Board approves SRF disbursements and hears multi‑site water and sewer update

The Madison City Board of Public Works and Safety on Feb. 3 approved two SRF disbursement requests and received a status update from Brian Jackson, the city’s utilities superintendent, on multiple water and wastewater projects.

Jackson told the board he would remove a proposed change order related to a generator relocation from the SRF request because the SRF program asked for more documentation. He said the city may still relocate the generator but probably not as part of the SRF project. "We probably may still relocate it, but, maybe not through the SRF project," Jackson said.

Jackson described the two approved SRF actions. The first was a disbursement tied to M. W. Cole/Colt Construction (pay application 10L) split so the portion paid from the county local contribution would be $81,769 and the SRF would not include retainage on that line. The remaining balance owed on the original construction loan and interest (labeled SRF INT) of $8,234 plus $4,737 in retainage will be included on a separate SRF interest request. The board approved the combined draws by voice vote.

The second approved request was a partial retainage release (21R) to Dave O’Meara Contracting for $183,682; Jackson said that payment would clear the retainage for Division A and that Division B remains open.

Jackson also briefed the board on other utility work: a possible removal or relocation of a fire hydrant at the Riverview Drive intersection to accommodate a planned state-led widening and turn‑lane installation; an expected waterline relocation and associated cost for wing walls and culvert work near Grody (estimated around $28,000); a Terrace Drive sanitary sewer repair with a rough cost estimate of $15,000–$20,000; a water treatment plant SCADA/PLC and panel upgrade estimated at $37,050 and a future UV bulb replacement Jackson estimated at roughly $50,000 when needed; and several lift‑station pump replacements with specific estimates for pumps at Hartford and Thomas Hill Road.

Jackson reported long‑running issues at the Wells Drive Lift Station and said portions of the system date to the 1970s; he described the need to line a structure adjacent to a wet well at the Wright lift station (near Grange Hall) and recommended installing a permanent bypass during repairs to avoid duplicate future costs. He said the city has approximately 43 lift stations in the city and another 43 in the county system and noted that spread of costs across fewer county customers makes county service more expensive per customer.

Jackson said the city is planning an altitude‑valve relocation north of the State 162 water tower to address low pressure south of that tower and that an easement will be required. He also summarized the long history of the sewer long‑term control planning, saying earlier phases date to the 1990s and that the current work follows master plans the city adopted in the late 2010s and early 2020s.

The board approved the SRF draws and directed staff to follow up on the hilltop generator question and related documentation for SRF compliance. No formal vote counts were recorded in the minutes; the board approved the motions by voice vote.