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Ogdensburg lawmakers to borrow $370K for sewer rehab

Posted 3/10/15

By JIMMY LAWTON OGDENSBURG -- City Council will borrow $370,000 to finance its rehabilitation of its combined sewer overflow weirs in order to meet state regulations. On Monday councilors agreed to …

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Ogdensburg lawmakers to borrow $370K for sewer rehab

Posted

By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG -- City Council will borrow $370,000 to finance its rehabilitation of its combined sewer overflow weirs in order to meet state regulations.

On Monday councilors agreed to proceed with the bond, to cover the cost of engineering and construction for the project, which must be complete by November.

Council also passed a resolution to hire Continental Construction, Gouverneur, to perform the work. The city will pay $298,563 for that service.

The additional borrowed funds will cover engineering and contingency costs, according to City Comptroller Philip Cosmo.

Mayor William Nelson said the construction will allow the city to meet state regulations.

This is the second phase of a long-term control plan developed by GHD Consulting Engineers.

Councilor Dan Skamperle voted against both borrowing the funds and hiring the contractor. He said the required project is another example of the state’s unfunded mandates, and suggested the city should make a stand.

“It’s a scam,” he said.

Nelson said that he agreed the state often imposes unfunded mandates, but said he was pleased the city was able to come up with a plan estimated roughly $6 million. He said the original estimate was near $70 million.

The final phase of the control plan involves is expected to cost $3.5 million. It involves construction of an overflow storage facility.

The city began engineering on the plan in 2011.