Council approves emergency well repairs, hears updates on streets and pool budget shortfall

The Crockett City Council voted to approve immediate repairs to Well No. 1 at College Hill after staff reported debris and damage to the well’s lining that disabled a pump in the city’s primary backup source.

Staff described Well No. 1 as a roughly 1,300-foot, 1,500-gallons-per-minute well and presented a sole-source quote of $154,812 to pull and reconstruct the well and replace screening as needed. Staff recommended using utility reserves to fund the work and bringing a budget amendment at a later date; the motion to approve the repair passed.

Council also received a report on recent street-construction problems on South Fifth Street, where engineers reported sulfate heave in stabilization material that caused premature failure. Staff said engineers and bonding companies will run forensic analysis and that bonding/insurance coverage has been engaged to determine responsibility and pay for reconstruction. For MLK and other streets, staff said a mix of CDBG funds (for a central 3,000-foot MLK segment) and State Infrastructure Bank funding (for remaining lengths) will fund reconstruction; staff cautioned that temporary patches will be minimal to avoid wasting money that must later be removed during full reconstruction.

On recreation infrastructure, staff said the city had budgeted about $750,000 for a new swimming pool but the lowest earlier bid was $1.4 million; after scope reductions a later all-in bid came in near $1.1 million, leaving an estimated roughly $300,000 funding gap that staff will need to close before returning the project to council.