Richmond Sanitary District approves $973,222 design contract for Chester Boulevard interceptor; board OKs equipment purchases

The Richmond Sanitary District Board of Commissioners on May 26 approved a contract with Commonwealth Engineers not to exceed $973,222 to produce final design, permitting and bidding services for the Chester Boulevard Interceptor Phase 3 and North Richmond collection‑system improvements project.

Board members heard from staff that the work — scoped from the district’s long‑term control plan and informed by a recent hydraulic model update — would extend or replace gravity sewer and construct deeper sections to eliminate several lift stations, including crossings of the interstate and two rivers. Staff said roughly 89.8% of the design cost will be covered by sewer funds, with the remainder paid from stormwater funds.

"This is work that would basically replace or extend a gravity sewer ... and eliminate a couple lift stations," the district director said during the presentation, describing the project as part of the long‑term control plan.

The motion to enter the agreement was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote. The board approved the contract unanimously.

In the same meeting the board approved several procurement items that staff described as routine replacements or maintenance: a parking lot milling and repaving quote for the billing office to Hoskins Paving and Excavating of Liberty, Indiana for $17,900; the purchase of a new easement machine from Southeastern Equipment of Indianapolis, including optional upgrades, for $81,162.42; and a 2026 Ford F‑550 service truck and body from Wetzel Ford of Richmond for $137,486. Each of those recommendations was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

During the director’s report staff presented backlog monthly reports (January–April) and said overall operations are tracking near five‑year averages. The director explained that "loads" and "tons" can diverge in a given month — for example, commercial and special pickup loads can vary while total tons remain closer to trend — and noted the landfill saw elevated activity during 2020–21 when household cleanouts spiked.

On recycling, staff said the district experienced intermittent sort‑line downtime and temporarily shipped four unsorted bales to the contractor under the existing contract while repairs were completed. "We did bail a few bales there just so that we could have enough room inside the building to dump new oncoming recyclables from our routes," the director said, and staff expect to move away from internal sorting by the end of the year after contract adjustments.

The meeting also approved routine minutes and invoices for the Sanitary Board and, after adjournment of the sanitary session, the Storm Water Management Board convened and approved its own minutes and invoices. The stormwater board also approved the stormwater share of the Commonwealth Engineers agreement; staff recorded the stormwater share at about 10.2% during that presentation.

Votes at a glance: the board approved (1) May 12, 2026 minutes, (2) invoices from check dates May 8 and 15, 2026, (3) parking lot repair to Hoskins Paving and Excavating ($17,900), (4) easement machine to Southeastern Equipment ($81,162.42), (5) service truck to Wetzel Ford of Richmond ($137,486), and (6) the Commonwealth Engineers contract (not to exceed $973,222). All motions carried by voice vote.

The sanitary board adjourned and turned the meeting over to the Storm Water Management Board, which immediately called its May 26 meeting to order and approved the same Commonwealth Engineers agreement for its share of the project costs. No public comment or dissenting votes were recorded in the transcript.