HSVPOA Associate P.S. Director Matt Broom Presents Culvert Rehab Project

At the Wednesday, April 17 Hot Springs Village POA Board Meeting, the Associate Director of Public Services presented a proposal for culvert rehabilitation under new business. Public Services has had an aggressive culvert rehabilitation effort since 2022.

Broom said the request is to rehabilitate 27, 24″, and 30″ diameter storm pipes that discharge into Lake Balboa or under DeSoto Boulevard. The Associate Director of Public Services explained, “We try to target anywhere from 40 to 50 culvert rehabilitations annually.” This is the first of two projects that Public Services will bring to the Board this year and Broom hoped for Board approval at the meeting.

Board Member Larry Siener said, “Over the last couple of years, we’ve been in a pretty intensive culvert repair/replacement program.”

Broom said, “We’ve probably rehabilitated over 150 culverts since 2022 and replaced over 70.”

Siener continued, “We have done about four inhouse culverts this year. Obviously, we have been distracted the last five weeks or so doing significant other things. [tornado cleanup]. This is the first of at least two contracts for this year. About how many culverts do we have left to do?”

Broom said we probably have between 300 to 350 culverts that need work. “It is going to be a continued effort.”

The product proposed for this project is Spiraline X, demonstrated in the east end of the Village in Diamante on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. Click here to read about a Spiraline X demonstration in the Village.

Broom said Spiraline X is a good product that works well in 24″ and 30″ culverts. In the past, Public Services has used cementitious spray rehabilitation, but it doesn’t work in culverts less than 36″ in diameter.

Broom stated that the $288,300 price for this job is a good price, lower than what we paid last year. The total budgeted amount for 2024 Culvert Rehabilitation is $850,000.

Siener thanked Public Services for finding lower-cost solutions. “Clearly, with 300 to 350 culverts still in the queue, we’re going to be doing this for a while, but this is one of the few places in our delayed infrastructure investment program where there might be light at the end of the tunnel.” Siener felt we could ease up on culvert investments in four or five years.

“We are ahead of schedule but want to keep it that way,” stressed Broom.

Chair Joanie Corry pointed out that the sign-off sheet was not included in the documentation. This form is signed by different levels of staff. “This shows the accountability that you asked for. Ken [Unger] approved it, Kelly [Hale] approved it, Jama [Lopez] approved it…”

Corry stated, “It is all about accountability, and we want to see that.”

Broom said he would provide this information at the next meeting.

Note: Edited to add: It appears this project was approved after the Board Meeting, as Board Director Mark Quinton stated in an ACC Meeting the next day.

By Cheryl Dowden