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An evaluation of the water main infrastructure and surrounding area at W. 26th Street and Avenue A revealed a need to repair and extend a water main. The Scottsbluff City Council authorized a resolution for an emergency water main repair and extension at 26th Street and Avenue A during Monday’s regular council meeting.
Interim city manager Kevin Spencer told the council about the need to declare the emergency.
“We have a water leak up at the intersection so we need to declare this an emergency,” Spencer told the council. “Crews have mobilized and they are getting ready to start the work right now. The state has approved it and it will extend our water main.”
Within the ordinance it states that the city staff is not equipped to make the necessary repairs, from a safety or construction standpoint. Due to the scope of the repair and extension of the water main, the city feels like a contractor’s assistance is required. It also states the repair and extension of the main creates a danger to residents in the area and city infrastructure. Due to the state of the main, the city ordinance states, “An emergency exists because the repair and extension of the water main creates a threat to public safety.”
After soliciting an evaluation of the site and scope of the repair from Hennings Construction, the engineer quoted the city $78,633.86. The council accepted the proposal amount. The project will be paid with money in the water contingency fund.
Council member Nathan Green asked about the cause of the leak and any other areas of concern they need to get ahead of before another leak. Spencer said he thought the leak was due to the age of the pipe.
“In this particular area by extending the water main, we’ll solve the problems in that area,” he said.
The council also heard from Starr Lehl, economic development director about an economic development assistance agreement with Fusion Ranch Inc.
Fusion Ranch is expanding its business, located at 250521 Skyport Dr. in Scottsbluff. The expansion includes a need for capital upgrades to the existing facilities to support future job creation. They plan to purchase a packaging machine and a slicer.
The proposed grant would be for $300,000, representing the addition of 10 employees. This is a forgivable note which may be repaid according to the terms of the agreement. There is also a loan for $200,000 that will be repaid to the city in monthly payments, starting on Nov. 1 over the next 120 months. Interest will begin accruing on Oct. 1.
“The recommendation from the committee is $500,000 of assistance,” Lehl told the council. “Three hundred thousand dollars would be in the form of a forgivable loan based on job creation and then a $200,000 loan they would pay back.”
Lehl noted how successful the business has been since its owners first approached the economic development committee in Oct. 2011.
“They came to us in October 2011 when they first established their business out by the airport and then again in December of 2014,” she said. “The first one was $110,000 and the second one was $200,000, both forgivable based on job creation, plus a $225,000 loan.”
That original loan will be paid off in October, Lehl said.
The council approved the request.
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Lauren Brant is a digital editor with the Star-Herald. She can be reached at lauren.brant@starherald.com.
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