Board to talk about landfill - Port Huron Times Herald

The cost of a multimillion-dollar project at the Smiths Creek Landfill is increasing.

The St. Clair County Board of Commissioners will get an overview of the changes during committee meetings at 6 p.m. tonight in the county administration building, 200 Grand River Ave., Port Huron.

Landfill manager Matt Williams said the changes are minor. The county is in the midst of a project that will allow leachate -- water that's come into contact with garbage at the landfill -- to be partially treated before it's sent to the Port Huron wastewater treatment facility.

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The price tag on a contract for building a pretreatment facility at the landfill has increased about $32,500 from the original $3,159,000, Williams said. The cost of building a four-mile pipeline to carry the leachate from the landfill to lagoons at the county airport started at $696,691 and has increased about $14,500.

The cost of a third piece of the project -- the lagoons at the county airport -- is expected to cost about $1.1 million.

Several things contributed to the increases, including changes to the amount of materials and equipment needed. Treating the leachate in advance will save the county money on disposal costs, Williams said.

Also at tonight's meeting, Mark Brochu, director of parks and recreation, will update county commissioners on bids for building a lodge at Columbus County Park, Kronner and Crawford roads in Columbus Township.

Members of the recreation commission want input from county commissioners on how to proceed with the project, Brochu said.

Brown Builders of Lexington was the lowest bidder of four companies, with a $1,889,781 prevailing-wage bid and a $1,750,550 open-wage bid. Alternate plans submitted by Brown Builders could knock about $100,000 off the cost, Brochu said.

The bids are more than the estimated construction cost for the project, Brochu said. The overall cost of the project -- including design work -- is expected to be about $2.2 million.

The lodge building would include a picnic shelter, meeting rooms, restrooms and a warming area for the winter months.

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