Company missed deadline, won't be fined

PORTAGE | The Portage Utility Services Board decided this week not to fine a company for not completing a project on deadline.

The city hired Insituform of Indianapolis to line sanitary sewer pipes in the Stone Avenue and Savannah Heights areas last year. The approximate $350,000 project was suppose to have been completed by Nov. 9, but was not completed until Dec. 12.

A clause in the contract would have required the company to pay $200 per day for every day it was behind.

Bob Dixon, utility department field supervisor, told the board last month that he had had difficulties communicating with the company.

Alex Sharpe, project manager for the company, attended this week's meeting. Sharpe said his company has completed some 19 projects in eight years for the city.

"This was a little more difficult project than we are use to," said Sharpe, explaining the company completed additional cleaning of the lines in the Savannah Heights area, causing $20,000 in additional work, which was not passed onto the city. He added the additional work and weather pushed the project beyond its deadline.

He apologized to the board for the lack of communication, saying it was an "internal breakdown in communications."