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Lancaster board awards Siebert Road culvert contract after multiyear delays
Summary
The Lancaster Town Board voted Nov. 3 to award the Siebert Road culvert replacement to L.J. Quigliano II Inc. for $359,197.52 after multi-year delays caused by state environmental reviews and wetland-rule changes; the project will be paid from capital project 90229-400 and uses a New York State grant that covers the bulk of costs.
The Lancaster Town Board on Nov. 3 approved a $359,197.52 contract to L.J. Quigliano II Inc. to replace the culvert at Siebert (Seabert) Road, a project officials said was delayed for years while the town navigated state contracting and environmental-review requirements.
Ed Schiller, the town's consulting engineer, told the board that the town secured a New York State culvert grant that covered 100% of the construction cost this cycle but that the project was held up while the town waited for a contract with the state and for environmental sign-offs after wetland regulation changes that went into effect Jan. 1. "The DEC and the Army Corps signed off this spring," Schiller said, explaining the project could not proceed until those approvals were complete.
During the public comment period, resident Greg Soika pressed the town for clarity about the delay. "The town of Lancaster had all their paperwork turned in for this project, and the delay was because of the New York State DEC because of the change in flood plain and water laws. Is that correct?" he asked. The board responded that those regulatory changes were a key factor and that the awarded bid should save the town hundreds of thousands compared with earlier estimates.
Resident Tom Sweeney asked how long a culvert typically lasts and whether the town had traced responsibility for the original installation. Schiller answered that life span varies by material (concrete can last 40 years; metal less) and that the hole in the Siebert culvert appeared to be a structural failure related to the materials used; he said town records did not provide a clear accountability trail for the original installation.
The resolution awarding the bid specifies payment from capital project 90229-400 and authorizes the supervisor to sign the contract when required documents and insurance certificates are in order. The motion passed by roll call vote; the board directed staff to move quickly on contracting and said construction will proceed once paperwork is complete.
Next steps: the supervisor said the town will finalize the contract upon receipt and approval of required documentation and begin construction scheduling once the contractor is mobilized.
