Oct 28, 2014 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Waynesburg Borough Council awarded a contract Monday for the first phase of the Jackson Run project and hired a new solicitor to replace Linda Chambers, who is retiring at the end of the year.

The Jackson Run project will include replacing the bridge carrying High Street over Jackson Run, which runs just west of Woodland Avenue, and installing new culverts on both sides of the road.

The borough will replace the culverts using state grant money. The state Department of Transportation will replace the bridge. Inadequate flow through the area has in the past led to flooding on High Street at Woodland Avenue during times of heavy rain.

The first phase of the project will involve replacing about 300 feet of culvert on the south side of the highway. The north side of the highway will be addressed in phase two.

The borough received three bids for the first phase and awarded the contract to Allison Park Contractor Inc., which submitted a low bid of $1,209,000.

Borough manager Mike Simms said Tuesday Mackin Engineering, the engineer for the project, indicated the bid was within project estimates. Some initial work could begin at the end of November, Simms said.

Phase two, the replacement of about 160 feet of culvert on the north side of the road, is expected to be bid later but may depend on receipt of additional funding from the state.

The borough now has $1.67 million for the project, including $770,000 which it received several years ago from the state’s H2O grant program and $900,000, which represents money contributed by the county from a 2009 state Growing Greener grant.

The county has applied for another $500,000 state grant for the project, which is expected to be needed in part for additional engineering work and to construct extra shoring to reduce the impact on the properties on which the work will be done.

PennDOT expects to bid its part of the project, the replacement of the bridge, at the start of the year and begin the work shortly afterwards, said PennDOT project engineer Bill Oshnack.

The bridge, which is not visible because of the paving on properties on both sides of the road, is about 50 feet long.

Council also voted to hire Patrick Fitch, who is now Greene County assistant public defender, as the borough’s next solicitor.

Fitch, the son of councilman Dar Fitch, is a graduate of Waynesburg College and Ohio Northern University School of Law. From 1997 to 2013, he served with the U.S. Secret Service, as an assistant special agent and as assistant to the special agent in charge of the Presidential Protection Division.

Six attorneys had applied for the position. Dar Fitch abstained on the motion to hire his son.

Council also tabled action on approving the scope of work developed for the comprehensive plan the borough will conduct in conjunction with the county and Waynesburg University.

The scope of the project was prepared by the consulting engineers hired for the project, Mackin Engineering and HRG Engineering. The proposal was discussed and referred to council’s fiancé committee for further review.

The borough was awarded a $45,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development to revise the comprehensive plan. It will contribute $30,000 and the university $20,000 toward the plan’s development. Personnel from the county will assist in the effort.