Jackson aldermen lay foundation for improvements

Jackson city administrator Jim Roach calls them small projects, but little projects like these can go a long way, he said.

The Jackson Board of Aldermen acted on two infrastructure improvements Monday night involving the extension of utilities in two separate industrial parks.

The board first accepted the bid, and then passed an ordinance on a contractual agreement concerning sewer line installations at the Meier Industrial Park and the Jackson Soccer Park. Then, the board accepted the bid for engineering dealing with extending electric lines out to the Jackson Industrial Park.

In terms of spending, the projects are considered small. Jackson accepted a bid of $19,719 from G&C Contracting, Inc., of Perryville, Mo., for the installation of the sewer lines.

The board also accepted a $13,090 bid from Shultz Engineering, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for the engineering work for the electric line extension. "The dollar amounts are not particularly high, but they're still important projects," Roach said.

Jackson Mayor Paul Sander agreed.

"These are just good infrastructure improvements," he said. "It's difficult to continue with upgrades in a growing city, but that's always been one of our strengths and one of our goals -- to have everything organized and planned."

The sewer lines will provide allow for public rest rooms at the soccer park, which Roach said will be developed later this year.

The purpose of the electric line project is to provide a higher voltage to the industrial property that the city owns. The property already has electric service, but not enough to power a new water well, which was also an item on the agenda Monday night.

The city set a public hearing for April 7. The public hearing would address an amendment of the water distribution system analysis facility plan to include the new water supply well.

"The city has a good water supply now, but in the summer we do reach close to the peak capacity," Sander said.

bmiller@semissourian.com

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