The Exponent Telegram

By Jeff Toquinto, BRIDGEPORT NEWS EDITOR

Thursday, October 29, 2002

Design work and other details needed to be handled for the installation of a water tank and other infrastructure at the Charles Pointe development will likely begin in earnest today, according to Bridgeport City Manager Kim Haws.

Bridgeport City Council unanimously approved an engineering contract Monday night with Thrasher Engineering to handle the engineering chores related to the $1.5 million project funded through a federal EDA grant. Haws said he expects the city and representatives from Thrasher to sign the agreement today with work to start immediately.

The agreement calls for Thrasher to receive $160,000 for its services. That total is roughly 11 percent of the project.

"That’s quite reasonable for a project of this size," Haws said.

The project became possible when the city was notified it was awarded the EDA grant on Sept. 27. Now, less than a month later, the city is posed to start putting in a 1 million gallon water storage tank, a new pump station and 9,000 linear feet of water and sewage lines. The infrastructure will benefit Charles Pointe, the city’s planned conference center there, the proposed United Hospital Center and any other development in the area.

"This benefits much more than just Charles Pointe," Haws aid. "It will open up a whole new area for development."

Thrasher edged out Clarksburg’s Hornor Brothers Engineering and Hannah and Associates of Elkins. Thrasher Engineering has done the vast majority of water and wastewater projects in Bridgeport.