Waverly trustees discuss retaining wall project

Waverly village trustees agreed Tuesday to move forward with a project to repair a retaining wall along Cayuta Creek that was damaged in last year's flooding.

Mayor Kyle McDuffee said village officials will get in touch with representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure that the retaining wall's replacement will be properly reimbursed.

Trustees opened and approved a low bid of $488,438 by LC Whitford Company of Wellsville, N.Y. at a previous meeting, but with the stipulation that any costs above FEMA's estimate be covered by the agency. The bids for the project were higher than expected, McDuffee said.

Hunt Engineers, which designed the planned replacement, recommended in a letter to village officials that they accept the bid in order to meet FEMA's May 2013 deadline to complete the project. The firm continues to await word on whether FEMA will accept the installation of grouted tiebacks - anchors used to reinforce and stabilize the wall - as a "replacement in kind." Tiebacks were installed following the flood of 1972, McDuffee said, but were not part of the wall's original blueprints.

The letter cautioned that if trustees accept the bid and move forward with construction, the village may be responsible for added costs not covered by FEMA. However, a delay in the acceptance may invalidate the price quoted in the bid, likely increasing the project's costs even further.

The state has approved the tiebacks as an appropriate replacement, and county emergency management officials believe the tiebacks will be covered, said trustee Ron Keene.

However, McDuffee said he was concerned with the gap between the bid and FEMA's estimated project cost and wished to speak with officials regarding the discrepancy. "I think they will be interested in making it right," he said.

Trustees also voted to withhold payment on a $3,215 change order to the village hall's asbestos abatement project. The change order was not authorized by village officials or anyone acting on behalf of the village, McDuffee said.

Trustees also approved a $4,050 bid from Quinlan Tree Service to remove and trim trees in the village.

Amanda Renko can be reached at (570) 888-9652; or email: arenko@thedailyreview.com.

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Waverly trustees discuss retaining wall project