Algood Approves Bid For Old Walton Sewer Project

Algood City Council approved a $2.1 million bid for the Old Walton Sewer Project.

Mayor Lisa Chapman-Fowler said that the project started in 2014 as just a sewer project. She said that she feels obligated to start this project.

“When we annexed these folks in the Old Walton area, it was in their plan of services that we gave our word that they were going to get sewer,” Chapman-Fowler said.

City Administrator Keith Morrison said that the original USDA loan was some $1.89 million, with the city matching the rest of the $2.1 million cost. He said that with a new total project cost of some $2.4 million, they have to decide if they want to go back to ask for an increased loan amount, or to increase the city’s match amount.

Morrison said that the project has gone through several iterations since its inception, including trying to acquire easements and adding a water project. Morrison said that if the water project component was included with this work, it would bring the total project cost to some $4.1 million.

“Currently we’ve got the loan for the SRF, a state revolving fund that was Bear Creek,” Morrison said. “So the original idea was if this came in at $2.1 million we could get it through with fund balance through the construction phase and then get the loan to reimburse the fund balance, pay the other one off, and have them both done. But you’re not going to be able to do that with this $4 million cost now.”

Public Works Director Victor Jones said that the water portion of the project can wait a few years, but it’s something that needs attention. He said that because the area is a historical area, it is subject to increased fire risk.

Chapman-Fowler said that it is something the city knows it needs to look at.