Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Tank Cleaning A Costly Venture

Getting the interior of the Rosston water tank cleaned will be a chore for the Rosston City Council.

This issue was discussed at length during the council's regular monthly meeting Thursday, May 7.

The council had advertised bids for the cleaning and repainting of the tank's interior, with three bids received.

One bidder, Cunningham Sandblasting of Missouri, never sent representatives to see what condition the tank is in, but submitted a bid anyway. The council rejected this bid without question because no visit or inspection was made.

The other bidders, Eagle and Utility Services, did have representatives inspect the tank to determine the work needing to be done.

The two bids were also seriously different. Eagle's bid was for $13,812, while the bid from Utility Services was more than $20,000.

Daren Jackson, with Utility Services, was on hand for the meeting to explain his company's bid. The bid, he said, was actually two separate proposals, one for interior renovation with the other for full renovation, making full repairs and spreading the payments over a three- year span.

He told the council the tank needs to repaint the exterior of the tank as well. This paint is lead-based, and if something isn't done soon, he said, the council could face having to do lead- abatement procedures which would be costly.

Lewis Jackson, Rosston mayor, asked if the $20,000 bid was just for interior repairs.

Jackson, from U.S., said it was, but the company uses the best products on the market for this type of work. The work, he continued, meets all federal and state regulations as well.

The interior of the tank, he said, would be sandblasted, washed out and get two coats of epoxy paint, with all seams also being repaired.

Mayor Jackson voiced his concern over the wide difference in the quotes.

Jackson, with U.S., suggested the council get and check references from both Utility Services and Eagle before making a decision.

Mayor Jackson said Eagle's bid included them coming back in two years to drain and disinfect the tank.

The representative on and said Utility Services would do this as well, because it's a standard practice in the business

Overall, Utility Service could do the job in about three weeks, whereas Eagle's bid stated a two week period for the work.

The council agreed pressure relief valves to regulate the water pressure for the customers would have be a requirement before the work could be done. Otherwise, the community would be without water.

Jackson, with U.S., said his company works in 22 states, though it's based in Atlanta, Ga. The workers for the job would be brought in from West Memphis, and not be out-of-state labor.

Mayor Jackson said there was one good thing about this situation. The city does have the money to pay for the job when it's completed and won't have to borrow the funds for the work.

Jackson, with U.S., also pushed for a full maintenance program. This, he said, would be an annual fee covering all renovation and repair work for the tank, while providing the council with an exact budget amount annually.

The tank, he continued, would be inspected and serviced each year, cleaned every two years, and the agreement would cover all specialized maintenance and repairs, including painting. The cost, he said, would be $4,754 each year.

Councilman Rob Robison said this was a lot of money for no more than would be done annually.

Jackson said Utility Services would be painting the outside of the tank every seven to nine years, while doing the inside each 10-12 years, with all other repairs included and no hidden costs involved.

He said the company wouldn't take the tank on the program until the outside work is done.

According to Jackson, it would cost about $80,000 for a lead abatement program as the tank would have to be shut down, covered and all traces of the lead-based paint removed from the site in order to be in compliance with OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Mayor Jackson said Rosston is a small city with little revenue and the maintenance program would be cause for concern.

The other Jackson said the tank would last longer with preventative maintenance done regularly, because the tank will eventually have to be replaced.

Robison said a back up generator is also needed if the system is going to be down two or three weeks. He said it would only take a few hours without electricity to kill chickens and there are several in the area who raise the birds for a living.

Any type of extended electrical problem could also prove fatal to the region's elderly, he said, along with the summer months (when the work would be done) being prime fire season. "We either need a back up bladder or generator," he said. "We need to protect the people against possible disaster."

Mayor Jackson said a generator could be rented, and will check into the cost of getting a three-phase generator for two or three weeks.

A special meeting of the Rosston Council will be called once the two companies send references to the mayor.

In other business, the council discussed getting stop signs at the intersection of U.S. highways 371 and 278 (formerly Arkansas Highway 4).

Randy Goodeau suggested trying to get a three-way stop sign at the intersection, because a three-way traffic light may not get people to stop.

"I saw three tractor-trailer rigs miss the yield sign and have to back up this week," he said of the dangerous intersection.

Jackson will contact the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD), about getting the signs.

Additionally, he will talk with the AHTD about getting signs for bus stops so motorists can slow down and stop for school buses.

He pointed out the semis speed through the city, even though signs stating the speed limit is 30 miles per hour are clearly posted.

Goodeau said nothing will be done about this until the Nevada County Sheriff's Office comes out and takes care of the situation.

No bids were received to do the required renovations to City Hall to bring it up to code for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The project is to be done by May 19, 1999.

Jackson will contact area contractors to see if any may be interested in the small project and what they would charge.