A slew of infrastructure projects got the green light during Wednesday’s meeting of the Emporia City Commission.
One of them, the 2018 street rehabilitation project was awarded to Killough Construction of Ottawa for just under $460,000 by a 4-0-1 vote. Commissioner Bobbi Mlynar abstained. APAC-Kansas of Emporia also submitted a bid for $465,000. Commissioner Rob Gilligan explains why the commission felt the need to go outside rather than with the local bid.
Killough has completed past street rehab projects in the city. Commissioner Becky Smith went back and forth, ultimately going in favor of the Killough bid.
Also approved Wednesday was an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for the 2019 CCLIP project to be constructed this summer. The project will see milling and overlay and pavement markings along K-99/Commercial Street from Kansas Ave. to 3rd Ave. and from 12th Ave. to Interstate 35. Because of the city and state being on different calendar years, the funding for the project won’t be available until July 1, meaning construction would likely begin in the fall. But Gilligan says city officials will be urged to see if they can’t streamline the process to avoid traffic headaches around Emporia State University in the fall.
In addition, city commissioners accepted a permanent water line easement from Emporia Enterprises, Simmons and Eastgate Plaza for the new water tower project for Industrial Park III. A bid was also awarded to Emporia Construction & Remodeling for a paving project at the Public Works Center.
The next Emporia City Commission meeting, a study session, is scheduled for April 25.
