City’s bonding request is $7.3M for Phase E infrastrcuture project
While the main purpose of a City hosting a bonding tour is to get support from the State through the House Capital Investment Committee, there is more to it than that, Tracy City Administrator Jeff Carpenter says.
“Exposure,” Carpenter said as the coach bus carrying members of the House Bonding Committee drove behind him on Morgan St. on its way out of town Wednesday. “It went very well. We got a lot of exposure here.”
This is actually the second time City officials have met with the committee. It was back in April when a group traveled to St. Paul to testify in front of the politicians. And Carpenter said that, too, went extremely well.
“We did a very nice job up there; when we were up there, throughout the whole group of people there, everybody after said, ‘You guys did so well,’” Carpenter said. “There were all kinds of conversations … there were a few of the guys that had been here to Tracy before through the Hmong community. We do so well up there, and I think it was very well-received up there also.”
Now, it’s all about funding, and Carpenter said the City has shown not only its need of assistance, but that they are ready to move when, and if, it gets it.
“I think we’ve shown that we are prepared,” he said. “That’s one of the biggest things — we’ve been told that if you’re going to ask for money you’ve gotta be prepared for what you’re going to do, and we are prepared.”
So, what will any potential monies be used for? That would be Phase E of the City’s infrastructure and street reconstruction.
Bollig Project Engineer Jordan Odegard opened the presentation by explaining to House Bonding Committee members how old Tracy’s infrastructure is to express the need to major upgrades, such as the ones that have taken place in other parts of the town.
With the aid of images, Odegard explained that sanitary sewer lines pre-date 1900, some going as far back as 1890.
The projected cost of the project is $14.7 million, and the City is in need of $7.3 million through bonding dollars ($1.1 million has already been committed by the City). Bonding dollars would be used to leverage another $7.4 million of federal funding.
The scope of the project would include replacement of water distribution pipes and sanitary sewer systems; rehabilitation of the well house and water treatment plant; and the replacement of storm water conveyance systems.
According to Bollig, the anticipated utility rates would amount to $64 more per month without the required State assistance, compared to just a $30-per-month increase with assistance.
