CAROLINA BEACH — When the Town of Carolina Beach started its dredging project of the town lake, town staff and officials were under the impression that the material dredged from the lake were to be disposed of on the Military Ocean Terminal at Sunny Point (MOTSU) property. According to town staff, a misunderstanding caused MOTSU to demand the material stopped being placed on its property last month. But what is this misunderstanding costing the taxpayers?
According to the original contract the town entered into with Civil Works Contracting, the town agreed to pay more than $2.7 million to complete the dredging of Carolina Beach Lake Park, but the delay could be costing even more.
According to an email from Jacob Barton, operations manager for Civil Works Contracting to Town Manager of Carolina Beach Michael Cramer, the total cost for delay could end up costing the town nearly $70,000.
“Based on the suspension of work CWC was not able to work on the project during the month of September … We would like to apply for the payment based on the change order but it will need a signature before it is added to the current payment application,” Burton said in the email.
The proposed costs include 12 units of equipment being placed on standby.
- Cat 324LR Excavator at $321.43 a day for 21 days totaling $6,750.03
- Case LR Excavator at $321.43 a day for 28 days totaling $9,000.04
- Cat 320 Excavator at $164.29 a day for 28 days totaling $4,600.12
- JD 230 Excavator $169.29 a day for 24 days totaling $3,942.96
- Case 621E Loader $160.72 a day for 15 days totaling $2,410.80
- JD 750 Dozer $242.86 a day for 28 days totaling $6,800.08
- JD 330 Excavator $310.72 a day for 28 days totaling $8,700.16
- Water Truck at $153.58 a day for 28 days totaling $4,300.24
- Broom at $85 a day for five days totaling $428.60
- 19-foot push boat at $125 a day for 28 days totaling $3,500
- 17-foot push boat at $103.58 a day for 28 days totaling $2,900.24
- Modular barge (X14) at $537.50 for 28 days totaling $15,050
The total of all the above costs equals $68,383.27.
According to another email it appears the town has found a new location to dispose of the dredging materials, this time, off Pleasure Island. According to a cease and desist letter addressed to Mayor of Carolina Beach Dan Wilcox from Deputy Chief of the Real Estate Division Robert Jewell, the town was ordered to stop all dumping of dredge material and debris on U.S. Government property.
The letter also required the restoration of the leased easement areas as well as other government property immediately.
Lake Maintenance Construction Contract 1-7-17 by Michael James on Scribd
Michael Praats can be reached at Michael.p@localvoicemedia.com
