$321,000 Third Ave. project on schedule

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX  —  Although the days are growing shorter and colder, the $321,000 Third Avenue project in Colfax was still mostly on schedule to be completed this fall as of the October 24 Colfax Village Board meeting.

The contract with Haas Sons gave them 70 calendar days to complete the project no later than October 15, said Lisa Fleming, a civil engineer with Ayres Associates.

As of October 24, Third Avenue was still not finished.

Haas Sons began removing trees from Third Avenue at the request of Ayres Associates on August 8, but the actual street work did not begin until August 30, Fleming said.

A contract time of 70 days from August 30 would be November 7.

Several rainy days this fall have delayed work on Third Avenue.

The contract finish date was set at October 15 “because we wanted them to get in and out and not leave half the job over winter. I think he has fulfilled his contract obligation,” Fleming said.

Haas Sons has worked extra hours, has worked into the evening, and has worked on Saturdays, she said.

The village board should not be thinking about assessing liquidated damages just yet, Fleming said.

There are no additional engineering costs, and Colfax also does not want to discourage other contractors from bidding on future street projects or make the contractors feel like they should bid the street projects in Colfax at higher rates, she said.

The Third Avenue project “is not at all” like the Fourth Avenue street project last year, Fleming said.

Fleming’s recommendation was to allow her to continue to “apply pressure to get the job done” and for the village board to agree not to assess liquidated damages if the project is completed this month.

“I think it’s the right thing to do. If they horse around and don’t get it done, you can still apply liquidated damages,” Fleming said.

As for paving after October 15, an additive is available to be mixed in with the blacktop when the temperature is below 40 degrees. Depending on when the bid was done for the additive, the cost is $1.50 to $3 per ton. The additive makes the blacktop mix softer so it does not seize up as fast when the weather is colder, she said.

A representative for Haas Sons asked if the additive could be used on the Colfax project, and Fleming said she had told the representative it was fine to use the additive, “but Colfax is not paying for it because the job was supposed to be done on the 15th.”

Haas Sons is paying the cost of the additive, Fleming said.

Haas Sons has been “excellent to work with. Totally,” said Rand Bates, director of public works.

Landscaping

Village Trustee Mark Halpin said he was certain the paving would be finished this fall but wondered about the restoration work for the yards along Third Avenue.

The restoration work will carry over to next spring to make sure the yard work is done, Fleming said, pointing out that the village will hold back on paying a little more than $8,000 until the project is considered complete.

If necessary, landscaping can be done next spring, she said.

Frustration

Scott Gunnufson, village president, said one business owner on Third Avenue was frustrated about the street project and not being able to operate his business.

“Social media postings (from the business owner) give a bad reputation to the village. It gives us a tainted image when we do street projects,” he said.

“There was not one time when he called that we didn’t respond. Not once,” Bates said.

Bates said he understands that it is an inconvenience but that the business owner was not “shut out” of his business completely since the street project began.

Village employees brought gravel with the end loader, and Haas Sons sent a crew from Menomonie to help the business out, he said.

“Unfortunately, people will complain on social media,” Fleming noted.

A certain amount of inconvenience is inevitable with any street project, said Annie Schieber, village trustee.

During the state Highway 40 project, all of the downtown businesses were shut down, she said.

“There will be inconveniences,” Schieber said.

Pay request 

The Colfax Village Board unanimously approved a pay request for Haas Sons in the amount of $161,005.67 for the Third Avenue street project.

The previous pay request approved by the village board was for $85,912.73.

The total contract amount for Third Avenue is $320,732.

Other business 

In other business, the Colfax Village Board:

• Approved accepting a refund from Ayres Associates in the amount of $447.16. Bates had suggested a four-inch sewer pipe from the sewer line in the street to the homes along Third Avenue rather than a six-inch pipe to save money, Fleming said, pointing out that she did not notify the contractor soon enough. Ayres Associates is willing to pay the difference, she said.

• Approved continuing the contract with the Dunn County treasurer’s office to have Dunn County collect taxes for the village. Colfax pays $2.25 for each tax bill that is prepared and collected by Dunn County for real estate and personal property taxes in the village.

• Approved paying $700 toward the FFA food stand roof to match the other buildings at the fairgrounds based upon a recommendation from the parks committee. The village board also approved a transfer from the parks small equipment fund to the buildings and grounds fund to accommodate the payment.