HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — Holland City Council meets today, March 20, 2019, starting at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 270 S. River Ave. (See the complete meeting packet online.)
Among the considerations: A first reading of updates to the city’s purchasing ordinance, increasing the dollars amounts for purchasing rules. The original rule, adopted in 1998, was amended in 2007 (adding banking in the professional services definition) and 2011 (requiring local bidder preference). City Manager Keith Van Beek noted in a memo to council members that the current dollar thresholds are out of date.
In addition to increasing the dollar amounts, the new rules would allow the city’s purchasing coordinator to buy professional services, minor construction services and other contractual services without prior city council approval, but only if services are $50,000 or less and were approved in the city’s budget. The rule would also designate the city’s finance director/treasurer, Tim Vagle, as the city’s purchasing coordinator
The city manager would be allowed to sign contracts with non-profits working wit the city, if those agreements are under $20,000 and included in the city’s operating budget. A department head would be authorized to make purchases of less than $5,000, without advance approval by use of a confirming purchase order is clarified.
Council members will also consider approving a $5.13 million contract with Allegan-based Milbocker & Sons, Inc., for a major project on 19th Street, between Cleveland and Central avenues.
This is a multi-facted project, which will replace pipes that are, in some cases 100-plus years old.
It’s the next step in a water system expansion project that dates back to 2004 and included the 30-inch lake crossing at Division/Graafschap. That line proceeds east on 20th Street, then north at Maple Avenue, ends at 19th and Maple. The 19th Street project would connect the existing 24-inch main to the current Pine Avenue pipework, where mains are 16- and 12-inches in diameter, according to city documents.
Holland BPW must also meet state guidelines for replacing water lines to meet new state standards for copper and galvanized pipes.
This will include replacing short lead pipes called goosenecks. The city’s water system “contains approximately 2,380 public side and 3,560 private side galvanized services that are, or were, connected to the public main through a short piece of lead pipe called a lead gooseneck,” according to city documents.
The state now requires city water systems to be updated within the next 20 years; the city’s impending ordinance will require residents to comply with agreements with Holland BPW for the work to be done, which would include Property owners who refuse “risk termination of the customer’s water service,” according to the Holland BPW documentation.
