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Fort Smith board authorizes sewer easements for consent-decree projects and accepts change order saving about $1 million
Summary
City directors approved several sewer utility and temporary construction easements tied to consent-decree work, authorized staff to pursue eminent domain if negotiations fail, and accepted a contractor change order and final payment for a consent-decree project that staff said reduced the contract by just over $1,000,000 and cut the schedule by 56 days; votes were unanimous.
The Fort Smith City Board of Directors approved multiple easements and construction-related actions tied to ongoing consent-decree sewer work, and accepted a contract change order that staff said reduced project cost by roughly $1 million.
Under Item 2, council members approved acquisition of permanent sewer easements for three properties (total cost presented as approximately $5,640) as part of consent-decree work. Todd Michie, the city's new Director of Engineering, said the easements are required for sanitary sewer improvements and that staff would answer questions. Director Neil Martin asked whether the resolution, if negotiations are unsuccessful, authorized staff to pursue eminent domain; city staff responded that either section 2 or section 3 of the resolution authorizes the city administrator and city attorney to initiate eminent-domain proceedings if negotiations fail, and staff said the board would be notified should that step be necessary. The motion passed by roll-call vote 7-0.
Board later approved a temporary construction easement listed at $150 and an additional set of permanent and temporary easements totaling $8,929.40 for a separate consent-decree project; both measures passed 7-0.
Items 5 and 6 addressed contract adjustments and final payment for project 23-19-C2 with Vortex/Vortech Services. Staff described change order No. 1 as reducing the contract by just over $1,000,000 and removing 56 days from the completion schedule. Engineering staff explained field conditions that led to the work, including root intrusion into aging concrete sewer pipe and the need to replace an old brick manhole with concrete; the engineering director said crews cleaned root intrusion to prepare for a pipe-bursting operation and that in-house repairs saved money that passed through to the contract savings. "As is typical in gravity sanitary sewer lines... hydrogen sulfide gases eat away at the gap and roots can intrude into the pipes," the Director of Engineering said, explaining why the additional scopes were necessary. The board accepted the change order and authorized final payment; both votes were recorded 7-0.
What happens next: Staff will proceed with easement acquisitions and continue construction under the consent-decree schedule. The board also directed staff to notify the board if negotiations over easements require eminent-domain action.
