Scappoose approves Keys Road reservoir award, basalt-well engineering and CONSORT oversight for wastewater project

The Scappoose City Council on Aug. 5 authorized three major water and wastewater contracts as the city advances a multi-year infrastructure program.

Keys Road Reservoir: Contract award and schedule
Contract administrator Charlotte Baker told the council the city is building a new 3,000,000-gallon reservoir at the Keys Road water treatment site. Bids opened July 11; the engineer’s estimate was $9.2 million and Moore Excavation Inc submitted the low bid of $8,845,000. Baker said city staff and the project engineer reviewed the bids and recommended awarding the construction contract to Moore Excavation. Council President Miller moved to authorize Acting City Manager Dave Souka to execute the contract; the motion carried by voice vote. Staff said the contractor hopes to begin excavation this summer and target final completion in about a year.

Basalt well engineering
Baker reported that the Miller Road Basalt Well design-phase work had two competitive quotes after an attempted third firm declined. CONSORT Engineers quoted $163,317 and RH2 quoted $97,800; staff compared scopes and recommended RH2 as a lower-cost, compliant option. Councilor Holmes moved to authorize a contract with RH2 for basalt well infrastructure and conveyance design; the motion carried by voice vote. Baker said this phase is funded with ARPA dollars distributed through Business Oregon.

Wastewater Phase 1 — CONSORT task order
The council also authorized a task order with CONSORT Engineers for project management, construction administration and closeout support for the wastewater treatment plant Phase 1 project. Baker said the recommended fee for this oversight work is $835,592 and that the city expects to finance construction costs against a loan; staff estimated total costs for the overall project could reach about $19 million. Council approved the task order by voice vote.

Funding and public-finance notes
Baker said the Keys Road Reservoir and basalt-well design work are funded in part with ARPA money (distributed via Business Oregon) and with SRF financing through DEQ; she noted some urban renewal dollars are also used for the reservoir. For the wastewater Phase 1 task order, staff said the fee will be charged against the construction loan and is part of the overall project budget.

What the council decided next
All three motions were approved by voice vote; the council authorized the acting city manager to sign contracts and task orders. Staff indicated they will proceed with contractor coordination and start-up steps, and that the ARPA-funded projects have completion windows that align with ARPA deadlines and loan terms.

Limits and context
Numbers cited in this article are those presented by city staff at the meeting and are included to reflect what the council reviewed and approved. Timing estimates and funding details were described by staff and are subject to standard contract and project-scope changes.