Sewer plant update: engineers report work on plant and Locust Street; contractors submit large payment requests

Engineers from BFS updated the Middletown Town Council on ongoing wastewater-plant improvements and on repair work on Locust Street, and the council recorded contractor invoices and a large first payment request.

Matt Spidel of BFS briefed the council on the status of sewer-plant work and the Locust Street sewer repair. Tim Mundell presented a BFS invoice for engineering services tied to the wastewater-plant improvements in the amount of $17,800 and a first request for payment from Yarberry Landscape Excavating Co. for Locust Street sewer work in the amount of $240,821.94; both items were entered into the minutes for council consideration. The clerk also noted that a single bid for the INDOT Community Crossings Grant 2019 was received from E & B Paving for $257,672.15; that bid was turned over to BFS for review.

Councilors discussed budget implications: Mundell reported the Sewer Fund was down roughly $4,000 and recommended removing the summer-sprinkling discount effective July 15 to boost sewer revenue. The council approved that measure and directed the clerk/treasurer to prepare a handout describing exceptions for pool owners.

The minutes do not record a formal contract award or detailed vote on payments or construction contracts; the INDOT bid was referred to engineers for further review and the payment requests were presented to the council for the record. Next steps recorded in the minutes include engineer review of the E & B Paving bid and administrative follow-up to process invoices and the Yarberry payment request.