---
date: 1999-11-18
title: November 18, 1999 Minutes
source: 1999-11/1999-11-18_November 18, 1999_Minutes.pdf
pages: 1
---

November 18, 1999

CITY OF STOCKBRIDGE SPEICAL MEETING
HENRY COUNTY, GEORGIA NOVEMBER 18, 1999

A Special Meeting of the Stockbridge City Council was held October 28, 1999 at 4:30 P. M. Mayor Kelley
presided and members present were Harold Cochran, G. W. Evans, W. A. Gardner, Ronnie Simmons and
Fletcher Turner.

Harold Cochran made a motion to convene; W. A. Gardner seconded, passed unanimously.

Mayor Kelley welcomed guests.

Mayor Kelley informed Council that this meeting was called for the purpose of discussing the groundwater
project, the Rock Quarry Road pump station and the processing of Change Orders.

Bill White, Stevenson & Palmer Engineering, Inc. presented the Council with a list of seven (7) items to be
discussed.

Items one (1) and two (2) concern the Quarry Road Pump Station renovation. Stockbridge is considered a
zero tolerance zone by EPD. Any problem the City may have with a sewerage spill, EPD will come down
hard and fast with no mitigating circumstances to be considered.

The original bid for the Rock Quarry Road pumping station was $72,000. Mr. White purposes to delete the
fixed based backup power generator from the project, with a cost decrease of $21,000.

Alternative 1. The $21,000 would be used with an additional $31,000 to purchase a portable generator to
serve five (5) pump stations with addition of generator receptacle at each pump station. Estimated cost
$52,000.

Alternative 2. Install fixed base generator at each of the five (5) pump stations with automatic transfer switch.
Estimated cost $125,000.

Alternative 3. One portable generator, with receptacles at five (5) stations (as in Alternative 1), plus SCADA
monitoring at the five (5) stations, utilizing Groundwater alarm dialer. Estimated cost $77,000.
Mayor Kelley pointed out that the Council had previously approved the portable generator and adding one
permanent generator each year. Councilman Gardner asked if the portable generator would work on all
the pumping stations. Mr. White responded that the City presently has five (5) pump stations without
emergency power. These pump stations are twenty horsepower or less and one portable generator will
cover five (5) generators.

Under Alternative 3, SCADA is Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. Which means the pumping
stations can be monitored from a remote location. Mr. White estimates the main cost of SCADA to be
$75,000 and will be acquired with the ground water project. A computer, SCADA monitor and computer
monitor to be located at the Public Works Building to monitor the wells when they go on line 24 hours, 7
days a week with an automatic alarm dialer. The City is getting the basic system with the groundwater
project and the system has the capability to add pump station monitoring.

Mayor Kelley asked if this could be done later? Mr. White responded that to make it possible to add the
pump stations to SCADA later, would be to add a groundwater Change Order to make the system capable
to pickup ten pump stations and the wells. SCADA is presently setup to monitor the wells and a software
change order for $6,000 would make it possible to monitor the wells and the pump stations.

Mayor Kelley suggested Mr. White get the exact cost to add the pump stations to the SCADA software to
be discussed at the December meeting. Mr. White stated that what he presented was an estimate on the
generator retrofit and he will have to get the final figures, so the Council is approving the concept and he
will come back with actual costs.

Discussion on Change Orders for Groundwater Project.

Item 3 on Mr. White’s list was Change Order 1, P. F. Moon & Company, Division 1, Well System. Mr. White
told Council that PVC pipe has gotten scarce. There will be a ten (10) to twelve (12) week delay if the City
goes with PVC pipe. The cost to change from PVC to ductile iron for transmission main in wetlands will
increase the cost $14,108. PVC pipe is good pipe but the new pipe is an upgrade. Councilman Gardner
stated that ductile iron pipes should have been used in the wet areas rather than PVC. Mr. White responded
that both pipes are suitable but they went with PVC because it is cheaper. The main reason he is
suggesting the ductile iron pipe at this point is because the PVC is not available. Mayor Kelley said waiting
a few weeks is not a problem. Mr. White pointed out that in one 260’ section, they specified DIP river pipe
for the creek crossing.

Councilman Simmons asked if the contractor could work on other areas and work around this particular
section while the PVC is on order? The contractor is anxious to do the river crossing before the winter rains
and the HDPE is available.

A.J.Welch commented that the contractor is responsible for providing materials. He cannot charge the City
for picking up at one location and moving to another. The reason it is so important to the contractor to cross
the river now while the river is low because it will be cheaper.

