City Council to Consider Bid for Utility Upgrades, Hear Financial Statements

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – The City Council on Monday will consider awarding a $1 million bid for utility upgrades in downtown Twin Falls.

The city opened bids for the project in mid-February, and received one bid from Extreme Excavation for $1,010,218.50 and a 25 percent contingency for unforeseen events during the project.

The upgrade project will reconstruct main water and storm lines in the alleyway between Main Avenue and Second Avenue East, and from Shoshone Street to Idaho Street. The city says the upgrades are important for the future City Hall and Commons Plaza, but also are part of a potentially larger project that could begin in 2019.

The base bid and contingency is $1,262,773.13, funded by Wastewater reserves.

Other items presented at this evening’s council meeting include a presentation by Water Superintendent Robert Bohling about the city’s backflow prevention program and what the city should expect with the upcoming irrigation season.

For several years the city has been ramping up the program in accordance with state statute and rulings by the Department of Environmental Quality, including educating and training local contractors.

“The next phase of the program is to escalate the enforcement up to and including shutting off water to homes that are not in compliance and putting the city’s drinking water at risk,” according to the agenda item. The city wants to “reach full compliance without having to shut off any services; however, it is anticipated that termination of water services will be likely.”

The Salvation Army is asking the council to waive building permit fees associated with replacing a failed HVAC system at the Community Center, 348 4th Ave North. The estimated cost of the building permit is $265.34.

The council will hear a request to use $652,000 of cash reserves from the capital fund and impact fee reserves to purchase furniture, fixtures, equipment and electronic systems for the City Hall and Public Safety Campus projects, and a security fence for the Public Safety Campus.

The council also will hear a presentation of the city’s 2016 financial statements.

The meeting starts at 5 p.m. at Twin Falls City Council Chambers, 302 Third Ave. East.