Chickasaw to revise building plans after construction bids come in high

CHICKASAW - Village officials agreed to rework plans for a new water treatment plant after bids came in higher than expected.

Bids from four local contractors ranged from $342,000-$450,000, Access Engineering Solutions President Brice Schmitmeyer told council members during their Wednesday meeting. The initial estimate for the 120-foot-by-60-foot building was $275,000.

Schmitmeyer said he believes the contractors' busy schedules and the size of the proposed building led to higher bids. With time running out to still meet the construction's April deadline to start adding alum to the water, Schmitmeyer recommended rejecting all offers and rebidding the project with a 60-foot-by-60-foot building instead. Council members voted to do both and also are considering getting bids on a 60-foot-by-90-foot building if it is financially feasible to do so.

Meanwhile, Schmitmeyer said he intends to look more into a $200,000 award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development that would come through Sen. Sherrod Brown's office to see if the money could be applied to the project. Access Engineering is continuing to move forward with the preliminary engineering for the project, he said.

Also at the meeting, Scott Prueter from NKTelco Wireless of New Knoxville received permission from council members to build a fiber optic network in Chickasaw. Prueter said the fiber optic cables will be buried only 30 inches deep in the utility easements, so he does not foresee any issues concerning water or sewage lines. By his estimate, the network will be installed within two months.