EMA Coordinator Receives Permission to Repair Oil City’s Ice Boom

| April 13, 2018

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – Steve Hinds, the EMA Coordinator, addressed the Oil City Council at Thursday night’s meeting concerning repairs needed to the city’s ice boom.

The Oil City Council approved repairs to the city’s ice boom.

Hinds said in 2016, funding was applied for through the Commonwealth Finance Authority Flood Mitigation Program and in July 2016 the city was awarded $265,053 with the funding intended to achieve the following goals:

  • Replace the two upper anchor cables;
  • Replace the two lower span cables;
  • Replace 46 cable clamps taking them back to the original Army Corps of Engineering design;
  • Replace 46 shackles; and
  • Removal, Repair and Reinstallation.
  • According to Hinds, all the components are currently on hand, and they were purchased or fabricated locally.

    “This leaves us about $122,000.00 in funding from the CFA grants to be used for removal, repair, and reinstallation,” Hinds said.

    “Previously, we were only able to locate one vendor out of Buffalo, N.Y., to make this type of repair. We have now located two additional companies, one from New Brighton, Pa., and one from Canonsburg, Pa. With these additional vendors, I’m hoping this will create competition and keep the bid price in check.”

    City Manager Mark Schroyer told the council there was a possibility that the city would have to chip in up to $40,000.00 to cover the repairs but that wouldn’t be known until the bids were sought.

    “We need to see what it costs,” Schroyer said.

    Hinds said he hopes to have the bids our by the end of April, opened early in May and approved in late May.

    “The work would then take place in the fall most likely,” Hinds said. “The weather is better then.”

    When the work takes place, coordination is made with the Army Corps of Engineers to limit the water flow from the Kinzua Dam, which in turn lowers the water in Oil City for about three days, according to Hinds.


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