Council approves additional sewer repair expense

It did not make any sense to spend all that money to replace the sewer lines on the Locust Street project to connect it to 600 feet of sewer line that needed replacement, Nevada City Manager Harlan Moore, told the city council during a special meeting at 8:30 Tuesday morning; and so, "I made an executive decision to have Rosette Construction go ahead and replace that sewer line as well," Moore said before the council voted 3-0 to approve the expense.

He told the council that the additional sewer line was located in heavy underbrush -- a difficulty of which no one was aware until they got close to it.

Moore said that Rosette agreed to replace the additional sewer line at the same price per foot as they bid for the rest of the project and they would like to be paid the $36,000 for the additional work they had done.

Moore told the council that the rest of the project was to be paid for through the State Revolving Fund, and although this could be paid the same way, he would like to pay for this work from the city's general fund, which has the money available to cover the expenses.

In response to a question from council member Jayne Novak, he said that the cost was less than if Rosette or another company had been hired to replace just the additional 600 feet of sewer line.

Tuesday's special council meeting was one of the consequences of only having three council members left after the resignations of Joyce Wilson and Tim Wells earlier this summer. With only three votes available the council cannot treat anything as an emergency ordinance and hold the first and second readings at the same council meeting. Passing all ordinances will require two separate council meetings at least seven days apart.

In other business, the council:

* Voted 3-0 to pass on first reading a special ordinance approving clarification number 1 to addendum one to development agreement No. 5 for Lakewood Village and the mutual release between the parties involved. This ordinance also accepted the dedication of the streets and other infrastructure in the project, originally known as the Acorn Televillage, and now called Marmaduke Estates Phase 1.

* Voted 3-0 to pass on first reading a special ordinance approving a $38,405 contract with Jeffries Plumbing, Lamar, for HVAC installation and services for the City Hall.

* Voted 3-0 to approve the purchase of two low-mileage Crown Victorias for $6,900 for the Police Department, and the purchase of a used Dodge Caravan for $6,400. Moore said that the minivan would be for Mark Mitchell, the city's IT director, to use while he is working on the city's IT equipment, instead of his personal vehicle.