Council approves Southern Electric work order for Highway 66 reconductor project

The Claremore governing body approved Work Order No. 001 to Southern Electric Corporation of Mississippi to begin an overhead reconductor project on Highway 66.

City staff presenter (identified in the transcript as "Mister Ball") told council the work order stems from a previously approved unit-price contract and said the work will replace undersized three-phase conductors from Lowry Road north toward Sequoia School. "The purpose of this work order is to replace undersized overhead electric line from Lowry Road north almost all the way to Sequoia School," the presenter said.

Staff described several budget figures during the discussion. The council had previously allocated $3,000,000 for electric improvements in the fiscal year; staff said materials for the project are about $450,000 and reported a labor contract estimate in the discussion as "1,476,000" (verbal figure). The staff recommendation listed an issuance/payment figure of $476,970.17. Council members questioned the variance in figures; staff replied the project uses unit prices and that the unit-price contract allows the city to address other priorities under the same allocation.

After discussion, staff recommended approval: "Staff recommends approval, issuance of work orders number 001 to Southern Electric Corporation of Mississippi. They're paying $476,970.17," the presenter said. The council moved, seconded and approved the work order in a roll-call vote.

Next steps: staff said existing materials on hand will allow the contractor to begin and the work will proceed under the established unit-price contract. Council noted the approval would enable the city to expand other planned electric upgrades as needed.