Courthouse an obstacle in sewer project

Wayne White
Managing Editor

A sewer renovation project underway in Lyndon is on schedule, but possible modifications to the line’s route might affect the Osage County Courthouse’s sewer system.

As explained by Lyndon Mayor Bruce Williams, a main line that serves the north side of town goes directly under the courthouse; preliminary investigations for the sewer project showed three points in need of repair in that city block.

Williams had previously suggested that the line be rerouted to the east, connecting to a line that runs east of the courthouse, and disconnecting the line where it runs south under the courthouse. The result would be that the vacated section of line would become the courthouse’s sewer service line.

During Monday’s meeting of the Lyndon City Council, with council members Janet Stout-Walford and Bill Patterson absent, Williams asked for a consensus of the council to approach the Osage County Commission about rerouting the line.

“I think it’s something we should really talk about before these guys leave town,” Williams said, referring to KC Construction, Inc. (KCCI) the company conducting the sewer renovation.

Williams said a video inspection of the line should be done first; KCCI president David Breuer agreed.

“If we can, we get our camera and try to determine where the county’s connection is,” Breuer said.

City administrator Larry Thurston said he had already spoken with the county commissioners about the proposed plan.

“I had lunch with some of the commissioners today,” Thurston said, “and talked about that being one of the alternatives, after we found out what was underneath there.”

Thurston said the courthouse sewer system is currently working properly, but “I don’t know what they got under the courthouse.”

Williams expressed concern about the city’s liability if the main line developed problems.

“If there’s any shifting of that collapse under the courthouse,” Williams said, “we would no longer be liable for it” if the use of the line by the city is discontinued.

Thurston suggested an alternative would be to clean the line and install a liner such as is now being done for many of the city’s sewer line repairs.

“But you’ve still got that liability of if something happens under that courthouse,” Williams said. “All of a sudden if that courthouse basement flooded or whatever, I think you’ve got some liability there.”

Williams said his only question was whether the proposed route would have enough capacity to handle the load.

“My personal opinion is to reroute the main so we don’t have that potential hazard there, and everything south of the courthouse is their service line,” he said. “That’s the agreement I would want with commissioners.”

Councilman Doug Watson said the commissioners should be consulted before a decision is made.

“Since it looks like there are at least three point repairs there, it would be nice if we alerted the county commissioners there are repairs needed under the courthouse,” Watson said. “If there was some repair work needed to be done under the courthouse, while these guys are here, [the commissioners] might be interested in having that done if we decided to take it straight east.”

Thurston said the gift of the sewer line as is might not be welcomed. “If I were a commissioner – it’s in bad shape, it needs repaired, and we’re just going to give it to you – you and I might argue with that, because that’s the city’s main, not the county’s service line,” he said. “I imagine they’ll take it if we fix it for them, clean it up.”

Breuer suggested rehabilitation of the line under the courthouse could be done as a joint venture between the city and the county.

“I think it is to their advantage, too, that not all that sewer is not going underneath that courthouse,” Watson added.

Council members agreed more investigation of the site was needed.

In other sewer system discussion, the council considered a plan to add more automation to the city’s wastewater treatment facility.

Thurston said he had talked with representatives of CAS Construction to obtain a rough estimate of the cost to make modifications to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

He said the most recent estimate of the project that would add automated valves and other design changes at the plant was $165,000.

Williams said the city still had around $200,000 in the Kansas Department of Health and Evironment revolving loan fund that is being used for the sewer line repairs.

“As long as we’re keeping under that figure comfortably,” Thurston said, “we can process this right along with the sewer finance-wise with the loan money.”

Thurston said that if the project cost more, additional funds could be sought.

“CAS indicated to me they were in a position to start this thing fairly quickly,” Williams said. “That’s one of the reasons they were so interested in [the project].”

Watson questioned the timeline of such a project if approved.

“[KDHE is] wanting us to be pretty well along in 90 days,” Thurston said.

“That’s exactly why we didn’t really have time to go out and competively bid it,” Williams said.

The council agreed the next step would be to review a proposal from CAS.

In other business, the council:

• viewed the alley behind city hall and between the Methodist church and the Social and Rehabilitation Services building on Washington Street. Williams said the council had received a complaint from Jeff Clark regarding the collection of gravel in parking areas of the SRS building following rainstorms. Clark had proposed grading a ditch into the alley that intersects Washington Street. After viewing the alley, the council agreed to further investigate the problem, including possible flooding issues downstream to the west. Williams said Clark should be instructed “don’t go out there and dig on city property.” The city will obtain a cost estimate for a drainage study for the area.

• heard from Williams that a request by Kim Wilkins to add gravel to an alley will not be honored. The mayor said it was against city policy to add gravel, and grading the alley would alleviate the problem of rough terrain.

• approved a contract with Exodus Solid Waste for trash service in the city.

• heard that a private wastewater system permit had been issued to Chris Cole for land at 822 Jackson without access to the city’s sewer system. Thurston said he required Cole to comply with county requirements regarding private wastewater systems.

• heard that a representative of Crossroads Wireless had investigated the use of the city’s water standpipes as an attenna site. A proposal from the company to install the antenna is expected.