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Ward council awards sidewalk contract, approves water-planning work and doubles meter order amid building boom
Summary
Council accepted a low bid for phase four of the Safe Routes to Schools sidewalk project, authorized an updated master water plan, and approved purchases including handheld radios and water meters (the meter order was amended to double quantity). TAP funds and state Act 833 funds will cover parts of the projects.
The Ward City Council on Oct. 21 approved several infrastructure and equipment items intended to support planned growth and ongoing maintenance.
Sidewalks: The council accepted Worooster Construction Company as the low bidder for phase four of the Ward Safe Routes to Schools sidewalk project and authorized the mayor and clerk to execute contract documents. Staff said $276,000 in Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding is available for the project; after the lower-than-expected bid the local share is approximately $55,000 subject to ARDOT’s adjustment of grant participation.
Water planning and meters: Council authorized Bond Engineering to prepare an updated master water plan with 10-, 15- and 25-year projections. Separately, the council approved a resolution to purchase water meters and meter transceiver units to replenish stock for rapid new-construction demand. After discussion about processing roughly 25 building permits in a single recent week and a surge in installations, the council amended the meter purchase to double the quantity; staff estimated that change would add about $6,320 to the purchase order.
Other equipment and street projects: The council approved purchase of five handheld AWIN radios using Act 833 state funds to replace outdated units, ratified a one-vehicle purchase for the fire department and approved engagement with Bond Engineering for street overlay and city hall parking-lot design. The council also authorized disposal of obsolete water/wastewater vehicles via sealed bids and approved the retirement and transfer of police K9 Harmon to handler Shawn Barber (purchase documented as $1 to preserve records per council amendment).
Funding and next steps Staff said ARDOT will recalculate grant participation after the low bid on sidewalks; a final contract will reflect ARDOT’s adjustments. For meters, staff will place the order and monitor lead times; council authorized the amended purchase so work can proceed without delay.
Quotes On meters and permits, staff said the city processed "25 building permits last week alone" and that doubling the meter order should cover roughly eight weeks of demand.
The council scheduled follow-ups where appropriate and directed staff to return with finalized contract documents and project timelines.