Mr. White stated that the river-crossing pipe specified in the bid was for 220 feet and he measured with the
contractor last week and now it appears to be 260 feet. All pipe the jobs are bid on unit price, so if the
water comes up and now we need to go 260 feet of river pipe because the swamp is wider, we need to go
300 or 400 feet. Mayor Kelley said he did not believe that when you bid on a job that you can come back
and say the creek is wider than when we measured it. Mr. White said that was standard procedure on unit
price contracts. A. J. Welch said it was to the contractor’s advantage to go ahead and install the pipe. If it
is a unit price, it’s going to be whatever the unit is. If the engineers measured and it extends further than
this measurement does the engineers have any responsibility? No response.

Mayor Kelley recommended that Mr. White get the measurements and exact cost for the Council’s
consideration. Mr. White explained the installation of pipe across the river and why the cost varies at certain
times depending on the amount of rain and the width of the river. If they had told each contractor that you
have to cross that river no matter how wide it is and bid a lump sum price, every contractor will cover
themselves and you would end up with a real high price. As it turned out we agreed to pay the actual
footage, which is fail to the contractor and the City.

Stevenson & Palmer inspectors will do exact measurements. Pipeline work is standard to use unit pricing.
The bid price is estimated and you pay for what is actually installed.

Mr. Welch pointed out that we have had a lot of problems with pressure PVC pipe. HDPE is a high-density
polyethylene pipe. There are three types of HDPE pipe and only one is available and it is the higher version
of the three HDPE pipes. Mr. White stated that ductile iron would cost less than HDPE except at the river
crossing. PVC is easier to install and cheaper. There was a lot of discussion regarding the pros and cons
of the different types of pipe that could be used and the labor costs. Mr. Welch pointed out that if the
contract is one the City is suppose to supply the materials or have something done that the City has not
done, and the contractor has to pickup and move, he is entitled to a relocation charge. But under this
contract, this is his responsibility. If the contractor wants to move quickly and get across the creek, then he
should be able to find some ductile iron pipe or HDPE pipe, seal them off and then go back in the swamp
when he gets the other pipe and extend it on. Now is the best time to get the work done across the creek
and he would save money by doing it now.

Mr. White advised Council that at the pre-construction conference it was discussed about the pipe and we
might consider another pipe material and the engineers have not gotten back with the contractor regarding
this matter. The contractor is waiting direction and may ask for a 30 day extension.

Bill White said in summary, if the contractor wants to put in HDPE in the river so he can proceed, that will
be cheaper.

Mayor Kelley said to leave the original contract like it is and if he wants to upgrade the pipe at no additional
costs because he picking up something for himself, that’s an engineering decision that will be very easy for
Mr. White to make. It’s an upgrade, but as long as it does not cost the City any money, that is O.K. It is a
business decision the Contractor has to make and an engineering decision not a money decision that
comes before the Council. If it meets the criteria, specifications and base price.

Ronnie Simmons made a motion; G. W. Evans seconded, passed unanimously.

Item 4, Groundwater Project, MacBa Sewer & Pipeline, Inc., Division 2, transmission main, confirm change
order to relocate main to avoid utilities, reducing contract $12,560. Mayor Kelley pointed out that this
change order was approved at a previous meeting.

Item 5, Groundwater Project, Caldwell Tank, Division 3, Elevated Tank. DOT requested changes on the
driveway and a culvert pipe under the driveway. The cost is $2,129.

Ronnie Simmons made a motion to approve; Fletcher Turner seconded, passed unanimously.

Item 6, Mr. White discussed Change Orders for these projects. He requested the Council consider a fixed
amount to allow change orders with Mayor approval. If a change order does not exceed 1% of the total
contract or an accumulative amount that does not exceed 5% of the total contract amount, the Mayor can
approve.

Ronnie Simmons made a motion to approve authorizing Mayor to approve change order, not to exceed 1%
of the total contract or an accumulative amount that does not exceed 5% of the total amount; G. W. Evans
seconded, passed unanimously.
Item 7, GEFA drawndown for payment of contractors to be approved by the Mayor and City Council each
month.

The replacement of a fireline meter for Nova Hill Apartments received only one bid from JHC Corporation
in the amount of $49,600. Cary Melton, Superintendent, and Ted Strickland, City Manager, are in
agreement that this bid is too high. They have discussed this project with Henry County Water Authority
and they will assist the City in the replacement of this meter.

Ronnie Simmons recommended denial of the bid; Fletcher Turner seconded, passed unanimously.

Harold Cochran made a motion to adjourn; W. A. Gardner seconded, passed unanimously. Meeting
adjourned at 5:45 P. M.

Respectfully submitted,

Merle Manders, CMC R. G.
Kelley
City Clerk
Mayor
