Mount Prospect hires engineer for flood work
The Mount Prospect village board this week awarded a contract to consulting engineer Burns & McDonnell for design engineering and bidding assistance for recently approved $2.5 million in flood control projects.
The contract would not exceed $109,000.
There will be no sales tax increase for the flood-control projects, which will be financed by a bond issue that will be repaid over seven years out of an existing quarter-cent home rule sales tax dedicated to flood control.
Included in the proposed package would be the Hatlen Heights storm sewer improvements, the Hatlen Heights sanitary sewer improvements, the Lonnquist combined sewer improvements, the Lonnquist storm sewer improvements, the Golfview Estates stormwater improvements and the Lawrence Lane storm sewer improvements.
Public Works Director Sean Dorsey said staff intends to finish the improvements in the 2013 construction season.
Dorsey noted that Burns & McDonnell has successfully performed a variety of civil engineering projects for the village in the course of 20 years, including the 2011 Comprehensive Flood Study, which the firm wrote and which contained recommendations that included the projects currently being addressed.
“Because of this experience, Burns & McDonnell is intimately familiar with the village’s sewer systems, drainage patterns and, most importantly, the flooding problems endured by Mount Prospect residents,” Dorsey said.
He added that the firm’s Randy Patchett has established relationships with residents who will be impacted by the upcoming projects.
The only project the firm will not be working on is the Golfview Estates Stormwater improvements. Plans and specifications designed by village staff for that project are nearly complete and currently under review.
Trustee Michael Zadel excused himself from the vote, because the engineering firm does business for the agency that employs him. Trustee John Matuszak said he is generally against sole-source contracting, he voted in favor because the firm has demonstrated its expertise on previous village projects and because its price was favorable.