Holts Summit facing sewer project deadline

Holts Summit officials hope to start construction this spring on sewer project.
Holts Summit officials hope to start construction this spring on sewer project.

HOLTS SUMMIT - The Board of Alderman voted unanimously over email Thursday to begin advertising for construction bids for the city's sewer project.

For years, Holts Summit has been trying to update its sewer system. Now, it looks like the city is back on track to meet a hard deadline from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

If Holts Summit doesn't award a bid on the project by April 29, it could lose the funding DNR has agreed to contribute to the project.

"The reason this process is so fragile is we're getting funding from DNR worth $500,000," City Administrator Hanna Lechner said. "Their deadline is April. If we don't go to bid by April, we will lose that funding."

The city will hold an open meeting March 5 to present the bids they receive. At their March 10 meeting, aldermen will award the bid.

In addition to the money from DNR, $4.82 million of the project is being funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant; the city of Holts Summit is contributing $300,000. The city is hoping to get an additional $1,379,400 from the USDA.

The project linking the city's wastewater management system to Jefferson City will involve replacing an old treatment facility with a new pump station, laying 6-8 miles of pressured sewer line and connecting 102 houses to the system.

"We asked for additional funding and so that hasn't been decided yet," Lechner said. "They want to go to bid and see what companies think is necessary to complete the project."

The project has dragged on since 2013.

Every step of the project needs approval from the USDA. Another reason for the lengthy process is the people working on the project keep changing - both in Holts Summit and at the USDA.

"When you change administration, they have to get up to speed," Lechner said. "It's like the process starts over."

Lechner is the city's fifth city administrator since the project started. She says the USDA contact has also changed several times.

"No one is allowed to leave at this point," Lechner joked.

During the Board of Alderman's Jan. 14 meeting, Lechner expressed concerns about the approaching deadline.

"My plan is to pester and pester and pester the USDA to make sure that we continue to get this ball rolling so that we can meet this deadline," Lechner said at the meeting.

Now Lechner is more confident about the project's progress.

"We are going to meet that deadline," she said.