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Hurricane power board debates whether city should contract out overhead line construction
Summary
City staff and the power board discussed whether the power department should continue performing most overhead distribution construction or require that developers hire private contractors; the board asked staff to draft standards and contract templates for later review.
Scott, the Hurricane City power director, opened a wide-ranging discussion about who should build and install new lines as the city grows, saying the city has historically chosen which projects it would construct in-house and which it would contract out.
"As long as Hurricane City Power has been a power company, we have chosen what projects we build and what projects we contract out," Scott said during the meeting. He told the board that historically the department performs most overhead work in-house while contracting a larger share of underground work; other local utilities take different approaches, he added.
Nut graf: The topic moved from operational practice into policy when some members of city staff suggested drafting an ordinance or directive that would require developers to hire private contractors for overhead line extensions. Power department staff, linemen and some board members warned that the change could harm training, reliability and the department’s capacity to manage complex projects and warranty work.
Public-works and power staff said the question is most acute when a developer needs off-site transmission or distribution upgrades to reach a new subdivision. City staff said such off-site work has historically been handled both by the city and by private parties depending on the project; staff proposed preparing written standards and a prequalified-contractor list before any ordinance change.
Mike (City staff) and other board members emphasized training and safety. One board member recalled past projects—major state highway rebuilds and transmission work—where keeping the work in-house preserved local crews’ skills and produced savings that, in one example cited, covered street-light installation costs. Power staff and a board member who supervises line crews described frequent management time required to ensure contractors meet Hurricane’s construction standards and inspection regime.
The meeting did not produce a final policy change. Instead, the board asked staff to prepare a set of standards, contract templates and a recommended approach for council consideration. Council direction previously had asked staff to meet and draft options, and board members said staff should present the recommendations to the power board before council action.
Ending: Staff agreed to develop standards and contractor-list language for the board to review, and the board agreed to consider staff’s recommendation before the council takes action on any ordinance or directive.
