Photo

Click on photo to enlarge

Jessica Nelms

Local seniors enjoy a shallow water workout in the warm pool at the Central-Clemson Indoor Recreation Center. The installation of a solar water heating system for swimming pools at the rec center is one of the capital projects set to take place during the current 2010 fiscal year.

CLEMSON — Clemson City Administrator Rick Cotton distributed a two-page summary of 18 capital projects, totaling nearly $21 million, to Clemson City Council Monday night — the first of regular monthly reports he will submit to that governing body.

”The next nine months will be staff intensive on managing projects,” Cotton said, adding that the construction projects are for the 2009-10 fiscal year that ends June 30. “This gives you a month-by-month snapshot, and we will update this spreadsheet monthly with a status report and project completion.”

Cotton said the projects are in various stages, adding that construction bids have been approved for some during the past couple of council meetings and that pre-construction meetings are now being held for others.

Approximately seven of the projects have awarded construction bids: the $2.7 million City Hall Expansion project, funded by Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and estimated for completion in June 2010; Pendleton-Clemson Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade, a $5.3 million project funded by stimulus and State Revolving Fund loans, slated for construction starting the middle of this month and completed in 18 months; Waterline replacement projects, which, at $134,000 is being funded through the Utility Fund, with construction set to begin the middle of this month; Wastewater collection line replacement projects, $133,000, funded through the Utility Fund with construction set to begin the middle of this month; Public Works Brush Grinder replacement project, $340,000, with delivery of a new unit set for the middle of this month; Public Works Fuel Dispensing System and Tank Replacement project, $110,000 from the general fund, with installation scheduled for this month; and the Cochran Road Digester Construction project, $800,000 funded through the Wastewater Treatment Fund, with construction scheduled to begin the middle of this month.

Projects that are scheduled for bid within the next month, along with budget estimate and timeline, are as follows: Clemson Area Transit Office and Garage Facility, $2.5 million through SCDOT stimulus monies, set for bid Jan. 18, with construction to begin in March and continue for 12 months; Public Works Storage Building Construction Project, $100,000 through the General Fund, with bid award Dec. 21 and construction to begin in early 2010; Recreation Department Storage Building construction, $40,000 funded by General Fund, with construction to begin in early 2010; the Elm Street sidewalk construction project, involving $50,000 in “C” funds, to be bid by Dec. 18; and installation of a solar water heating system for swimming pools at the Central-Clemson Indoor Rec Center, $110,000 in ConserFund loan money, with request for proposal due to be issued early this month and awarded Jan. 18.

Cotton said the SCDOT Highway 123/133 intersection and Norfolk Southern Bridge Replacement project, funded through stimulus monies, will be bid in March. Water and sewer line relocations for the bridge project, to be funded through $120,000 in Tax Increment Financing funds; and mast-arm signal structure design and installation, $80,000 in TIF funds, with the final design following right-of-way acquisition. Pending projects, funded through stimulus monies, include replacement of existing metal halide lighting system with energy efficient LED lighting at the downtown parking deck and street lighting retrofit to replace 100 existing lights with energy efficient LED lighting system. Energy grant awards of $75,000 for each project is anticipated either in December or January.

Development related projects, each funded through $80,000 in TIF monies, include a mast-arm traffic signal and installation for Lowe’s Home Improvement Store intersection, to be bid in early 2010; mast-arm traffic signal design and installation for U.S. Highway 123 and Freedom Drive intersection, pending review by the SCDOT; and mast-arm traffic signal design and installation for Issaqueena Trail and Chapman Hill Road for commercial development at Patrick Square, with the start of construction for road relocation set to begin next year.

“If you add total dollars, you’re looking at $13 million of city funds and $8 million of SCDOT funds for a total of $21 million worth of capital projects — with over half involving economic stimulus monies and grant funding,” Cotton said.

greg@dailyjm.com | (864) 973-6687