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Gretta
Frequent Poster
USA
280 Posts |
 Posted - 09/12/2002 : 4:14:22 PM
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Since everyone is taking so long to think of a topic, here is one. 
What is your opinion about the pipeline between Constantine and Three Rivers? If you would have been on the commission at the time, or if there are any future pipeline proposals, would you vote for them or against them?
As a citizen, I want to see how the other candidates feel. |
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DarylGriffith
Frequent Poster
USA
911 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2002 : 08:38:23 AM
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Gretta,
My website gives a brief synopsis of how the issue of this pipeline and the Waste Water Treatment Plant provided to spark to get me involved in local government. The commission acted in the best interest of the city "with the information provided to them" at that time when the pipeline was accepted. There were simply no commissioners with a mechanical background or engineering experience to lead them to questions that needed to be asked. This is among my qualifications I wish to bring to the commission. I have been in the engineering field for over 15 years now, a significant portion spent designing filtration and fluid handling system components. As you can imagine, this would have been a great benefit 5 years ago when this all started.
The problems were not entirely Constantine's fault as our aging plant was running nowhere near its design efficiency thus the expected excess capacity did not exist. They are not entirely blameless either as the flow received was much higher and in more concentration than originally proposed. In addition the equipment on their end appears to have been woefully inadequate and plagued with problems. That is an issue between Constantine and their engineers (and possibly the courts). I believe there may be some obligation to accept ownership of the line but I have no intention of endorsing that until it has proven to be free of design defects and demonstrated this by performing flawlessly for a period of time (perhaps 24-26 months). Last, I am absolutely opposed to decreasing the rate charged to Constantine (or any entity outside the city). They must have additional surcharges to offset the fact they are not supporting the plant/infrastructure with taxes as the rest of us are.
Would I except another major line?...I won't say no, because I feel a responsible commissioner has a duty to at least consider everything brought before them. I have to admit though it would be a hard sell and I would certainly have all the questions answered before allowing it. I feel that any such major customer must also contribute funding to any further expansions or upgrades they would be, at least in part, causing.
Daryl Griffith
Candidate for Commissioner-At-Large
www.beam.to/griffith |
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Buck
Forum Admin
USA
5761 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2002 : 10:29:06 AM
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Daryl a quote from your website, "At the time I left the commission, the project was budgeted at 3.8 million and scheduled to be completed mid year 2001 as I recall. We are now finishing midyear 2002 nearly 40% over budget at 5.3 million that has forced a series of water/sewer rate increases with still more yet to come."
Daryl and Gretta, now that we are 3/4 through the year is the project completed? I was by there the other day and seen that the ground was still torn up. Are cosmetics the only thing left? |
Edited by - Buck on 09/13/2002 10:30:23 AM |
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DarylGriffith
Frequent Poster
USA
911 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2002 : 3:19:24 PM
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Gretta,
(I was composing this before I saw Buck's post)
On a side note related to this topic. In the meeting packets during the last few weeks there have been FYI communications between the engineering firm, construction contractor and the city concerning the lack of completion at the WWTP. In the last, the engineering firm is notifying the construction firm they may be fined as allowed by the contract. I am asking you to ensure that the any costs incurred after the expiration of the last extension (I believe that was June 28) be withheld from payment. I would further ask that any fines allowable be levied against them as well. I do not request this out of spite but because I feel the delays were unacceptable. You may remember in January or February of this year Commissioner Baker commented lack of construction that was occurring despite ideal weather to do so. Also, in a recent commission meeting, the contractor was again granted an extension until the end of July and he committed to full completion down to the landscaping by that date. From the correspondence and seeing the current state of the plant there is obviously much yet to do.
Engineering, contracting and construction of a project this size will have cost over runs and it will have delays. This is why schedule and budget contingencies are built in when a project is quoted. Several firms lost out on these contracts because they were higher in cost or longer in time frame. Perhaps they were just being more realistic. In any case we received firm commitments to dates and costs. There were delays and additional expenses incurred due to decisions the city made. These have been accounted for. Further we have gone out of our way to repeatedly accommodate delays out of our control. I see your responsibility now is to complete this project as soon as possible.
I also believe you must exhibit fairness to the contractors who lost out because their costs and timelines may have proved more realistic. What you must not do is condone a contractor who slashes cost and schedule to win a contract then tacks back on these expenses and extensions at the last minute. This is much akin to bait and switch in the retail sector. I believe any penalty clauses provided in the contract should be enacted effective from the revised completion date at the end of July.
Sorry for the ranting but the delays and cost inflations this project has endured is kind of a burr under my saddle. Have you seen anything further from the contractor?. It would be kind of nice if they could seed grass or lay sod before snow flies.
PS: I will e-mail a copy of this to Barb so she can forward it on to the rest of the commission.
