High Point finance panel approves series of interlocal agreements, equipment purchases and infrastructure contracts

The High Point City Council finance committee approved a slate of interlocal agreements, equipment purchases and contracts during its meeting, including agreements covering school resource officers, a victim advocate position, and multiple water and wastewater projects and equipment purchases. Most items passed with unanimous voice votes.

The items approved include two interlocal agreements with Guilford County entities to continue services already in place: an agreement to fund one SRO supervisor and eight school resource officers at middle and high schools, and an agreement with the Guilford County Family Justice Center to station a victim advocate in the police department. Police Chief Curtis Cheeks said the SRO agreement covers the existing SRO supervisor and eight SROs and that if additional SRO support is needed the department typically shifts SROs or uses patrol officers while negotiating changes with the school board.

The committee also approved multiple public-safety and operational equipment purchases: a Generac 175 kW generator for Fire Station No. 1 at $111,278 to replace a circa-1970, 100 kW unit; replacement of 90 portable radios from Motorola Solutions (APX 6000) at $596,254.50 as part of the department's scheduled refresh; and 20,000 feet of underground primary cable from Westco for $763,200 to replenish utility stock.

Water and wastewater projects and procurements that received approval included: a $796,500 task order to CDM Smith for engineering design, permitting and bidding for the Ansley Creek sewer outfall (the outfall dates to 1958 and the contract covers replacement of roughly 3,100 feet across 10 aerial sections identified for replacement); a sole-source purchase of UV replacement parts for Channel 1 at the Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant from Trojan Technologies for $340,532.93 (damage traced to a July flash flood); hiring Bionomic Services for temporary biosolids dewatering at the East Side Wastewater Treatment Plant for up to $150,000 while centrifuge parts arrive; and award of a contract to DN Tanks for rehabilitation of a 5,000,000-gallon prestressed concrete storage tank at the Ward Water Treatment Plant for $482,000 following a March inspection.

Public services also received approval to hire Kemp Construction for pressing-need repairs to filters 5'8 at the Ward Water Treatment Plant ($90,300); a mowing contract with Liberty Site Works to maintain about 66 acres of water and sewer outfall easements ($118,422); and a sole-source TOC analyzer purchase for the water quality lab from Viola WTS Analytical Instruments for $43,690.60.

Customer service and meter-related procurements approved included meter-box lids from Core & Main for $289,025.63 (to retrofit existing boxes), residential and commercial water meters from Badger Meter Inc. for $694,489.68 to complete the residential change-out program and expand corporate/industrial replacements, and mounting cans and antennas for meter transmitters for $60,589 to support AMI rollout.

Other administrative and policy actions approved were a five-year colocation license agreement with Alltel Corp. (doing business as Verizon Wireless) to place equipment on a city water tank (initial five-year fee reported as $37,005.10 with a renewal amount shown in the packet), adoption of a revised city drug-and-alcohol policy that adds oral-fluid testing to federally mandated testing, approval for the local ABC board to follow the city's employee travel and reimbursement policy (the General Statute or state ABC requirement was cited by staff), a 10-year $1-per-year lease agreement with High Point University for boathouse/rowing facilities at Sailing Point, and a continuation of an interlocal agreement with the Guilford County Board of Education for student transportation (the city has been providing this service since January 2022 when the school system faced a driver shortage and the school system reimburses the city for those trips).

Votes at a glance

- Item 2025-362: Interlocal agreement with Guilford County Board of Education for SRO program (1 SRO supervisor, 8 SROs). Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-368: Interlocal agreement with Guilford County Family Justice Center for a victim advocate stationed in the police department. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-363: Purchase of Generac 175 kW generator for Fire Station No. 1, $111,278. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-367: Motorola Solutions contract for 90 APX 6000 portable radios, $596,254.50. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-372: Purchase of 20,000 feet of underground primary cable (Westco), $763,200. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-375: Task order to CDM Smith for Ansley Creek Sewer Outfall design/permitting/bidding, $796,500. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-376: Colocation water tank license agreement with Alltel Corp. (Verizon Wireless), initial five-year fee listed in packet, outcome: approved. - Item 2025-377: Annual mowing contract for water/sewer outfalls with Liberty Site Works, $118,422. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-378: TOC analyzer sole-source purchase (Viola WTS), $43,690.60. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-379: Temporary biosolids dewatering contract with Bionomic Services, not-to-exceed $150,000. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-380: Kemp Construction pressing-need repairs for filters 5'8 at Ward WTP, $90,300. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-381: Rehab contract for 5,000,000-gallon prestressed tank at Ward WTP with DN Tanks, $482,000. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-382: Sole-source UV parts replacement for Westside WWT Plant (Trojan Technologies), $340,532.93. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-384: Meter box lids (Core & Main), $289,025.63. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-385: Residential/commercial meter purchase (Badger Meter Inc.), $694,489.68. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-386: Mounting cans and antennas for meter transmitters, $60,589. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-387: Resolution allowing the local ABC board to follow the city employee travel and reimbursement policy. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-388: Lease agreement with High Point University for boathouse/rowing facilities at Sailing Point, 10-year term at $1 per year. Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-389: Adoption of a revised drug-and-alcohol policy (adds oral-fluid testing). Outcome: approved. - Item 2025-390: Interlocal agreement with Guilford County Board of Education to continue city transit trips for middle/high school students (city transporting since Jan. 2022; school system reimburses the city). Outcome: approved.

Why this matters

The approvals cover both routine capital-equipment refreshes (radios, meters) and time-sensitive repairs and sole-source buys tied to recent damage or end-of-life equipment (UV parts after a July flood, centrifuge outages at East Side WWT Plant, an aging generator). Several items affect water and wastewater reliability and regulatory compliance; staff noted revenue bonds tied to outfall replacement are planned for 2027 and debt service will be covered by water and sewer revenues.

What council members asked

Questions during the meeting were limited and factual: Council members asked how the SRO program handles requests for extra coverage (Police Chief Curtis Cheeks said the department typically reallocates SROs or deploys patrol officers while negotiating with the school board), how long purchased cable stock would last (assistant utilities director Steven Schafer said the last purchase was in December 2021), and whether post-work inspections would follow tank repairs (public services staff said a subconsultant will inspect the work).

Next steps and implementation notes

Several items are sole-source or pressing-need approvals that will proceed to procurement/contract-execution; staff asked authorization for appropriate city officials to execute necessary documents on multiple items. Some projects depend on outside factors: the Ansley Creek outfall work is tied to a financing plan that anticipates bond issuance in 2027, and parts deliveries (e.g., centrifuge parts) carry multi-month lead times that drove temporary contracting decisions.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article were identified in the meeting record as Police Chief Curtis Cheeks; Fire Chief Bridal Evans; IT Services Director Adam Ward; Assistant Utilities Director Steven Schafer; Public Services Director Robbie Stone; Customer Service Director Jeremy Coble; Assistant City Manager Damon Duquesne; Councilman Holmes; and a city staff member identified as Angela for transit-related remarks.

Ending

Committee members closed the meeting after brief additional announcements about local events. The approvals now move forward to execution and operational implementation by the responsible city departments.