Clear Lake council approves contract for first phase of City Beach improvements

CLEAR LAKE — The Clear Lake City Council Monday night approved awarding a contract for the first phase of the City Beach Enhancement Project.

While this phase of the project does not include the construction of a new splash pad and restroom facilities, City Administrator Scott Flory says it does include a number of things including: the construction of water main; demolition of the existing pump shed adjacent to the Water Treatment Plant building that houses the DNR lake aerator pumps and equipment; construction of a temporary shed to house the aerator pumps through this coming winter; and the demolition of the existing restroom structure.

The estimated cost of the project was $230,000, plus $45 per cubic yard for the removal and replacement of contaminated soil. The lone bid received on the project was from Dean Snyder Construction of Clear Lake for $220,000 plus $130 per cubic yard of contaminated soil. Flory says they’ll work together with the contractor to contain costs as best as possible.  “I know Jason has already got our soil consultant lined up for next Monday to strategically take some soil borings there, so we can try to minimize any impact related to any sort of contamination soil issues there, and also in terms of strategies to install and construct the water main improvements if we can possibly avoid as much of that contaminated soil as possible.”

The federal Environmental Protection Agency cleaned up a coal tar deposit from this particular area in 1994 after coal tar was first discovered during the installation of a water main in 1987. Flory says the soil borings should give a good indication if any more cleanup needs to be done.  “We’ll know more once those soil borings are taken, how deep it is and whether we can avoid it, but there is still some potential to run into some contaminated soil.”

The first phase of the project is scheduled to start next week, with the temporary shed to be completed so the aerator system can be operational by November 15th. The first phase completion date is scheduled for Thanksgiving.