Georgetown’s drainage woes have been lamented for much of Mayor Lynn Wood Wilson’s career.

But at Thursday’s council meeting — his last — he and other city leaders are expected to approve some of the main purchases for the Highway 17 drainage project.

In addition, Council is also likely to give final reading to a controversial plan to borrow more than $400,000 to pay for equipment.

Of the drainage project expenses, one of the items council will consider is spending $175,000 to enter into a contract with Davis and Floyd engineers to do the Highway 17 project, which is expected to take care of flooding problems in a large part of the city.

If approved, Davis and Floyd will be responsible for overseeing the engineering, design, permitting and production of updated drawings to be used for bidding the project in February.

Council will also consider a recommendation  from staff to purchase a needed pump from FPI in the amount of $471,494.

FPI was the lowest of the two companies that bid on supplying the pump.

The other company submitted a bid of $836,000.

A bar screen will also need to be purchased for the project.

Staff is recommending that purchase be made from Duperon Corp. in the amount of $269,700. It was the lowest of the four bids received.

Force main pipe will cost $578,600 if a recommendation from staff to make the purchase from American Steel Pipe is approved.

It was the lowest of the two bidders. The other company wanted more than $1 million to supply the pipe.

The city has been awarded grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as well as the state that will pay for the project.

The work on the drainage project is expected to begin this spring.

City Administrator Chris Eldridge said once the work is complete, which should take about 18 months, it would take a massive storm to cause Highway 17 to be impassible.

It will also take care of almost all of the other flooding problems in the city.

He said the pipes on the pumps currently being used are six inches wide. The pipes that will be installed will be 84 inches wide.

Besides the pipes, new retention ponds will be strategically placed throughout the city to help remove water even faster, Eldridge said.

GO Bonds

In November, council gave first reading approval for the issuance of a general obligation note for $420,000 for a variety of capital purchases.

The matter will be up for final consideration Thursday.

During first reading in November, Jessica Miller, director of finance, said the money is needed for a a variety of purchases such as two patrol cars, a hazardous material truck, a pickup truck for the fire department and improvements to the public works buildings.

Since the November meeting there has been opposition expressed to the plan.

Jeanette Ard, who was elected to council and will take her seat in January, said people have been calling her to voice their concerns.

“They have already bought most of these things and done the repair work,” Ard said.

She said she does not know why the bonds are being sought since the city will have a large inflow of cash in January when residents pay their taxes.

“The revenue to repay the bonds is millage that already appeared on tax bills due next month,” she said. “I just don’t see why we are borrowing money when the revenue will soon be coming in.”

She also said the cost of paying for a bond attorney adds to the expense.

By Scott Harper

sharper@gtowntimes.com