By CHRISSY PRICHARD

Express News Staff

Bids on two separate projects were awarded by the Town of Webb board at their monthly meeting held Oct. 9.

Supervisor Ted Riehle asked the board to consider a motion to accept the bid for the replacement of the 155 kilowatt emergency backup generator and transfer switch at the wastewater treatment plant.

Bids for the project were opened at September’s regular meeting. A bid of $61,799 was submitted by P.M. Electic, and a bid of $53,001.87 was submitted by Power Generation and Industrial Engines.

After taking the time to review the bids with Waste-water Treatment Plant Chief Operator John Mitchell, Riehle recommended that the bid be awarded to Power Generation and Industrial Engines, being the lowest bidder.

On a motion made by Councilman Mike Ross and seconded by Councilwoman Kate Russell, the board voted unanimously to award the bid to Power Generation and Industrial Engines.

The money for the generator will be coming from the town’s reserve fund, a portion of which has been earmarked for capitol improvement projects.

According to Riehle, the backup generator at the wastewater facility is 30 years old, and replacement parts to maintain the machine have become very hard to find. The old generator will be declared surplus and sold, with the proceeds going back into the reserve fund. The generator’s replacement is expected to take place next spring.

Riehle announced that the bid awards package for the TOBIE Trail Phase 2 welcome center in Eagle Bay has been reviewed and approved by the state Department of Trans-portation.

With this approval from the DOT the bid awards package can be finalized, which is the last requirement before work can begin on the project.

Bids were solicited for four separate contracts involved in the project including general construction, electrical construction, heating and ventilating construction, and plumbing construction.

After the bids were opened on Aug. 31, they were reviewed by engineering firm Barton and Logudice, who recommended the following bid awards: general construction, R.E. Alexander Co. Inc., $484,240; electrical, S.C. Spencer Electrical Inc., $46,700; heating and ventilating, Superior Plumbing and Heating, $48,950; plumbing, Superior Plumbing and Heating, $33,200.

This recommended bid awards package was granted preliminary approval by the town board at September’s regular meeting, but DOT approval was still needed, since they administer the federal grant that will be funding a portion of the project. The rest of project will be paid for by funds in the 2012 and 2013 budgets.

The long awaited welcome center has been in the planning stages since 2008. The center will include restrooms, and there will be a parking area. The space will be landscaped and trail connections will be made, including connecting the trail with the south side of State Route 28.

Construction on the project will wait until spring, as soon as weather permits. Riehle said the decision to hold off on the construction rather that beginning this fall was based on a lot of factors. He said projects tend to move slower in the colder months, and having an inspector on site for an extended period could affect the budget for the project. Also, snowmobile traffic would be disrupted this winter if there were a construction project going on in that location. “To start a project like this in the winter isn’t practical, especially up here,” Riehle said.

Once construction begins, it is anticipated that within 120 days the facility will be complete enough to be open to the public.

Following on the heels of the welcome center project is another upgrade to the TOBIE Trail, the construction of a bridge over the Moose River that will connect Thendara and Old Forge portions of the trail. Riehle anticipates the bidding process for the bridge will begin before the year is over, so construction of the bridge could potentially get under way next spring as well.