Albany utility board recommends $1.5 million trimming renewal, approves emergency sewer repair and equipment purchase

The Albany Utility Board on Feb. 13 approved a package of recommendations for the City Commission and authorized staff to proceed with several operational contracts and purchases.

Staff told the board they would piggyback on a statewide solicitation to award a one-year pole-inspection contract, not to exceed $75,000, to Southwest Pole Inspectors to inspect eight of 10 circuits this fiscal year. "This is just for a one-year contract or not to exceed $75,000," a procurement staff member said, adding the work is expected to start in March and finish before July 1.

Curtin, the project presenter, described the inspection work as part of the utility’s corrective pole plan: "they go out and actually inspect the poles and do a visual inspection and also some sounding and boring to check the thickness to know what poles we have to replace as part of the corrective pole program," he said.

The board authorized staff to enter the one-year contract by roll call vote.

In the meeting’s largest procurement recommendation, staff asked the board to recommend that the City Commission renew a right-of-way trimming contract with WA Kendall at an amount presented as $1,498,398.72. Staff said WA Kendall agreed to limit its unit-price increase to a 2.4% CPI adjustment from last year and that piggybacking off the Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) statewide contract expedited procurement. Deputy operations staff said moving to a six-year trimming cycle has reduced vegetation-related outages and that WA Kendall has exceeded mileage targets in past years.

Board members pressed staff on how many circuit miles the contract would cover; staff said WA Kendall has been trimming about 120–145 miles a year on average and that roughly 12–14 circuits remain untrimmed in the current inventory.

The board voted to recommend the WA Kendall trimming renewal to the City Commission.

Sewer staff also presented an emergency repair after a cave-in on 2nd Avenue Alley. They described a collapsed pipe and recommended pipe-bursting and HDPE replacement to minimize disturbance to adjacent properties. Staff gave an estimated contract cost of about $233,880 and said bypass pumping and associated costs (reported separately at roughly $20,000–$35,000 and $5,000/week for pumping) would be required. The board moved and voted to recommend the contract with Jim Boyd Construction to the City Commission.

Finally, the board recommended that the city approve purchase of a 6x4 grader/excavator for stormwater/public works at a cost the presenter stated as $587,305.12 to replace an 18-year-old unit. Staff explained the piece of equipment’s utility for cleaning ditches, setting grades and reducing manual labor; they also noted warranty limits and higher maintenance for certain hydraulic components. The board voted to recommend the purchase to the City Commission.

Votes at a glance - Pole-inspection contract (Southwest Pole Inspectors): authorize staff to enter one-year contract, not to exceed $75,000 — Board vote: approved by roll call. - Right-of-way trimming (recommendation to City Commission, WA Kendall): $1,498,398.72 — Board vote: approved by roll call. - Emergency sewer repair (recommendation to City Commission, Jim Boyd Construction): ~ $233,880 (plus bypass pumping costs) — Board vote: approved by roll call. - 6x4 grader/excavator purchase (stormwater): $587,305.12 — Board vote: approved by roll call.

What’s next These actions are recommendations on items that exceed the utility board’s $200,000 spending authority; final contract awards and the equipment purchase require City Commission approval. Sewer staff said further inspection and costing will follow for the larger Area B sewer collapse discussed later in the meeting.

Reporting note: dollar figures, vendor names and the contract terms above reflect the wording and figures presented by staff at the Feb. 13 meeting; any final contract awards or price adjustments will appear in subsequent City Commission records.