOT project" and said the city will consult with TxDOT to determine whether TxDOT will correct the damage or the city will need to pay for repairs. Ray said any needed repairs could draw on contingency funds or require a future board action if additional money is needed.
Ray said the project team is pursuing easement agreements; he estimated about "4 or 5" of the outstanding locations have encumbrances that are delaying completion, and that roughly 15 poles remained to be installed at the time of the report. The contractor and city staff said they can prioritize an area without conduit damage so that portion can be energized sooner. Ray said it appears the contractor could pull wire and energize the circuit from Whispering Pines to Castlewood, lighting the downtown entry, once a crew is available.
The board also discussed aesthetic differences among poles: some poles include a secondary lower light intended to illuminate sidewalks and benches; those fixtures were already under fabrication when some agency approvals changed placement requirements, resulting in a nonuniform appearance. Board members asked staff to place the question of whether to remove the extra fixtures for uniformity on a future agenda.
Financial details discussed in the meeting included a remaining encumbered balance owed to the contractor. City staff reported $564,686 remaining on the construction contract (encumbered), an $18,000 outstanding contract for the electrical-box art program, and approximately $2,394 left for contingency and material testing. Staff said the project manager will continue to coordinate with the power provider and Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) to obtain ESID and meter numbers needed to energize circuits.
Board members set a tentative expectation that portions of lighting could be energized by early June, depending on the contractor's crew availability and resolution of easement and conduit issues.
