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Fort Smith approves multiple consent-decree engineering contracts and a construction change order; additional work will add time and scope
Summary
The board unanimously approved engineering agreements with Hawkins Weir Engineers for several remedial sub-basin designs and a change order with Brothers Construction that expands on an existing $7.99 million sanitary sewer contract, adding line replacements and 142 days to the schedule.
The Fort Smith Board of Directors on April 1 approved a series of agreements and a construction change order tied to long-running consent-decree sewer work.
Deputy Director of Water Utilities Jimmy Johnson told the board that the projects update original 2016 and 2017 designs to add sanitary sewer line segments and manholes that received NASSCO condition scores of 4 or 5 but were not included in the original designs. The board approved three engineering agreements with Hawkins Weir Engineers and a change order with Brothers Construction.
Key approvals included:
- A resolution to authorize Hawkins Weir Engineers to update the 2016 remedial measures design for Sub Basin P008; the work includes a field review of 69 line segments and 20 manholes and adds approximately 20 line segments and 10 manholes into the design. The firm was given 180 days to complete the design work.
- A change order (Change Order No. 1) to the Brothers Construction contract originally awarded May 7, 2024, in the amount of $7,994,075. The change order converts two point-repair sites to complete line replacements, adds relocation of an existing 8-inch sanitary sewer beneath residential buildings and incorporates additional line and manhole work not in the original scope. The original contract remains on track to finish under contract price for the original scope; the added work carries an additional 142 days to reach substantial completion. Funding for the project is available through the city's indicated sales-tax source.
- A design agreement for Sub Basin P009: Hawkins Weir submitted a $188,750 proposal and requested 180 days to perform the work; the board approved the agreement.
- A design agreement for Sub Basin FL02: Hawkins Weir submitted a $227,950 proposal and requested 180 days; the board approved the agreement.
All items passed on unanimous roll-call votes (7-0).
Directors asked how the newly added —40NASSCO 4s and 5s—50 were missed originally and whether adding them now would extend the overall consent-decree schedule. Johnson said the original remedial-measures program used engineering judgment and that some 4/5-rated segments were not included in the original design; the current work is to pick up those higher-rated segments to reduce the risk of sanitary sewer overflows. The board was told the additional segments and manholes are additional work and will add cost and time relative to the original 2017 scopes.
City staff explained that not all sewer and water spending is consent-decree work; reimbursable road projects and emergency repairs are funded differently. Board members asked about Towson Avenue and whether state funds were covering sewer and water relocation; staff said drainage work may be state-funded but did not confirm state funding for sewer/water relocations.
The approvals are part of a continuing multi-year remediation effort; staff said the selected engineering firms and contractors will proceed with field reviews and final design work on the specified sub basins. No additional bond issues or immediate rate actions were approved at the April 1 meeting.
