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Another, unexpected, step has come up in the process to developing a preliminary design of a combination gravity and sewer system that would service Edwardsville’s north end, which is the area north of Riverview Road.

The system would connect to the Little Turkey Creek Interceptor, which is located near the Chateau Avalon Hotel in the Village West area of Kansas City, Kan.

City Administrator Michael Webb brought to the city council Monday night a change order raising the amount of the contract the city entered into with BHC Rhodes in June for the work from an amount not to exceed $85,300 to an amount not to exceed $90,350. The additional $5,050, Webb said, would go to pay for one month’s-worth of sewer flow monitoring at two different manholes in the Little Turkey Creek system. He said the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., had made an unexpected requested for actual flow data from Little Turkey Creek after the original contract had already been drawn up.

The change order, which was unanimously approved by the council, will include setting flow meters at two designated manholes in Little Turkey Creek and monitoring the flow, velocity and level for one month, during which data will be extracted three times: after one week, after two weeks and at month’s end.

As far as progress on the actual design of the sewer system is going, Randall Gorton, project manager with BHC Rhodes, gave an update to the council Monday, saying BHC Rhodes was ready to begin the necessary surveying of the city’s north end that needs to take place before a preliminary design can be determined and drawn up. He said even without a developer in hand, there were some obvious assumptions that could be made as to the best location for the system.

“… There’s a significant amount of this project that, I think, there’s the obvious locations where we put in gravity sewer, lift station and then force main that’s going to connect all that in and discharge into the UG sewer up close to Chateau Avalon,” Gorton said. “There’s not a risk, I think, in surveying for that for now. It’s kind of an obvious route.”

Still, Gorton said, a developer would be a crucial component to actual installation of any sewer system, since they will determine how they want to develop the land and where they want the system located.

“At (this) point, we’re just merely guessing as to where it makes the most sense to them,” he said.

Also on Monday, the council:

• Unanimously approved the minutes from the Aug. 22 meeting.

• Unanimously approved payment of bills totaling $251,165.

• Heard a comment from resident Gary Carpenter, who complained about the noise level and fireworks that have been going on recently at the Kansas Speedway and LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Concerts staged over the summer at both venues included Kanrocksas, at the Speedway, Farm Aid 2011, at LIVESTRONG, and Buzz Beach Ball 2011, also at LIVESTRONG. Carpenter asked if there was anything the city could do, especially with even more events expected for next year. Council member Chuck Adams acknowledged he had heard the noise, as well, but no one on the council offered any other comments regarding Adams’ complaint.

• Unanimously approved Resolution 2011-05 adopting an official economic development policy. The policy outlines in detail the city’s requirements for special benefit districts, community improvement districts, tax increment financing districts, industrial revenue bonds, economic development tax exemptions and the Neighborhood Revitalization Program.

• Heard Phyllis Freeman, city clerk and chair of the AutumnFest planning committee, announce that 250 students at Edwardsville Elementary had been sponsored to receive free wristbands for the carnival during AutumnFest, going on this weekend. This was made possible through support from area businesses, she said.

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