Before tonight’s Ironton City Council meeting, the Public Utilities Committee will meet for the purpose of favorably recommending Ordinance 16-07, authorizing and directing the mayor to negotiate and enter into an agreement with E.L. Robinson Engineering Company, Inc. regarding the floodwall improvement/pump station #6 project and declaring an emergency, to council.

The ordinance was previously tabled and referred to finance committee by council, where it was then given to public utilities, which met on Tuesday to discuss the project scope with E.L. Robinson engineer Michael Williams.

The project regards the Moltens Field pump station outfall line, a 54-inch corrugated metal pipe that was installed during the floodwall’s construction in the 1940s. In the early 1960s, the dam construction raised the water level. The outfall line is now always underwater, water in the line reaches to the pump station and a sink hole has developed in the field. Because of these issues, the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers can’t complete the required inspections every two years. The drainage area for the pump station covers Eighth Street to U.S. 52 from Pine Street to Railroad Street, Seventh Street from Pine Street to Chestnut Street and the U.S. 52 median and ditch drains connected at Quincy Street.

Williams informed public utilities of two options: an open cut pipe replacement estimated at $911,184 or a realignment estimated at $600,000, which included one point repair, estimated at $60,000. The point repairs are sections found in the realignment process which need to be replaced, adding to the total estimated cost if more than one are found. A community development block grant of $297,000 is set to be used toward the project so far.

Both options had a $97,000 engineering cost and require a gate being installed to seal water out as well as pumping water out to allow inspection before proceeding. Public utilities determined to allow that part of the process to take place before deciding on the full replacement or relining of the pipe. The finance committee met Wednesday after receiving the $97,000 figure for the gate and water pumping prior to moving forward with either replacement or realignment and favorably recommended it to public utilities to favorably recommend to council.

At the regular council meeting, Ordinance 16-07 will be untabled and voted on with the $97,000 included.

Also on the Ironton City Council agenda:

The second reading of Ordinance 16-15, authorizing the mayor to award bids for the purchase of chemicals for the year 2016.

Ordinance 16-16, fixing the number and compensation of certain employees of the city of Ironton and declaring an emergency.

Public utilities will meet at 5:45 p.m. in the council chambers on the third floor of the city center and council will begin at 6 p.m.