The Knox Board of Works received a lone bid for installation of a lift station to serve the new Traffic Control Specialists facility. Culver-based Thomas Excavating and Welding submitted a total bid of $39,574. That includes $19,638 for installation of the lift station and an additional $19,936 for a force main.
Bob Aloi from Territorial Engineering told the board of works Wednesday morning a concrete collar will need to be added to the tank and says the cost of doing so will need to be factored into the negotiations. The board of works accepted the lift station bid pending engineering review. The city may put the force main in themselves if contracting it out is cost prohibitive.
The city is using county economic development income tax money to buy and install the lift station and force main. After it’s installed, TCS will maintain the grinder. The Starke County Economic Development Foundation has agreed to pay all engineering costs.
Traffic Control Systems has outgrown its current location on 300 East between White Flyer and the railroad tracks. The company specializes in work zone safety and is the leading provider of signs and service throughout northern Indiana. TCS currently has 65 employees, most of whom are local. Company officials expect to add at least 22 more when the new facility opens.
