Jackson lighting, water-system projects awarded to Nip Kelley

Two uptown Jackson projects awarded to Nip Kelley Equipment Co. are a continuation of work already started.

The Uptown Jackson Historic Lighting and Event Power Project, which Nip Kelley bid at $245,346.45, will continue the theme of historic lighting already in place thanks to a Missouri Department of Transportation grant a few years ago, said Don Schuette, director of electric utilities for Jackson.

Schuette said the first phase of the project included a facelift to uptown about five years ago, and included not only light fixtures that improved the aesthetic look of South High Street, but stonework and other improvements.

The second stage, done during the roundabout project, continued with the plan already in progress, as far as the historic district, Schuette said.

“This is just following up with the third and final section, to finish out the courthouse and city hall area,” Schuette said.

“The lighting needed to be upgraded anyway,” Schuette added, “and we needed to get it taken care of now, before the fixtures became harder to get or were no longer available.”

Schuette said this way, the lighting uptown will look coherent, and everything will work together.

This project also includes an upgrade to the power pedestals in uptown, Schuette said.

“Uptown events are so much larger now,” he said. “They’re taxing power available for those events.”

Upgrading available power will improve service for vendors and safety for attendees, Schuette said.

Work is expected to begin shortly after the city and Nip Kelley sign a contract.

The second project Nip Kelley’s bid was accepted on is the uptown water-system upgrade.

Nip Kelley’s bid of $349,625.50 was not the lowest bid, said city administrator Jim Roach, but it was the lowest bid that met all acceptable standards.

The lowest bidder did not meet the minimum requirement of at least five years experience working on sewer lines, Roach said, and could not provide a subcontractor who met that criterion either.

City engineer Erica Bogenpohl said this project is part of the $11.5 million upgrade to Jackson’s water system, approved by voters in August 2015.

In January 2017, Bogenpohl held a town-hall meeting to discuss the timeline with owners of businesses in the 100 blocks of South High Street, East Adams Street and West Adams Street, as they would be affected by equipment working in the area.

In January, Bogenpohl told the Southeast Missourian current 2-inch and 4-inch lines are not adequate to supply firefighting efforts from hydrants or sprinkler systems.

Bogenpohl said she expects the project to take approximately two months, and expects work to begin within a few weeks.

Since both projects have been awarded to the same contractor, Bogenpohl said she thinks the work will go more smoothly.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

100 block of Court Street, Jackson, Mo.

100 block of South High Street, Jackson, Mo.

100 block of East Adams Street, Jackson, Mo.

100 block of West Adams Street, Jackson, Mo.