The Weekly Newspaper of Inglewood Daily News on a Weekly Basis - Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - February 16, 2017 ECHS Student Presentations on Community Forum Day Eleventh grade students present to community members about their intersession projects on Community Forum Day at Lawndale’s Environmental Charter High School (ECHS) on February 2. Pictured left to right: David Ramirez, Cristina Valadez, Franyelika Ortiz and Abel Escobar. The 11th graders explored the question, “What Role Do Changes in Demographics and Property Play in the Process of Gentrification?” In order to better understand the process of gentrification, students researched changes in property and demographics of their local community and analyze the role that they play in this process. (Photo by Ken Deemer) Professional Services Approved for Sewer Main Replacement Project By Cristian Vasquez City was able to confirm that its water and Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts and sewer rates were unsustainable to continue members of the City Council awarded a operations, let alone repairs and maintenance. professional services contract to SA Associates, In addition, because of the rate increase, Inc. for the design of the Sewer Main the City has been able to fund ongoing Replacement Project Phase I. The approved maintenance and operations, as well as a agreement, in the amount of $80,000, will be capital improvement program, and maintain paid through the City’s sewer fund. a reserve for emergencies such as pipe leaks “Public Works staff determined that the and sinkhole repairs. “The City of Inglewood proposal submitted by SA Associates, Inc. [City] provides sewer services to its population ranked first,” states the staff report signed of approximately 110,000 located within its by Public Works Director Louis A. Atwell. geographical area of about nine square miles,” “The Consultant also has previous experience indicates the staff report. working with the City on Water Main Improvement Projects.” While the approved services are tailored for design purposes during Phase I, through this project the community’s existing sewer lines will be maintained or replaced to prevent further deterioration, collapse, tree root infiltration, grease build-up and blockage of sewers. Back on March 6, 2012 the City Council approved a water and sewer rates increase, which was the first for local residents since 2003. Due to the stagnant rates during nine years, the City lacked the funds to properly maintain the water and sewer systems. Furthermore, the City was forced to rely on its water reserves in order to simply operate the systems and finance the deficit between fees and actual costs to maintain said services. Without the rate increase, City officials calculated they it would have exhausted its water reserves by 2012 and be left without any funds to address water and sewer services. Through an independent study, the Inglewood’s sewer system is comprised of an estimated 145 miles of pipes, anywhere between four to 15 inches in diameter. There are 3,100 sewer manholes, most of which were constructed between 1940 and 1960. At the moment the City is in the process of completing its 2017 Sewer Master Plan (SMP), which has identified the pipelines to be replaced based on 2007 SMP. In May 2012, the City confirmed plans to reconstruct Century Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. However, it would first require the rehabilitation of water and sewer systems, which necessitated the roads to be excavated. Hence, the water and sewer rehabilitation on said roads became the City’s first priority. In 2008-2009, the City conducted closed circuit television inspections that revealed unaligned, broken and fractured pipelines. By July 2011, the City had already spent $245,500 to repair sewer lines throughout various locations as part of the Sewer Repair Project, Phase I. Since then more local streets and sewer lines have been rehabilitated. The staff report indicates that in the past five years, the City has rebuilt only five miles of sewer lines along with completing an additional 200 repairs. Requests for proposals for design plans for Phase I were sent out on October 13, 2016 to five consulting engineering firms, including AKM Consulting Engineers (Irvine), Anderson Penna (Irvine), Lee and Rho Consulting Firm (Los Angeles), Marrs Services, Inc. (Fullerton) and SA Associates, Inc. (Arcadia). Of the five, only AKM Consulting Engineers, Anderson Penna and SA Associates, Inc. submitted proposals. Through an evaluation process conducted by the Public Works staff, SA Associates, Inc. was approved due to the experience of the consulting firm and project team, the group’s understanding of the project and approach, all past relevant projects and references, response to the scope of services, the depth of resources available to complete the work, familiarity with Inglewood, and location of the compay. The fee estimate provided by SA Associates, Inc. will include a topography survey ($35,678), and three different phases of design plans ($30,646), with the rest of the final fee covering items such as data analysis, site analysis and coordinating efforts between various agencies. • Due to the stagnant rates during nine years, the City lacked the funds to properly maintain the water and sewer systems. Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................2 Classifieds............................3 Community Briefs...............4 Hawthorne Happenings....3 Legals................................ 6-7 Pets........................................8 Sports....................................5 Weekend Forecast Friday Rain 60˚/55˚ Saturday Rain 60˚/55˚˚ Sunday Mostly Sunny 62˚/54˚
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