October 3, 2024 |
Photo – Track hoe digging River Street in Saratoga – Courtesy Saratoga Public Works
The Saratoga town council votes to allow the River Street water line replacement project contractor to finish the job next year.
In 2019, the 6th Penny Special Purpose Tax was approved to fund infrastructure improvements across Carbon County. Saratoga residents voted to use the money to replace the outdated water mains running beneath Spring Avenue and River Street, along with six other projects.
In 2022, Rock Springs contractor Lewis and Lewis was hired to begin the first phase of the water main replacement project along Spring Avenue. Equipment procurement issues and ground water flooding caused delays. The contracted completion of date of October 2022 was not met and financial penalties, called liquidated damages, of $1,000 a day were added to the cost throughout the winter months.
As snow and cold moved in, Lewis and Lewis asked the Saratoga town council to pause the liquidated damages until the following spring. The contractor said crews would return to town to finish the job. The council chose to uphold the contract and continue assessing fines throughout the winter.
Lewis and Lewis returned in the spring and the Spring Avenue water line replacement project was finally completed in the summer of 2023. All liquidated damages not needed to cover the town’s expenses were returned to the contractor.
In June of this year, Cheyenne-based Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel was hired to complete the next phase of the water main replacement project: River Street. Speaking to Bigfoot99 in August, Saratoga Public Works Director Emery Penner said the job should be finished by the middle of September.
With October here, the current job is not finished.
During Tuesday’s Saratoga town council meeting, Public Works Director Penner said Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel is almost done with the River Street project. However, temperatures are now too cold to finish paving the road. Penner said the contractor is requesting to extend the contracted completion date until next year.
Penner recommended granting the contractor’s request. The public works director said he is satisfied with the amount of work Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel has completed so far.
Penner said he believes it would be unreasonable to punish the contractor by not allowing them to finish the job next year.
Mayor Chuck Davis said Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel has worked hard on the River Street water line replacement project. Council members Bub Barkhurst and Kathy Beck both agreed.
Penner explained that if the council votes to approve the contract extension, Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel will have until June 30th of 2025 to finish the job. The public works director said the agreed price remains in effect, even if costs rise over the next eight months.
If approved, Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel would be contractually obligated to finish the job by the end of June. Afterwards, Penner said the contractor will have four months to fix any problems discovered by the town. The public works director said another contract extension should not be needed.
The Saratoga town council voted to approve the change order allowing Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel to finish the River Street water line replacement project next year.
