Aledo's Director of Public Works Steve Moller was given the go ahead to sign a contract with Missman Stanley & Associates for a phase I and II environmental study on the recently purchased Henderson lot east of Aledo Central Park. The estimated cost for the study is $13,475.
The city is currently looking at a proposal from the Aledo Fire Protection District to move onto half of the lot, building a new fire station there. It is not clear whether the fire department will pay the city for half of the lot, or what the details are.
According to Missman, a review of other environmental studies done on the property "appears minimal at best and does not appear to be comprehensive in addressing potential business risk."
There was historical evidence of two prior gas stations and the adjacent lot was a railroad yard.
Missman pointed out that lending institutions often require Phase I and II subsurface evaluations prior to lending. Because the scope of work may be modified by Phase I findings, Missman is proposing to complete eight borings to around 12 feet below the ground surface. Phase II will be to discover contamination within the subsurface.
At least one lab sample from each boring will be analyzed for BTEX, PNAs and Lead. Additional analysis will be done with samples potentially containing used oil and hydraulic fluids.
The firm will also convert three of the borings into temporary groundwater wells and collect at least three groundwater samples monitoring for BTEX, PNAs and Lead.
Missman said the time to complete Phases I and II would be around six weeks.
The city is assuming "There may be contamination from a previous source," Moller cautioned. "We do know there were five (fuel) tanks pulled from the site."
At Monday's City Council meeting Dennis Litwiler, Aledo Fire Chief, told the council that June is when the fire department's grant application will be made. "I do know that the environmental study has to be turned in with the grant application," said Litwiler.
Litwiler said the grant would not cover demolition.
There was some discussion over whether the city would exchange the old fire station for the ground, with no vote taken on that issue.
Aldermen also speculated that depending on the environmental issues, the lot might best be turned into a green space.
For more on this story, see the March 10, 2010 issue of The TImes Record.
Aledo, Ill. —
