Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Landslde Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Astoria approves $901,875 in grants and $698,960 construction contract to reduce landslide risk
Summary
Council established a new fund to accept FEMA and Business Oregon grants totaling $901,875 for pre-disaster landslide and storm-drainage work and authorized a $698,960 contract to SLE Inc. with an additional $178,915 in contingency to cover unforeseen conditions.
The Astoria City Council on Aug. 5 approved grant funding and a construction contract aimed at reducing landslide risk in historically unstable hillsides.
City Manager Scott Spence told the council the city secured FEMA and Business Oregon grant dollars totaling $901,875 to address two priority slide areas. The council voted to establish a new fund (Fund 198) to receive and track those dollars and then approved a budget amendment to appropriate the funds.
Project engineer John Edwards (participating remotely) described the work as a combination of replacing aging clay pipes with welded HDP jointless pipe, adding inlet structures and infiltration drains, and repairing roadway sections where movement has caused distress. "We're putting in some new inlet structures... adding infiltration drains," Edwards said, explaining that the intent is to move groundwater into pipes and out to the river to reduce slide susceptibility.
When bids were opened, SLE Incorporated was the lowest qualified bidder at $698,960. Council authorized the city manager to award a construction contract to SLE contingent upon receiving no protests to the notice of intent to award and approved use of $178,915 in remaining grant funds to account for unforeseen conditions and additional quantities.
Public works staff characterized this as a pilot effort toward a multi-site program: staff estimates the larger program to address more locations could cost multiple millions over time, but this initial work is intended to demonstrate methods and trigger additional funding.
The motions to establish Fund 198, appropriate $901,875, award the contract to SLE for $698,960, and approve the contingency passed with council support. Work is expected to proceed after the procurement protest period closes and standard contracting requirements are satisfied.
