Bernier, Carr to assist Orleans with meter job

LAFARGEVILLE — The town of Orleans Highway Department and Department of Public Works crews will finish up the LaFargeville meter project with the help of Bernier, Carr & Associates, Watertown.

Town Supervisor Donna M. Chatterton said the Watertown engineering firm, which failed to include 32 water meter pits in the original project bid, offered to lend a hand in installing the remaining meter pits and water meters.

The Town Council decided at a special meeting Thursday to spend $38,930, not including labor, to have town and Bernier, Carr workers finish the work. The cost of in-house labor, estimated to be $5,000 to $7,000, will not be covered by a 90:10 stimulus matching grant program, and the water district will bear that extra cost.

Councilwoman Gwendolyn M. Kirkby made the motion and Peter Wilson seconded. Councilman Kevin C. Rarick was the only one to vote no.

According to an engineer's report, the meter project will be finished under budget by $11,101. The estimated $231,000 project is funded through a Green Innovation Program grant, which is administered by the state Environmental Facilities Corp.

The town has until June 15 to install all 337 water meters in LaFargeville to be eligible for a 90 percent stimulus reimbursement. Ms. Chatterton said that the remaining meter pits should be installed by May 1 and that the town hopes to complete the project before the deadline.

Last Thursday, the council rescinded a motion from its February meeting to hire Bernier, Carr to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed Fishers Landing water project because of the firm's "screw-up."

The original LaFargeville water meter project bid called for only eight meter pits when the town actually needed 40. The town found out only last month that it needed more meter pits when its DPW workers and contractor, J.E. Sheehan Contracting Corp., Potsdam, realized that meter pits for mobile homes were not included in the engineer's initial plan.

Steve Dulmage, chief operator of the DPW, had said the meters for the mobile homes will freeze in the winter if they're not installed underground in a pit.