The City of Marseilles received a $530,000 grant this year through NCICG to undertake two major street repairs. Because the grant money took two years to arrive, the projected costs rose due to inflation to about $720,000.
The projects were, relining the sewer on Bluff Street and replacing the leaking sewer on Union Street where it goes under Gum Creek. Performance Pipelining completed the Bluff Street project this summer for $430,000. The contractor for the Union Street project, Opperman Construction, however ultimately determined they could not bore through the bridge over Gum Creek.
The City of Marseilles has told Opperman Construction they must hold up their end of the contract to fix Union Street or the City will be forced to go after their bond totaling 284,000 dollars. By this point, inflation would strike again and the total project for Union Street sewer would likely be about 400,000 dollars of which the City would pick up the balance.
If the City should find a new contractor by January, which is unlikely, Opperman Construction’s bond would then pay whoever does the work to fix the leaking sewer under Gum Creek. Something that could put them out of business.
If the City cannot force the contractor to obtain the necessary boring equipment and complete their obligations by the end of January, Marseilles could then potentially lose the remaining $100,000 of the grant money.