Engineers to create ‘road map’ for Highland water system’s future improvements
The Highland City Council on Monday approved an agreement with the engineering firm Hurst-Rosche Inc. of Hillsboro, Ill., to conduct a study of the city’s water distribution system.
Hurst-Rosche is the same firm that conducted the city’s water rates study earlier this year. This time the company will be looking at what capital projects the city can make to improve its water supply network.
The study will focus on the distribution mains, specifically, to analyze and prioritize construction needs over the next 20 years, taking into account population trends for future additions and the state of the current system for repairs and replacments.
“This will be our road map for water distribution improvements for reliability of the system,” Public Works Director Joe Gillespie wrote to council members in a memo.
Hurst-Rosche will be paid $39,300 to complete the study.
Other council action
Library trustees, Tree Commission members appointed
The council approved Mayor Joe Michealis’ re-appointments of Kathryn Comish, Darrel Newman and Robert Kent Coleman to the Tree Commission. Each was approved for a new three-year term, which will expire in June 2019.
Michealis’ re-appointments of William Wagner and Arnold Bodinet to new three-year terms on the Louis Latzer Library Board of Trustees. Dr. Robert Hellige did not wish to serve another term on the board, so the mayor appointed Justin McLaughlin to fill Hellige’s seat. All three men were appointed to three-year terms, which will also expire in June 2019.
Purchase of 200 optical network terminals for HCS approved
The council waived normal bidding in order to purchase 200 optical network terminals (ONTs) to replace outdated equipment for its fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) system.
The $60,000 purchase order went to Calix Networks Inc., with which the city has had a long-term relationship.
In May 2010, the City Council approved Calix as the FTTP manufacturer of devices and electronic equipment required for the construction of the city’s FTTP system.
In a memo, Angela Imming, director of technology and innovation for the city, said that Calix is now the sole source for the platform and components the city’s FTTP system uses. Thus, there was no need to go out for bid, because no other manufacturer’s components are compatible with Calix.
By making the bulk ONT purchase now, Imming said the city could take advantage of rebates being offered by the company. Through the end of June, Calix is offering a $125 rebate on the return of old units, thus saving the city $25,000 on its purchase. The City Council also approved a measure to declare the old units and surplus property in order to sell them back to Calix for the rebate price.
Street closures for Street Art Festival approved
The council also unanimously approved to close streets around the Square for the Street Art Festival from Sept. 8-11. The streets that will be closed around the Square are Main, Washington, and Laurel. The intersection at Main and Laurel will remain open to traffic, so residents can get to the post office.
New this year is “Run for Color” 3K fun run, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 4 p.m. Beginning at the corner of Washington and Main, runners will head north to 9th Street to south Laurel. From Laurel, participants will run to Main Street and cut through the parking lot of Windows on Broadway, while crossing State Route 160 to Spindler Park Road. The path will then head east on 13th street, then north on Laurel before ending at the Square.
This year marks the festival’s 15th anniversary.
This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Engineers to create ‘road map’ for Highland water system’s future improvements."