Commission approves bid for lift station improvements

The Hill County Commission approved a $669,300 bid for improvements to the RSID 29 and 30 Lift Station in North Havre, a project with a price tag that has expanded significantly due to inflation, but one that can still be covered by American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The commission has been working for years to improve the efficiency of lift stations in North Havre to get ahead of any potential environmental or health-related dangers but the upgrades were expensive projects and required significant time and investment to make progress on.

In 2020 Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean said each lift station will cost around $500,000 to fully upgrade, and the commission would start looking at applications for the grants to improve station 29/30, in 2022.

While the cost of the project has ballooned significantly since 2020, it appears that timeline has moved up due to ARPA funding.

The commission voted unanimously to award the bid to Lakeside Excavation at the recommendation of Great West Engineering, a firm that advises the county on projects like this.

During the business meeting the commission also unanimously voted to approve an amendment to their contract with the Hill County Council on Aging, an amendment that states that the reimbursement by the state for congregate meals served will rise from $4.20 to $5 per meal.

The commission also approved a revised safety manual for county employees that Hill County Commissioner Jake Strissel said will be sent to all employees once it’s been made into a PDF.