By Annie Dance | Lake Lure News | Cops & Congress | News & Commentary | Reporting from Rutherfordton, NC
The Lake Lure Town Council approved a $1.7 million sewer replacement contract Tuesday as the town continues rebuilding infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Helene and considers millions of dollars in additional disaster recovery projects.
The council voted unanimously Aug. 11 to award Morgan Corporation the contract to replace sewer manholes 32 and 35 through 37. The company submitted the low bid of $1,704,660 after the town received three bids. Engineering firm LaBella reviewed the proposals and found Morgan to be the responsible low bidder. Town officials said the work is expected to be covered by a FEMA funding line item.
The project will focus on sewer infrastructure around Morris Park and the Washburn Marina area, which town officials said was heavily damaged by Helene. Much of the work is expected to occur during the lake’s winter drawdown period.
The council also unanimously approved a resolution setting a public hearing on potential Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery applications.
Town Manager Olivia Stewman said projects under consideration include a new public safety facility, replacement of Town Hall, replacement of dam gates and replacement of the wastewater treatment plant.
Stewman said town officials recently met with a CDBG-DR program director to discuss eligibility. One concern is that submitting multiple projects in the same funding cycle could cause the projects to compete against one another.
The town planned to meet with Carolina Land and Lakes before deciding which projects to prioritize based on both need and the likelihood of receiving an award. The public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 26 at 8:30 a.m. during the council’s work session.
The council separately approved a memorandum of understanding with Carolina Land and Lakes for grant research services. The nonprofit will assist the town in identifying and evaluating potential funding opportunities, particularly for sewer and dam projects.
Under the agreement, the organization will charge $125 per hour, with a maximum of 240 hours per year, or $30,000 annually.
The Executive Director of that nonprofit, Melissa Patton, also serves as Co-Chair of Governor Josh Stein’s Hurricane Helene task force subcommittee on resilience, known as GROW NC (Governor’s Recovery Office for Western NC).
Carolina Land & Lakes Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), a Lenoir-based nonprofit established in 1999, grew out of the federally created RC&D program established by Congress in the 1962 Agriculture Act and originally supported through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Federal funding for RC&D staffing ended in 2011 during the Obama administration; Carolina Land & Lakes continued as an independent 501(c)(3) organization, working with local communities, government agencies and other stakeholders on water and land conservation, wildfire resilience, energy conservation, agriculture and community development.
Town officials also reported that FEMA continues to disagree with the town’s assessment of damages related to Town Hall at 2948 Memorial Highway.
The town expects to receive a FEMA determination memo and could appeal the agency’s decision. In the meantime, officials said they intend to move ahead with initial site work using FEMA 428 alternate funding. FEMA has indicated it will commit $180,000, while the initial work is expected to cost slightly more than $202,000.
The current temporary town hall is at the former Landings at Lake Lure facility, 920 Buffalo Creek Road.
The council also unanimously approved sole-source procurement for SCADA equipment programming and integration associated with the sewer replacement project.
Town staff said Dorsett Controls was the only viable vendor because of its existing work with the town and the need to maintain compatibility and standardization with the existing system.
Separately, Lake Lure is studying a potential long-term wastewater agreement with Chimney Rock Village. LaBella is being asked to analyze projected construction, operations, maintenance and staffing costs to help determine an appropriate cost share if the two communities reach an agreement.
Chimney Rock Village has proposed a capacity allocation currently estimated at 100,000 gallons per day, although officials said that figure remains subject to negotiation.
The town also reported progress on several other recovery and infrastructure projects.
The Boys Camp bridge replacement is underway, with the contractor’s mobilization starting the 120-day contract period. Officials cautioned that some delays are possible. A separate culvert project on Boys Camp Road is awaiting bids and will be coordinated with the bridge work to minimize disruptions.
Morris Park grading remains delayed while the town waits for a state Department of Environmental Quality permit. The town expects the 30-day review period to end Aug. 24.
The town also has an individual dredging permit application pending with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. If approved, the permit would give Lake Lure the ability to dredge across the lake, although officials said they would continue to prioritize areas most affected by sediment deposits. Lakefront property owners are the only persons allowed to comment on the application, town officials said. Commissioner Patrick Bryant held up one he received as a postcard-style mailer.
The council’s August 11 meeting reflects the continuing financial and infrastructure challenges facing Lake Lure nearly two years after Helene, with town officials simultaneously pursuing federal and state assistance, advancing construction projects, and evaluating long-term infrastructure needs.
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