Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Wastewater topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Athens council authorizes $25.78M for wastewater plant upgrades, approves related engineering contracts and several city measures
Summary
The council authorized a $25,778,600 contract for wastewater treatment plant phase 1 upgrades, approved $1,222,940 in engineering services, passed budget amendments and several ordinances, and authorized a TAP sidewalks grant application and a right-of-way administration ordinance.
The Athens City Council on May 11 authorized a package of measures to advance wastewater infrastructure and other city priorities, including a $25,778,600 authorization for wastewater treatment plant (WTP) phase 1 upgrades and a $1,222,940 engineering contract.
Council approved a resolution authorizing an unbudgeted capital expenditure of $25,778,600 to fund WTP phase 1 upgrades, funded by water services capital reserves and bond proceeds, and authorized the water services director to enter into a contract with BH Craig Construction Company. Councilman Cesy said the project was planned when the city went to the bond market in 2023–24 and credited staff for securing favorable bids.
The council also approved $1,222,940 for Ardura Group to provide construction-related engineering services during the upgrades, including contractor submittal review, inspection, system testing, pay request certifications, troubleshooting and system startup. Councilwoman Henry said the engineering contract is the necessary "engineering side" of the project.
Other actions taken by the council included:
- Passing midyear FY2026 budget amendments for the water and wastewater department to align appropriations with ongoing work.
- Approving the TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) application for FY2027 to construct accessible sidewalks on the west side of U.S. Highway 31 from Hob Street to Forest Street; the application requests $1,000,000 (federal portion $800,000) with the city committing $337,437.40 in matching and non-eligible costs if the grant is awarded.
- Adopting a new right-of-way construction and administration ordinance (Chapter 74) to formalize permitting, standards, and coordination for work in city rights-of-way; staff said the ordinance will help manage increasing occupancy of rights-of-way as Athens grows.
- Approving a one-time $25,000 appropriation to the Athens Limestone Tourism Association to support the Red, White, and Boom festival marking America's 250th anniversary, funded by a $2,500 Alabama 250 grant and $22,500 from private community contributions.
Mayor Marks and staff provided background on the WTP upgrades during an earlier presentation, describing decades of phased plant construction and the need to update processes, add redundancy, and increase resiliency. City staff said the overall upgrade work is expected to take roughly 24 months and will be paid from both bond proceeds and the capital improvements fund.
Votes and next steps: Council suspended rules where required and approved each measure by roll call, with all recorded council votes in the transcript recorded as affirmative. The water services director and engineering staff will proceed with contracting and construction administration under the city-authorized funding plan.
