Meeting in regular session Tuesday night, Nov. 22, the Ava City Council formally approved the bypass elimination plan as presented by Mike Pessina of HDR Archer.
That plan, however, was amended from what had been presented two weeks earlier, to make the plan more financially palatable for the city.
The plan as presented Tuesday night could cost from half a million dollars to $1.72 million depending on how much work the city is able to do with existing staff. The original estimated cost of the project was over $2 million.
Pulled from the proposal was the use of closed circuit television monitors to examine existing sewer lines.
The purpose of the bypass elimination plan is to reduce the amount of stormwater entering the city’s sewer system and ultimately going through the treatment plant.
As discussed at the council meeting two weeks earlier, the runoff is entering sewer lines from various sources including broken sewer lines, manholes that are below the ground’s surface, downspouts from roof gutters, and basement drains.
Through this plan that has been submitted to the Department of Natural Resources, the city must find and eliminate these sources to reduce the amount of water entering the treatment plant.
The city has five years to complete the plan, and could receive a five-year extension if DNR believes the city is adequately working toward alleviating the problem.
The plan, as submitted to the Board of Aldermen, was approved on a 3-0 vote. Alderman Judy Lovan was absent.
Present for the meeting were council members Ric Engelhardt, Burrely Loftin and Billy Long, as well as Mayor Eddie Maggard.
In other business, the council approved three zoning changes, two presented by Fleetwood Enterprises in the vicinity of South Jefferson St. and SW 13th Ave., and a third along East Highway 14 (East Washington Ave.) and SE 8th Street, as presented by Doug and Margie Ingram.
All three proposals change property from agricultural designation. The property along S. Jefferson changes to B-3 general business; the property north of SW 13th Ave. changes to R-1 single-family residential; and the Ingram property on East Washington changes to R-2 two-family residential.
At the recommendation of Police Chief Reggie Johnson, the council approved the purchase of a used car for the Police Department. Chief Johnson said the Ford police cruiser he currently drives will be moved in to the fleet of patrol cars and he will take a used Chevrolet Impala to be purchased from Davis Auto Sales, Ava, as his chief’s vehicle.
The 2009 Chevrolet Impala has since been purchased for $10, 500.
Bids on comparable vehicles were received from Reliable Chevrolet, Springfield, $12,995; and Mayse Automotive, Aurora, $14,990.
The Ford Crown Victoria will replace the Jeep Liberty currently being used as a patrol vehicle. The city will keep the 4-wheel-drive Jeep to be used in inclement weather and other circumstances that require a utility vehicle.
In closed session following the regular meeting, Shawn MacMillan, employed by the city as a computer technician, was promoted from a probationary employee to regular city employment.
Bonnie Evans also addressed the council regarding the residential sewer problem in east Ava. In response to Evans’ question as to why the project was being delayed, Evans was told the city is not holding up the project. Mayor Maggard said the contractor who is supposed to be installing the on-site sewage system had not, at that time, presented any plans to the city for approval.
“We’re waiting on him,” the mayor told her.
The city has tentatively given approval for an on-site system because of the distance to a sewer main in that area.
