Council Approves Bids For Drainage, Bridge

FARMINGTON — Farmington City Council last week accepted a low bid of more than $250,000 for drainage improvements in the Southwinds and Rainsong subdivisions.

Council voted at its May 14 meeting to approve the low bid, out of three bids, submitted by Diamond C Construction of Gentry. Diamond C Construction’s main bid was about $348,000, with a deductive alternate bid of $260,000. The Council voted to accept the deductive alternative bid.

Diamond C will install curb inlets on Southwinds and a grate inlet at the intersection of Countryside Drive and Southwinds. Storm water will be discharged into Farmington Branch located on the east side of Southwinds.

The deductive alternate bid is $40,000 lower than the estimated cost of the improvements provided by consulting engineering firm Olsson Associates/ McGoodwin Williams & Yates of Fayetteville. Olsson was paid about $41,000 from street bond money to study and design the project.

Chris Brackett, senior engineer with Olsson, said the project will help alleviate flooding in the intersection of Countryside and Southwinds. Water will continue to flow along Countryside as it does now during heavy rains but will then be diverted to the creek, Brackett said.

The Rainsong project includes installing a concrete swell for runoff and opening up one of the culverts under the street. Brackett said the drainage improvements would more than double the capacity under the road for runoff.

Mayor Ernie Penn said this will be the first time the city has used Diamond C. According to the company’s website, Diamond C is a fairly new company in Northwest Arkansas but has 40 years of experience. It will operate under a 100 percent performance bond, Penn said.

The contract calls for the project to be substantially completed in 120 days after the company receives its notice to proceed.

The city project to repair and replace North Hunter Street bridge moved forward as Council members approved purchasing box culverts at a cost not to exceed $50,000. Consulting engineer David Gilbert with Plymouth Engineering of Lowell recommended this process because the culverts can be manufactured and shipped while the city collects permits and completes the work in preparation for installing the culverts.

Bids for the work will be accepted beginning June 6. Construction should take about 60 days from the day work begins, according to Gilbert.

Gilbert explained the box culverts will be made of reinforced concrete and will have three sides, with the top surface comprising the road and the “feet” resting on the existing limestone bedrock, which Gilbert said is sound engineering and environmental practice. The open span will be 20 feet wide from one side of the creek to the other with concrete wing walls at both ends.

He said two trees will have to be removed for the work, and that straightening the creek isn’t feasible due to the onerous waterways permitting process.

Each section of box culvert will be four- to six-feet-wide, and the sections will be attached and grouted together to create a 32-foot-wide surface to accommodate two 12-foot wide driving lanes and an eight-foot wide walking/bicycling lane that will be connected to the existing sidewalk at both ends. Gilbert said no asphalting or other surfacing will be required.

Penn said the bridge project also will be paid with street bonds.

In other action, Council voted to suspend the second and third readings and adopt two ordinances dealing with cell towers and small cell telecommunication facilities. The Farmington Planning Commission and City Council have been discussing these ordinances for several months.

The cell tower ordinance amends the wireless telecommunications application and permit process to match that approved by federal wireless facilities law. Cell towers will be approved as conditional use permits by Farmington Planning Commission.

The second ordinance establishes standards for placement of small cell telecommunications facilities in city rights-of-way, including antenna, wireless antenna base-stations, and related equipment but excluding satellite television dish antennas. The small cell facilities also require a conditional use permit approved by the Planning Commission.

The council also voted to hold a public hearing June 11 on Jeff and Samantha Stonecypher’s request to abandon a street right of way/easement at 32 White St.

Penn announced Position 2 seats for Farmington City Council will be on this year’s November General Election ballot, along with the mayor’s and city attorney’s positions. All positions serve four-year terms. The first day to file as a candidate is July 27. Packets and petitions may be picked up in person at City Hall, with photo identification required. The last day to file is Aug. 17.

Sherry Matthews, Council member and chairwoman of the city’s Parks and Recreation Committee, provided a map that shows planned improvements at Creekside Park. When finished, the park will have two points of ingress and egress, one on North Hunter Street and the other on Broyles Avenue.

The passing of Jane Vest was acknowledged. Vest was a long-time board member of Farmington Public Library and Washington County Library System.