DECEMBER 17, 2008
Virginia:
At a special meeting of the Council for the Town of Chatham, held at the
Chatham Town Hall at 6:00 P.M. on December 17, 2008.
Present: Robert Thompson,
Vice Mayor
Council
Members: Roy Byrd, Alvin Crider, C.B. Cundiff, Jim McDole, and Joe Rogers.
Absent: Mayor George Haley. Attorney Larry Gott.
Council on
motion of Byrd and seconded by Cundiff approved the Agenda.
The Vote: Aye: Council Members; Thompson, Rogers,
Cundiff, McDole, and Byrd. (Crider not available)
Councilman
Joe Rogers stated that an emergency exists concerning the integrity of the
water lines near Columbia Forest Products Co. close to the Town Water Plant on
Moses Mill Road west of the Chatham Town limits.
On
December 3, 2008 an old and supposedly abandoned 6" water
supply ruptured necessitating a shutdown of the water supply to the Town
of Chatham and it's customers, including Pittsylvania County Service
Authority and their regional customers including the Green Rock
Prison. The emergency situation created a complete lack of potable
water as well as water for fire protection systems throughout the service
area. In response to this emergency, the Town of Chatham contracted with Alvin
Yeatts Construction, a firm with the capability and experience to respond
and in whom it had confidence, to locate and repair the line break. Yeatts
Construction responded rapidly and mobilized to address the problem. They
worked around the clock until the leak was repaired. During and subsequent to
the repair, it became apparent that the line which failed remained in a
deteriorated condition and that it was connected to newer portions of the
lines serving the town system in a manner that prevented it from being
completely isolated from newer portions of the town system. Further, it was
connected to some point unknown, making it impossible to completely isolate the
questionable line. Consequently, further exploration to locate the point of
juncture of the pipe with the new lines and implementation of repairs are
required. This additional work is a continuation and extension of the
initial emergency response. It is now necessary to address additional
critical and time sensitive problems not known until evaluation of the cause of
the initial break. Given its condition, failure to promptly locate, repair, and
isolate the old 6" water supply line could result in imminent failure
of the line and cause another critical shutdown of services to
the town and its extended customers. This additional emergency work needs
to be done immediately and conducted by a firm capable of addressing
whatever conditions are revealed, a firm familiar with the nature of the town
system and site conditions.
Councilman
Rogers asked that the Council vote at this meeting to request Yeatts
Construction Company to conduct further evaluations and exploratory excavations
leading to actions isolating the deteriorated 6" water line. Delays to
advertise and solicit additional competition for this work run the risk of additional
failures, disruption of crucial services, and additional costs to the Town
and its citizens.
Council
on a motion by Cundiff seconded by Byrd approved awarding an informal contract
to Alvin Yeatts Construction to locate, repair, separate, and cap the
intersection of the problem 6” water line and the 10” main line. The cost as
discussed by Alvin Yeatts would be up to $8k for this phase of work.
The
Vote: Aye: Council Members; Byrd, Crider, Cundiff, McDole, Rogers, and
Thompson.
Having no
further business council was adjourned.
_____________________________
Vice-Mayor
_______________________
Attest: