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Bond Update

Posted on: May 16, 2023 - 2:13pm
spring park

March 5, 2024 - Bond Update

Community and Aquatics Rehabilitation- 

Funding for Community and Aquatics Center Improvements has been made available by the Arkansas Energy Office as of January 31. A preconstruction meeting was held on February 2nd. The contractor is finalizing project submittals and ensuring all Build America Buy America requirements are met. The scope of the project includes lighting efficiency upgrades, VFD and boiler replacement, Aquatics Center dehumidification equipment replacement, and controls upgrades. The project is financed through the State Revolving Loan Fund at an interest rate of .4%. The loan will be paid back through the energy savings realized from the improvements, which are guaranteed by the contractor. This has allowed the City to free up approximately $700K of bond funds that would have been used to replace only the dehumidification equipment.

While pursuing this opportunity has allowed the City to maximize the funds available to enhance the projects that were proposed and overcome the impact of the recent increases in the rate of inflation, it has cost a significant amount of time. Heber Springs is the first community in Arkansas to take advantage of this program offered through the Arkansas Energy Office. Working through the process was far from seamless, but now this project and the remaining Parks projects can now comfortably advance. In the coming months the contractor will mobilize to the Community Center to begin the lighting improvements, VFD and boiler replacement, then move to controls work. The last work to be completed will likely be the dehumidification equipment due to lead times for materials.

Splash Pad-Design is now underway.  Hopefully breaking ground this summer.

Huntington Place- Complete.

Weddingford Sidewalks- Bids will be received March 7th.

Downtown Beautification-

The city has been awarded $500K for Sidewalk and lighting improvements. The kickoff meeting with ARDOT was held on January 24th. This funding will be in addition to the $375k in bond funds which will make a significant impact downtown. The city has requested that ARDOT transfer ownership of part of Main Street to the City in order to have greater control of downtown and to have a greater ability to invest in improvements that will benefit the community. A meeting to discuss this transition is being organized. The survey has been completed and design has been started.

3rd Street Drainage-

Redesign is 70% complete. Plans will be finalized pending the results of the meeting with ARDOT regarding ownership of Main Street

 

 

 

May 15th and 16th, 2023

 

Trails

 

1. Sulphur Creek Trails – Phase I
a. Contractor has completed all work except the final punchlist items.
b. Contract is expected to be completed at a final cost of approximately $834,000 with an
original bid amount of $1,162,742.45.

2. Sulphur Creek Trails – Phase II
a. Contract was bid on April 19, 2023, and the low bidder was CK Asphalt, LLC of
Quitman, AR. This is the same contractor who completed Phase I Construction.
b. The project is recommended to award with Deductive Alternates #1 and #2, and to
remove the majority of the asphalt paving for this phase to get the project within the
current budgeted amount. The overall trail budget was $1,600,000. There is
approximately $637,500 remaining for the Phase II construction. Project is anticipated to
be awarded by the council for this amount.
c. Corps of Engineers section will be completed in its entirety, including asphalt paving.
d. Portions of the trail from Hollowell Drive to Sugarloaf Mountain will be completed
without asphalt paving, unless additional funding is provided.
e. Anticipated construction timeframe is June 2023 to December 2023.

Stormwater

1. Main St. Improvements
a. Plan and Profile layout is complete.
b. Internal hydraulic modeling efforts are complete. Awaiting H&H modeling from
ARDOT to verify sizing of Main Street crossing. ARDOT is completing the portion
across Main Street at 3rd and 5th Streets, but connection and design must be coordinated.
c. After ARDOT modeling is complete, we will finalize plan and profile crossings along
with inlet structure design.
d. 3rd St. Construction Cost is estimated to be above the original $1.2 budget.
e. 5th St. Estimated Construction Cost is expected to be below the original estimated
$770,000 budget.
f. Anticipated Construction timeframe will be Summer 2023 to Summer 2024.
2. Hwy 25 Improvements @ Trailwood
a. Design of plan/profile is complete.
b. Easements are complete.
c. Will be working with the city to acquire easements for affected landowners.
d. Finalizing details and specifications.
3. Hwy 25 Improvements @ Lohawk
a. Survey is complete and preliminary layout is complete.
b. Waiting to determine construction costs from the other projects. This project will be
completed only if funds are available.

Sidewalk

1. Weddingford Sidewalk
a. Plan and Profile is complete.
b. Submitted to ARDOT for review and approval on September 2022 (Still waiting for final
approval).
c. Will bid project immediately upon approval from ARDOT.

 

  • Spring Park- Turf base and drainage currently being installed. Turf should begin being place towards the end of this week or early next week, dress up and fence installation to follow. Park should be usable by Memorial Day Weekend.
     
  • Sandy Beach- Metal roofing installation, interior stain and paint, outdoor plumbing fixtures and electrical work is being conducted this week. Once painting is completed, plumbing and lighting fixtures and partitions will be installed. Bathroom as expected to be in service by Memorial Day weekend. There may be some punch list items left for them to come back and address such as final dress up and installing the exterior bottle filler.
     
  • Community Center Rehab- Contracts with Trane have been executed. Financing application has been sent to the Arkansas Energy Office for approval.
     
  • Splash Pad- Preliminary design is underway. Awaiting budgetary pricing on outdoor pool to make sure we have enough in the budget before proceeding. The pricing for the pool is anticipated to be sent to by Thursday of this week.
     
  • S. 7th Street Drainage- Project is substantially complete. Final clean-up pending.
     
  • Huntington Place Street Improvements- Project is in construction. Anticipated completion is the end of July.