WRANGELL, ALASKA
Alaska Island Community Services received a stop work order from the Alaska Army Corps of Engineers on July 13th. The stop work order stemmed from a notice of non compliance from the Corps of Engineers with regard to a core permit for the construction of the medical campus. AICS Facilities Manager Steve Helgeson says three special conditions were not formally approved and says they’re working to solve the problem.
“The issues had to do with the mitigation of the wetlands, three specific are the finalization, the final design of a relocated stream, and the actual execution of the mitigation work,” he says.
Since the stop work order, AICS and City consultants have been meeting with the Corps of Engineers and Alaska Fish and Game to discuss the design of the new relocated fish stream. Helgeson says they are working on a plan that can relocate the stream around the back of the new clinic, to create the most efficient and environmentally sound alternative possible.
The new clinic project is funded through a Health Resources and Services Administration grant for $3.7 million-dollars. But the grant expires in December of this year. Helgeson says they are working to solve the current issues and minimize all possible repercussions of the stop.
“There is no question that the work stoppage will have a negative effect both on the project schedule and the project budget. How negative those effects will be will just depend on how quickly we can get started on it again,” he says.
The clinic was scheduled to be substantially complete by Novembers 8th and fully complete by early December of this year. City Manager Tim Rooney says the city is working to insure the construction of the medical campus facility stays on course.
“City staff is currently working and moving as quickly as we can to make sure that we adhere to everything core of engineers wants regarding this project and we hope to have it resolved as quickly as possible,” he says.
Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager Ranndal Pvagilo says both the City and AICS have been cooperative in the investigation process, and meetings will continue until the issue is resolved. There is no indication just yet of when work will begin again.
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