Culbertson withholds final $20,000 payment as water-tank leaks remain unresolved

The Culbertson Town Council continued through 2021 to press for permanent repairs to a municipal water-storage tank, withholding the contractor's final $20,000 payment until the work is complete. Jeremy Fadness, the town engineer with WWC Engineering, told the council that inspection divers have been scheduled to make repairs but cold weather and limited access have delayed completion.

Council members record that previous work by Pittsburg Tanks left the facility leaking; at the Jan. 11 meeting Jeremy said the Town was awaiting a return date from Pittsburg Tanks and the council authorized town attorney Laura Christoffersen to send a formal letter to the contractor. In subsequent meetings Jeremy reported Carr Coatings would be contracted to seal the tank and that the town switched between the small and big tank to maintain service while repairs proceed.

When divers inspected the tank later in the year they were unable to make permanent repairs because of low temperatures; council minutes from December 13 state the town will withhold the final $20,000 payment until the work is finished and debated whether to direct legal counsel to draft stronger notice to the contractor.

The town listed no additional local expenses tied to the required fixes when it described contractor responsibility, but council members emphasized they will not release final payment without evidence that leaks are corrected. The council also discussed scheduling its own contractor or pursuing legal recourse if Pittsburg Tanks or subcontractors do not complete repairs in a timely manner.

Next steps: the council said it will await the divers' return and any follow-up reports from the town engineer. If the contractor does not complete the repairs, town staff and the attorney advised the council on sending a formal demand letter and pursuing withholding remedies already documented in minutes.