The council heard the city’s explanation of the borrowing request – as well as the urgency behind it – at its meeting Tuesday night.
“The reason is, we have opened the bids in this very crazy bidding scenario we're living in right now with uncertainty. We decided to wait until we had the bids in hand to request what that amount would be, and therefore, we are against the clock with the 30 days that we have to award the contract. The bids were opened on August 22nd. We have to award by November, I'm sorry, September 21st. 30 days," said Commissioner of Public Works Ricardo Morales. “It boils down to discolored water at the tap of the residents of Alfred Drive, mainly of those residents. There are some spurs that come out of there, but that's where the issues are. This is very particular to that street. We have really no problems like that elsewhere in the city. We have isolated, we have done studies on the line there, and we determined that the problem, as we suspected, was with the line that's there.”
Under the city’s plan to replace the Alfred Drive water main before winter, almost $500,000 would go to contractor Caracas Construction, $150,000 would go to administration and engineering, and $100,000 would be designated for contingency costs.
At-large city councilor Karen Kalinowsky asked Mayor Linda Tyer why the city hadn’t opted to use federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for the project.
“We're not using ARPA money because this is a project that's taking place in a single neighborhood," said Tyer. "We have taken a position with the use of the ARPA funds that we want to maximize their use for the benefit the most people in the city of Pittsfield. And so that's why we're not using ARPA funds for this one neighborhood project. We want to make sure we're using it in ways that will benefit the most people. So for example, we're doing the repairs to our water, drinking water systems, and our reservoirs that's actually helping every resident in the city of Pittsfield.”
Kalinowsky disagreed.
“If we use the ARPA money, it would help all the taxpayers by not borrowing $745,000 from the enterprise fund, so you actually are helping everyone," she said. "And this is my whole aspect, because I read the ARPA thing, and I know they really pushed it toward cities to use it for water, sewer. And I think it's because a lot of cities have old systems like we do, pipes and everything are old like ours. And I would I just would really rather see us using the ARPA money for this.”
Ward 7’s Anthony Maffuccio said he would support the plan, but included a caveat of his own.
“This is in Ward 4," he said. "We have a big issue in Ward 7 on King Street that’s been going on for 30 years plus that the commissioner nor mayor have addressed yet. So I hope in the future you give some consideration to West Side, and not always to the elite neighborhoods. We have quality of life issues, the water down there, and you know exactly what they are and you know the exact cost. I'll give you this one, but don't come forward any more without helping out the West Side.”
Ward 2’s Charles Kronick led his own campaign to cut down the spending plan by asking Tyer to remove its $100,000 contingency line.
Tyer rejected the suggestion outright.
“The construction project is going to get underway, we're going to be digging into the road," said the mayor. "And we might discover something in the midst of that project that requires a change order change orders often involve added expenses, we need to be able to move quickly while we're in construction.”
At-large city councilor Pete White said residents of Alfred Drive have been in contact with the council for over a year to address the water main.
“It's not a good look to have brown water for our residents," he said. "It's not a healthy thing, even if it's not causing immediate issues. None of us want to turn on our faucets and see brown water. That's what this is going to solve.”
The council approved the borrowing with Kalinowsky and Kronick in opposition.