Daryl Griffith
Candidate for Commissioner-At-Large
www.beam.to/griffith
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Buck
Forum Admin
USA
5761 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2002 : 6:10:10 PM
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| I was under the impression, from the meeting when the extension was asked for, that the contractor just needed to finish the landscaping and the job would be complete. Has there been any progress since then? |
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DarylGriffith
Frequent Poster
USA
911 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2002 : 12:10:22 PM
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In case anyone missed the meeting Tuesday (9-17), Commissioner Keith addressed the issue I raised about the unacceptable over run on completion of the WWTP construction. A few commissioners also brought up another good point. Not applying penalties at this point would send the message to contractors of future projects that excessive schedule and cost over-runs will be tolerated. There appeared to be quite solid support across the commission to carry through with penalties effective from the end of the last extension the contractor committed to.
My thanks to the commission for considering this issue and standing up for what is right.
Daryl Griffith
Candidate for Commissioner-At-Large
www.beam.to/griffith
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T.R.Blue Collar
Member
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 6:04:00 PM
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| Does anyone know if Constantine's second lift station is up and running yet? |
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DarylGriffith
Frequent Poster
USA
911 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2002 : 10:03:58 AM
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If anyone reading this forum lives/works on the Southwest end of town (near the Wastewater Treatment Plant) please let me know how the odors have been for past few weeks. I toured the plant during their open house in September (also attended by a few others including Commissioners York and Schermerhorn) and had the opportunity to stand directly next to the odor control unit exhaust. The portions of the plant that typically cause odors are now completely covered and the gases are plumbed to units that filter and scrub the air prior to releasing it. You could smell it faintly when standing directly next to and in some cases over equipment. Once you were more than a few yards away there did not seem to be offensive odors. It is my understanding that the all waste handling equipment is now installed, up to snuff and running. If there are still smells please try to identify when, where and how bad. And by all means call the WWTP or the city to report them. It also wouldn't hurt to call a commissioner or two. Just curious if the problems are really cured or if we have a ways to go yet.
Gretta, if you have any information to add or if your impression of the plant was different I’d be interested in hearing that as well.
Thanks,
Daryl Griffith
Candidate for Commissioner-At-Large
www.beam.to/griffith
"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, what does this say about an empty desk?”
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Buck
Forum Admin
USA
5761 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2006 : 7:40:02 PM
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quote:
Agreement reached in Constantine wastewater suit
The Constantine Village Council unanimously agreed to a settlement for the return of payment of $475,000 from Environmental Resources Management, Inc., formally known as Dell Engineering Inc.
In 1996, Environmental Resources Management was contracted to conduct engineering services for the design and construction of a wastewater pump station and force-main to convey wastewater to the treatment plant in Three Rivers.
Attorney William Marks initiated litigation on behalf of the Village of Constantine against Environmental Resource Management. The lawsuit alleged the company breached its duty to render professional engineering services with respect to engineering plans, specifications and design of wastewater pumping state and force-main.
Constantine Village Manager Donald Beavers said the complaint was filed because village officials believed the design construction for the wastewater pump and force-main was not designed correctly by the engineering firm.
Shortly after the construction project began, problems arose with the wastewater pumping station and force-main.
Through the agreement, Environmental Resources Management does not admit any wrongdoing. Read More - Sturgis Jouranl
An update to this news item.
Note: The original thread was started on 09/12/2002 so some of the above posts may be a little dated.
Laissez faire: leave the people alone, let them be, in their economic activities, in their religious affairs, in thought and culture, in the pursuit of fulfillment in their own lives. |
Edited by - Buck on 01/11/2006 7:42:38 PM |
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DarylGriffith
Frequent Poster
USA
911 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2006 : 8:29:30 PM
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If memory serves, it cost the village of Constantine about 3X that to deal with the short comings of that original system.
Daryl |
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bobtoml
Frequent Poster
USA
927 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2006 : 1:51:10 PM
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From Darylquote:
...please let me know how the odors have been...
They were a fairly offensive neighbor this morning. As I drove to work at 6:45am approaching the last two blocks of S. Hooker, turning west on Broadway then entering the parking lot at Eaton there was no mistaking where it was coming from. |
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DarylGriffith
Frequent Poster
USA
911 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2006 : 8:24:53 PM
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Thanks Bob,
I'll pass this on to them. It is a living and breathing (literally) system, which must be adjusted for every now and then. If you would, please keep me posted on this. I believe the issue of the pipeline (taking ownership) may come up this year. I personally am still leery of doing that if there might be indications all is not as it should be.
Thanks
Daryl
"Did you know that dolphins are so intelligent that they can train humans to stand by the edge of a large, water filled tank and feed them fish, after only a week in captivity?", Adam Ferguson
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pepa
Obsessed Poster
1343 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2006 : 2:19:58 PM
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I personally am still leery of doing that if there might be indications all is not as it should be.
Daryl
If Generalissimo Bippus says it's good I am sure it will pass.
quote:
Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for.
Will Rogers
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Buck
Forum Admin
USA
5761 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2010 : 8:15:06 PM
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Constantine reviews sewer payment to Three Rivers.
Government is too big and too important to be left to the politicians. |
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Brat65
Active Poster
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2010 : 08:34:29 AM
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| Buck you might want to check the link you posted. |
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Buck
Forum Admin
USA
5761 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2010 : 08:37:32 AM
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Ooops. Thanks for the heads up. The link is corrected now.
Government is too big and too important to be left to the politicians. |
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Topic |
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Sewer Pipeline
