Jackson aldermen approve water main work

Replacing the water main running under East Jackson Boulevard between Shawnee Avenue and Old Cape Road is a long-range priority in the city of Jackson.

But city officials moved one 1,000-foot section for immediate replacement Monday, when the Jackson Board of Aldermen voted to replace a segment near the Wal-Mart Supercenter as soon as possible.

According to Rodney Bollinger, the city's public works director, new pumps at the water plant raised water pressure to the city's east side. That's when the water main breaks started.

He said the main, replaced during highway widening more than 10 years ago, runs over a rocky area.

"The pipe is really bowed. They laid it with some amount of curvatures," he said.

The pipe has failed at least six times this year, four times in September alone. Jackson public works crews have spent 200 hours making the seven repairs, Bollinger said.

City officials agreed to pay nearly $7,000 to the St. Louis-based Horner & Shifrin Inc. for an engineering study about the best way to do the job.

Bollinger said he expects the bidding process to replace the line to start early next year. The new line may not go in the same place, but if it does, "we'll be chipping out some rock."

The council also:

• Accepted the $115,774 bid from B&A Automation and Controls Inc. of Chillicothe, Mo., for the purchase of five substation breakers.
• Approved April 8 for a general municipal election. Terms are expiring for Curtis Poore, Ward 1; David Reiminger, Ward 2; Larry Cunningham, Ward 3; and Joe Bob Baker, Ward 4. The filing date for candidates is 8 a.m. Dec. 18 through 5 p.m. Jan. 22.
• Approved the water system facility plan prepared by Horner & Shifrin Inc.
• Approved the settlement of the class action lawsuit with Verizon Wireless.
• Authorized the closure of certain streets at 2 p.m. Dec. 1 for the annual Christmas parade.
• Set a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3, to consider rezoning the proposed High Ridge subdivision from R-1, R-2 and C-2 to R-2 and R-3 (one- and two-family residential, a plan submitted by Mathes Construction LLC.

The Jackson Board of Aldermen meets again at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127