North Wilkesboro approves tentative award and engineering amendment for joint water intake project

The North Wilkesboro Board of Commissioners on Jan. 22 approved a tentative award of contracts and an amendment to engineering services for a joint raw-water intake and pipeline project with Wilkesboro.

Jared Wright of McGill Associates presented the recommendation for tentative award for Contract A (raw water intake) and Contract B (raw water line), saying negotiations reduced the contract cost by $265,000. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the tentative award and to approve Engineering Services Amendment #1.

The presentation laid out key budget and scope figures: design and bidding costs of $910,000; North Wilkesboro’s share of Contract A listed at $7,439,950 (the apparent low bidder for Contract A was reported as over $16 million); Contract B, a 15,000-linear-foot run of 20-inch water line, was listed at $9,204,257; construction-phase services were listed at $1,165,094.49; funding administration at $60,000; and a contingency of $249,663.11. McGill’s materials put the combined joint project cost for Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro at $28,984,889.

Commissioner Michael Parsons moved to approve the tentative award; Commissioner Kristopher Hurley seconded the motion, which passed 5-0. Commissioner Sandra Espin moved to approve the engineering amendment; Commissioner Parsons seconded and the motion also passed unanimously.

Commissioners described the intake as a long-term, generational infrastructure project. Parsons called it “one of the biggest steps forward the town has taken,” and Commissioner Andrew Palmer said it creates a stronger linkage between the two communities. Palmer also suggested marking the milestone with a time capsule for the America 250 celebration on July 4.

Next steps noted by presenters and staff include formal approvals by the Division of Water Infrastructure and Loan review by the Local Government Commission; the tentative award is conditioned on those approvals.