TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 16, 2010
COMMITTEE ON MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS
Mr. Richard Lanyon, Executive Director
Title
Request to Enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the United States Army Corps of Engineers for Bulk Head Removal Funding
Body
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is in the process of replacing the sector gates at the Chicago Lock. The lock will be closed between November 1, 2010 and April 15, 2011. To complete the project, bulkheads will be placed on either side of the sector gates to allow the contractor to dewater the area and replace the gates. During severe storms, the Corps has the ability to remove the bulkheads and allow the District to reverse to the Lake.
The Corps requested $102,000.00 from the District for the costs for alerts and bulkhead removal operations. The cost is based on an estimate for the number of times each phase of the bulkhead removal plan is likely to occur. There are several levels of alert and corresponding actions that the contractor will execute when directed by the Corps. In anticipation of removing the bulkheads for storms, the Corps included line items for each phase of the removal process. The contractor’s bid was based on: 20 days of Phase I alerts, 10 days of Phase II recalls, and one evacuation of a gate bay. Any funds not used during the contract will be reimbursed to the District.
The District owns the Chicago Lock, but the Corps operates and maintains the lock for navigational purposes. Since the District uses the lock to prevent flooding, the Corps asked that the District pay for emergency bulkhead removal if the lock gates are needed by the District for flow reversals. The District entered into a similar agreement in 1997 when the lock was closed for maintenance during the winter.
Approval is requested to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Corps. The agreement is necessary to fund the emergency bulkhead removal portion of the Corps’ contract to install new sector gates at the Chicago Lock.
Requested, Manju Sharma, Director of Maintenance & Operations, MPS:SES:EJS:MFM
Respectfully Submitted, Frank Avila, Chairman Committee on Maintenance and Operations
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for December 16, 2010