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City halts Fairview Avenue project after costs go over budget
By ROBERT CONNELLY
CANFIELD
The city has halted the Fairview Avenue sewer project because the project has gone too far over budget.
City Manager Joe Warino said the project has gone more than 10 percent over budget, meaning that the city has to re-bid the remaining work. The city had accepted the bid from Ray Bertolini Trucking Inc., based in the Akron area, and the engineer is Tetra Tech Inc., which has a Canfield office.
It originally was budgeted for $193,084. In October, council added $9,800 to the project and added an additional $11,907 in November.
“My recommendation to council is to suspend the project where it’s at now, close out what we have now with the current contractor and re-bid the additional work to complete it,” Warino recently told city council.
He added that he believes another bid could be processed in three weeks “to get the project still complete in the spring time.” Warino also said it will cost an additional $30,000 to finish the project, all of which will come from the city.
Councilman Chuck Tieche, a former Canfield city manager himself, concurred with Warino. Having to lower the waterlines to be under sewer lines, because original plans were unavailable, has caused the price of the project to increase.
“One way or another, we would have paid for additional engineering,” Warino said. “I believe we’re doing this the right way, but it’s costing us.”
Earlier this year, Councilman John Morvay had expressed some frustration in the project when additional funding was needed to lower one of those lines.
Some residents of Fairview Avenue expressed their displeasure with the project Wednesday. “It’s been such a nightmare,” Donna Bishop told council. “I want to see a new engineering company.”
Another resident, Mike Kubitza, said, “I appreciate what’s been done.”