Town Manager’s Report, March 9, 2023

Update on Splashpad Bidding

We have been in contact with Nathan Brown of Barrington Landscape Architecture on the Splash Pad and have met several times. The last piece of information he needed from us were some locations and elevations of sewer lines and manholes at the property. We gave him that information the first / middle of February.

I had hoped all the specifications could have been put together and the project bid in February so I could have presented the results to Council in March. However, we were unable to meet that goal. You have an email thread between Nathan and I attached. He indicates that he has still not received the redesign of the additional water feature zones from a company called Rain Deck. He hopes to get that information by the first of March, as the email indicated.

Hopefully, this all this information can be gathered and put in a bid package this month, with Council receiving the bids at the April meeting. I believe we are looking at a 90 day bid schedule for Substantial Completion. If started in April that would put us in the July timeline for Substantial, or hopefully within the season this year.

Bids on Water and Sewer Infrastructure at Pathway Park

As we discussed last month, Smyth County had received approximately $1,200,000 to improve the infrastructure in Pathway Park (the old American Furniture Plant site). The money came from the Tobacco Commission and the GoVirginia program. Draper Aden, Inc. of Blacksburg assisted the County in developing specifications for water and sewer improvements and the project was bid and advertised. On February 16 the bids were due.

Only one bidder submitted – Carolina Grading and Utilities of Jefferson North Carolina. Their bid was $426,000. You have a bid sheet in your agenda. An addendum was included after the County and Draper Aden conferred with our staff and included cleaning and relining 1,000 feet of sewer line and four manholes. Our staff knew after observation that this sewer pipe going to our sewer treatment plant was partially full of old glue from American Furniture. Carolina Grading put the bid in for replacing, which was not compliant and was rejected. Another bid will be submitted for the cleaning and relining. The bid is within the budget, as I understand. The balance of the money will be used for other improvements including road access, etc.

You also have attached a plat I approved showing a division of the property. It is my understanding that the property had to be transferred to a newly created Pathway Regional Industrial Facilities Authority (RIFA) involving Bland County, I believe. The Smyth County Economic Development Authority transferred 68.92 acres to RIFA but kept .34 acres, which is what the new plat is in reference to. The .34 acres contains a well that is rated several hundred gallons a minute. That water could be used for non-potable purposes and makes the site more marketable.

Beginning of Construction on Chlorine Contact Tanks / Closure of Mill Creek Regional Water Treatment (WTP) During Construction / Effects on Smyth County

Follow the Mill Creek water plant and the WCSA 12 reports, February 2022 to October 2025

As we have discussed earlier Mid Atlantic Storage System will soon be working at the WTP to begin work on the two chlorine contact tanks. I have attached some pictures of the company mobilizing for the job. This will necessitate having to operate only one of the two on site tanks for approximately 150 days to 180 days. This will reduce the production of the plant to no higher than approximately 830 gallons per minute, or 1.1 million gallons per day. Almost all of that water will be coming to our system, not the Washington County Service (WCSA).

The Town Staff and the WCSA did a test run mid-month to test both our system and the WCSA’s (particularly their eastern part) to see the effects of running off one tank. Our system operated very well. The WCSA is tweaking some things after experiencing some issue on the eastern part of their system, which will necessitate them taking more water from the WCSA’s plant Below Abingdon.

Another issue arose, with taking the Mill Creek Plant off line, occurred the week of February 20 when the Smyth County system had a line and valve blow out that virtually emptied all their tanks in their region north and east of Chilhowie to near Highway 16 at Hungry Mother Park. We were able to resupply the County with their needs in about a 24 hour period (as an aside I sent you a video of the Board of Supervisors Meeting on February 24 where the Board and Staff praised the Town for its efforts). When our Mill Creek WTP tank work starts, if that situation occurs again, it will be impossible to resupply Smyth County completely again. Resupplying from the Town of Marion will be there only option.

To that plan for that emergency contingencies, particularly for Smyth County’s customers, the Town staff set up a meeting with WCSA and Smyth County on March 2. A large group representing the County including County Administrator Shawn Utt, WCSA Acting General Manager Ron Seay and his staff, and our staff were present. We wanted to make sure all parties involved knew of the situation of the Mill Creek plant construction in person, and that the County will have to draw off the Town of Marion for regular supply or emergency supply during that time.

After that water supply issue was discussed, the Smyth County staff left and the WCSA and Town personnel discussed the Mill Creek Contact Tanks Replacement project itself. I have previously discussed the financing of the $1.3 million project with you. The first tank will be going off line in the next couple of weeks and is slated to be done by May 9. The work on the second tank is slated to begin then and completed by the first of August. Council will receive monthly pay requests for approval for the project beginning in April.

Letters to the Smyth County Board of Supervisors Requesting funding for Fiscal 2023-24

You have in your agenda packet two letters dated February 6 and 7 addressed to County Administrator Shawn Utt requesting funding for 2023-24. One was for Fire / Emergency Medical (EMS) funding and one was for recreational / Special Events Funding.

For Fire / EMS we asked for an increase on the current County allotment of $250,000 to $396,000. This additional funding would be used for up to three new positions in the department and 50% funding for the new fire trucks. The County has really improved funding for our department, as well as other departments in the County. Just a few short years ago years ago the County was paying only $50,000 on Fire and EMS. They are recognizing the importance of the service, and the County’s role in it. The Town’s Department traditionally answers about 65% of the calls outside the Town corporate limits.

For Recreation / Special Services we asked for $50,000, from the current $10,000. That is what the Town of Marion is receiving. We believe we serve a comparable number of youth that Marion does, PLUS we compete with other localities, including Saltville for our youth sports. Marion would only agree to compete regionally for girls’ basketball (but only at home). They were going to compete in boys’ basketball, home only, but they cancelled that at the start of the season.