Yough Sanitary Authority waiting for contractor
VANDERBILT – The Yough Sanitary Authority is still waiting for contractors to begin an $11.1 million wastewater collection, conveyance, pumping and treatment project in portions of two Fayette County boroughs and three townships. And, according to Marie Hartman, Widmer project engineer, it’s anyone’s guess when the dirt will begin to fly.
“The contractors have one year from Sept. 10, 2006, to complete the project,” she said. “If they don’t complete it in that amount of time they would be subject to liquidated damages, which means that the authority could charge them a penalty for each day that the project isn’t completed.”
Hartman told the authority board Monday that she has requested the project schedule, list of subcontractors and shop drawing submittals from Shallenberger Construction Co., Inc. of Connellsville, Port Vue Plumbing Inc. of McKeesport and A-1 Electric Inc. of Venetia but hasn’t heard a word from them.
She additionally said that the matter would be discussed with Barbara J. McMillen, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) loan specialist, and authority solicitor Richard Husband.
Authority member Robert Lind said he was told that Shallenberger is too busy with other jobs to begin the project and suggested that Shallenberger might subcontract the job.
Hartman said Shallenberger is within his right to subcontract the job out; however, the subcontractor would have to be someone the authority is familiar with and would approve.
“We would first have to approve the subcontractor and the cost would have to be the same as what we would have paid Shallenberger,” said Hartman. “The wages were already set, but the first thing we need to do is approve all of the shop drawings before they can get started.”
The project is expected to take in Dawson and Vanderbilt boroughs and portions of Dunbar, Lower Tyrone and Franklin townships.
Shallenberger received two contracts to install the sewer lines and accessory objects associated with the project under Contract A that includes Vanderbilt Borough and Dunbar and Franklin townships’ sanitary sewer system. That portion of the contract is expected to cost $3,947,782.50.
Under Contract B, Shallenberger would be required to complete work on the Dawson Borough and Lower Tyrone Township sewer system at a cost of $2,455,357.35.
Port Vue Plumbing received Contract C, which is the general construction of the wastewater treatment plant, the River Road pumping station and Hollow Road pumping station in the amount of 2,666,000.
A-1 Electric is responsible for Contract D that includes the electrical construction for the wastewater treatment facility and the River Road pumping station and the Hollow Road pumping station. A-1 will receive $346,500 for that work.
In other unrelated matters, the board discussed allowing residents to pay the reduced (from (900 to $800) tap-in fee until March 1.
After that the fee will return to $900. Once the system is operational, residents will be required to pay a user fee set at $45 per month.