The TDEC decision could save the city an estimated $40,000.
Last week, Cleveland City Council authorized an $11,800 contract extension with Consolidated Technologies Inc. (CTI) for the redesign of the water-worn channel contingent upon TDEC’s expected rejection of a city plan to let its own crews make the extensive repairs.
Allowing Public Works employees to do this using a less expensive rip-rap (a limestone gravel mix) liner would save on costs; however, municipal leaders and CTI senior project manager J. Gregory Wilson were uncertain TDEC would allow this type of fix.
CTI proposed installing an armored liner that would hold up to periods of heavy rainfall, continuously flowing water and high velocity water flow. The expensive liner would be a precast concrete block variety. Wilson projected materials costs could range from $13,000 to $15,000 or more.
Although utilizing the limestone liner will be allowed, TDEC specified this method means the channel must be excavated deeper and wider, according to City Manager Janice Casteel and Public Works Director Tommy Myers. Still, the extra effort by city crews is a cost savings because it avoids the extended contract with CTI and paying for the more expensive liner.
“This is great news,” Councilman David May said Monday during the Council’s formal session that was adjourned from last week. “There’s no telling how much money this has saved us.”
May was among those most vocal on the Council about the erosion-damaged channel and why the original design by CTI did not account for the type of water volume and velocity that have caused the erosion damage. In prior visits with the Council, Wilson explained when the detention pond and channel were designed 2 1/2 years ago, the area was struggling through drought conditions. The channel’s design was based on these conditions, he said.
However, excessive rainfall this spring and during parts of the early summer caused a higher-than-expected water volume and velocity which forced the channel’s erosion. The liner that had been selected could not accommodate the new level or force of water flow.
Last Monday, Wilson proposed the $11,800 redesign cost which was a $5,000 discount from the original asking price. The concession came in light of City Council’s questions about why the municipality was being asked to foot the entire redesign bill.
Detention ponds, including the East Street hole, are intended to sit dry most of the time except for when they are holding back floodwaters from heavy rainfall in short periods of time. Prior to construction of the ponds, flash flooding in the southeast Cleveland area had been a problem for several area residences and companies, including Whirlpool Cleveland Division.
In other developments Monday, the Council:
• Appointed Councilman George Poe to serve on the Cleveland Emergency Shelter board of directors, representing the city.
• Scheduled a Strategic Planning Session for Monday, Nov. 1, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the City Council Chambers upstairs in the Cleveland Municipal Building.
• Mayor Tom Rowland recognized David Davis, managing editor of the Cleveland Daily Banner, as the contributing photographer for the picture of the front exterior of the Cleveland Bradley Public Library that is published on the front cover of AT&T’s newest version of “The Real Yellow Pages.”
• Councilman Poe reported receiving complaints of unkempt grass at 2321 North Ocoee St., which is a former car lot.
