Arcadia pump station could need more repairs

Arcadia Street Superintendent Rollie Conrad fears the pump station on Van Buren Street may require even more repairs than initially thought after a lightning strike on Aug. 15.

Conrad clarified that the pump station is currently working and operating off of city power. The lightning strike rendered the switchgear in the pump inoperable and Conrad told the city council last Wednesday that the company that initially built and installed the switch will not repair it. Instead, the company will build and install a new switch, at a cost of $45,800 — which will likely be covered by the city’s insurance carrier. 

But Conrad said there was another issue that came up. While he had the station operating after the initial strike, he was made aware on Aug. 31 that alarms were sounding. He went back to the station and was able to fix the initial problem, but now will have another company — Quality Flow Systems — evaluate the rest of the station.

“We may have to replace everything,” Conrad said. 

Conrad said he believed the generator would be OK, but is concerned about all of the control boxes. He said he was told by a representative from Quality Flow Systems that “lightning is the gift that never quits giving when it comes to something like this. You can fix something, but in three months, something else may go bad.”

While the station was working as of last Wednesday evening, Conrad admitted that rain in the forecast made him nervous. 

“If it rains, you can guarantee I’m going to be down there to make sure it is working,” Conrad said. “But what scares me is if something else burns up and goes down and we’re dead in the water.”

The city will split the $25,000 insurance deductible with the Arcadia Electric Utility, which had a nearby pole struck by the same lightning bolt. City Clerk Angela Berg said the insurance company has allowed the city to add to its claims if more issues arise. 

Conrad said the new switchgear won’t arrive for 37 weeks, which would be in May.

“Just when it starts raining again,” Alderman Don Kreibich said. 

Conrad said one of the most disappointing parts of the problem is that the pump station had been working really well. 

“This one has been flawless,” Conrad said. “Then Mother Nature has to say, guess who is the boss? Here we go. Bang.” 

In another flood-related matter, the council approved an agreement that calls for the city to repair the Dennis and Donna Jensen property on North Oak Street for damage that will be done as part of the flood mitigation project. 

The project calls for the raising of the garage on the property, which will include the removal of two trees, a driveway and sidewalk. The agreement requires the city to restore the property to its current condition. The funds will be reimbursed to the city by grant money. 

The council also authorized the purchase of dividers for the pickleball courts in Memorial Park. The dividers will prevent balls from rolling from one court to the next. 

Also authorized was engineering work to be done on Green Bay Avenue, where Kimmel hopes to create another parking lot similar to Washington Court, along Main Street. Kimmel said there would be dedicated parking, storm sewer, curb and gutter and green space. He said the design wouldn’t be the same as Washington Court, but it would have the same theme. He said he would like to have community engagement on the project. 

Kimmel clarified that the approval last week wasn’t for the project itself, but merely to allow Davy Engineering to conduct survey work and measure the impact on property owners.  He said the Department of Transportation is closing the south end of the street. 

Kreibich questioned if the project could also include another route for emergency vehicles. He said work done two years ago on the railroad crossing along Main Street put the city in a bad situation.

“I don’t care about the railroad, I care about our residents,” Kreibich said. “The railroad has shown that they do not care about the city of Arcadia. We were put in a bad situation two years ago when they shut down our city. I think this group of people should be setting a standard saying our city should never be cut in half. We have the fire station on one side of town, if we have a fire on the other side of the tracks we were told to go all the way around.” 

Kreibich said there are plans to do work on Main Street again next year and that he isn’t going to accept the city not having a plan.