Hancock seeks water system improvements

Dec 26, 2023

May 19, 2023

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining GazetteMichael Markham of OHM gives a presentation on a proposed $6 million in water system improvements to the Hancock City Council Wednesday night.

HANCOCK — Hancock will try to get a grant for nearly $6 million in proposed water system improvements.

The City Council voted last night to get scoring from the state to determine grant eligibility for the work.

"I’d like to at least check out and see what we can get as far as funding for this project," said Councilor Ron Blau. "And if we can't do it all, that's OK. If we can get some, that’d be great."

Much of it would consist of replacing aging and undersized water mains, said Michael Markham of OHM. Sixty percent of the water mains in the city are more than 90 years old.

Most of the projects had been proposed as alternates in earlier rounds of Rural Development projects, but couldn't be completed with the available funding.

"They’re projects that have been designed before and/or considered, so we’re just trying to catch up," Markham said.

The city would apply for a loan through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The 20-year loan program is jointly administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and the Michigan Finance Authority. The program also received outside funding which allows for principal forgiveness, making it equivalent to a grant.

If the project is a 100% loan, costs for the average household would go up $232 a year.

Scoring would determine how much loan forgiveness the city could receive. In some cases, other cities have only needed to pay back 20% of the amount, Markham said.

Markham said the improvements would make the system more reliable, reduce system deficiencies that could disrupt service, and improve public health by eliminating dead-end mains.

"The water stays stagnant in there … having a loop just keeps that water moving through there," he said.

Water system

improvement projects:

• Water main replacement on Roberts Street (between Birch and North)

• Pine Street water main replacement and North Lincoln Drive water services (between Elevation and White streets)

It will move water mains out of alleys, which are only 10 to 12 feet wide, Markham said.

"It's a pain for the DPW guys to get in there and do any fixes, and it really doesn't meet standards anymore, because you have to have a 10-foot separation between water and sewer," he said. "So we’re trying to get those out of the alley and into the street."

• South Lincoln Drive water main replacement (between Ethel and Michigan streets)

• Center Street water main replacement (from Harris to Mason streets)

• East Summit Street water main replacement (from Elevation to Scott streets)

• Navy Street and Depot Street water main loop

• Water main replacement on the northern part of Summit Street

• Water main loop on Birch, North and Prospect streets

• Hancock Elementary School water main loop

• Water valve replacement to replace some that do not work or have reached the end of their useful life. Four are on the old 1978 crossing of the Portage Canal, Markham said.

• Houghton Valve House Rehabilitation. A 2017 inspection found the exterior was degraded and the heater was no longer working.

"We’ve been lucky that we haven't had any frozen pipes in there," Markham said. "That's the main feed for the city, the township on this side."

• Elevated storage tank, where a ceiling will be installed and some internal components will be replaced.

• Altitude valve vault replacement. The confined space poses a safety concern for the Department of Public Works, Markham said.

The council voted 5-0 for a modified version of the resolution. At the request of Councilor Lisa McKenzie, the language was changed from "agrees to implement the selected alternatives" to "agrees to consider implementing."

In other action, the council:

• Heard the budget work session that had been planned for Wednesday night will instead take place May 31.

• Heard from Police Chief Tami Sleeman two of the department's recruits are in the academy. The city has received a $48,000 grant to put recruits through the academy. The department is applying for another grant for Kevlar vests, Sleeman said.

One officer has resigned from the department; Sleeman is hoping to expand one of the new recruits’ positions from part-time to full-time.

• Heard from DPW Supervisor John Erickson almost 300 people had taken part in spring cleanup. Another 15 people are having materials picked up by the city, Clerk Linda Kalinec said.

• Heard from Clerk Linda Kalinec the city had 27 applicants for the deputy clerk position.

• Appointed Rick White to the Board of Review with a term ending Dec. 31.

• Approved a resolution amending a emergency relief contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation for flood repairs on Montezuma Street to include about $34,000 in additional costs. The city will be reimbursed for the amount.

• Tabled a request for MDOT Category B funding for resurfacing of North and Prospect streets between Birch and Ingot streets. It will be reconsidered at an already scheduled special meeting on June 7. That meeting will also have hearings on the city budget and the solar and wind public ordinance.

• Tabled a request for MDOT Category B funding to reconstruct Minnesota Street between Ethel and Michigan streets. It will also be considered on June 7.

• Approved purchasing a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD for the Department of Public Works for $37,551. The Silverado is a replacement for a 2023 Silverado the council had approved in an October meeting and not purchased. Had the DPW purchased the newer truck, it would also have needed to buy a new plow, Erickson said.

• Authorized City Manager Mary Babcock to accept a bid by Payne & Dolan to clear trees on the easement from the Wuebben property to the city of Hancock property at the business park at up to $7,000.

• Approved the purchase of a 2023 Ford pickup for $57,124 from Copper Country Ford for the DPW, contingent on $20,000 in USDA Rural Development grant funding.

• Approved the purchase of a lawnmower from Ward's Husqvarna for $7,099.95.

• Approved the purchase of cupboards and countertops for the fire hall from McGann's Building Supply for $12,778. Erickson said the existing cabinets and countertop were starting to fall apart.

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