Wasilla council approves $333,463 contract for wastewater master plan

The Wasilla City Council approved Resolution 26-28, awarding a $333,463 contract to HDL Engineering Consultants LLC to perform wastewater system GIS mapping, develop a master plan and provide supportive engineering to prepare known replacement projects for construction.

The contract was read into the record by the deputy clerk before Council member Crafton moved to approve the resolution and Council member Cottle seconded. The mayor called for objections; hearing none, she declared the motion passed.

Director Shaw, identified in the meeting as the public works director, told the council the request for proposals sought three tasks: "first is the GIS mapping and building a system of our assets so we can quantify what we have for sewer systems, sewer tanks. Second task is the master planning task, which is funded through the CIP process. And then the third task is supportive engineering" to move projects from planning to construction.

Shaw said tasks 1 and 2 (mapping and planning) are prerequisites for long-term prioritization, while task 3 funds immediate design work on known replacements. Shaw added the city will pursue the tasks concurrently where feasible to accelerate projects out to bid.

The mayor and council clarified the item was for approval, not for a public hearing, before adopting the resolution. The deputy clerk recorded the resolution and staff will proceed with contract execution and project scoping under the city's CIP schedule.

Next steps included initiation of the GIS asset inventory and a timeline for the master-planning effort; the council did not set a separate public hearing on the contract during the meeting.