An Ocala company has been selected to build a force main from Wildwood’s sewage treatment plant west of U.S. 301 to the rapidly developing Oxford area.
With a bid of $1.8 million, Commercial Industrial Corp. of Ocala was the lowest among six bidders for the project, which is expected to be finished by mid-June 2018.
Residential and commercial development in the Oxford area has strained Wildwood’s sewer and water services and upgrading them is essential for future projects. A loan agreement and notice of intent to award the construction contract were approved Monday night by the city commission.
Mayor Ed Wolf said the project easily will pay for itself by enabling more development in the area.
A favorable loan agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will provide construction funds.
The total funding amount is $2.2 million under the loan agreement. Terms include principal forgiveness of $439,359 and an annual interest rate of 0.03 percent. The city will be responsible for semi-annual loan payments of $22,760 over 20 years and there are no prepayment penalties. The city also expects a state legislative appropriation of $250,000 that can be applied to the project.
In other business, commissioners:
· Awarded a $99,300 contract to Howard Jimmie of Clearwater to demolish the King Park Court Apartments at Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The company, selected from among eight bidders, is expected to complete the demolition in about three weeks.
· Reviewed an ordinance amending the city’s comprehensive plan to create a land use designation of Age Restricted Development. The designation would be applied to areas like the Village of Fenney along County Road 468. Before adoption, the ordinance must be reviewed by the state Department of Economic Opportunity.