The Ronceverte City Council heard a detailed proposal at the Monday night meeting from engineers Bob Hazelwood and W.O. Smith, representing the E.L Robinson engineering firm, regarding a new water-related infrastructure upgrade project the city is undertaking.

“The big goal is to reduce water losses,” said Hazelwood. “The city is losing two gallons of water to every three you buy.”

The evening discussion dealt with a breakdown assessment of costs and the establishment of the professional firms that will handle the accounting, legal and bonding services for the $4 million project, estimated to be completed in two years’ time. Griffith and Associates will handle the accounting, Spillman, Thomas and Battle will cover the legal issues and Steptoe and Johnson will serve as bond council for the project, according to City Administrator Reba Mohler.

Funding the upgrade is projected to take up several of the front-end months, Mohler said, before any construction will begin, and will certainly include seeking grant eligibility.

“We are looking at funding programs to pursue that the city can hopefully afford,” said Mayor David Smith, anticipating that customer water rates will be affected by the upgrade project. “We want to be as frugal as we can be for our customers.”

The last time any upgrades were done to the water system was in 2009 when the Squirrel Hill water tank was replaced. Phase one of the new project will include the replacement of two tanks, the main water tank and the Brier Hill water tank, leak detections and water line replacements.

In other business:

• Mohler announced that the annual Polar Bear Plunge will be held at Ronceverte’s Island Park along the Greenbrier River this Saturday, Mar. 10, opening at noon with plunging to begin at 1 p.m.
• In a sad note, Mayor Smith announced the passing of council member Bob Baker on Saturday, Mar. 3. “This is a tremendous loss not only to the city but for the community at large,” he said. “He was a special guy who always had a positive attitude. He was helpful, generous and kind in all he did. Replacing him on the council will be difficult. We carry him in our prayers.”