By Jim Bloch
Students at the St. Clair County Technical Education Center will rebuild Docks 2 and 3 at the 132-slip St. Clair Boat Harbor.
The St. Clair City Council voted unanimously at its regular meeting Nov. 4 to approve the project, which will cost $40,000-$47,000.
“This is the same group of Tech students that did Dock 1 for us and they did a fantastic job,” said City Superintendent Quentin Bishop, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on YouTube.
TEC offers 14 programs to provide technical training to students, including the constructions trades, in which the students rebuilding the docks are enrolled.
The work includes removing and reinstalling of all the cleats and ladders, replacing all broken carriage bolts, locking nuts and washers, and removing and replacing of all dock boards.
“They’re going to repair any stringers that are underneath that you can’t see; reframe and repair supports to the gas station shed; frame, reinforce and flash all the gas pumps; frame and reinforce the charging pedestals; and cut and install new dock boards,” said Bishop.
The TEC program is going to donate about 250 pounds of screws to the project.”
Harbormaster Dave Shorkey estimated the material costs of the work between $40,200 and a not-to-exceed high end of $47,700, plus the cost of the boards.
“The boards are running about $20,000, so we’re right at the (point) where our capital improvement plan said we should be – about $64,000 out the door,” said Bishop.
The St. Clair-based Biewer Lumber is supplying the lumber for the docks, just like it did for Dock 1.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will inspect and certify the work.
“So when it’s done, we’ll have checks and inspections to make sure it’s all green-light go,” said Bishop. “I think it’s fantastic. It’s another opportunity not just to upgrade the harbor, but I believe we’re all firm supporters of training young people in the skilled trades.”
Bishop said that it’s important to get students out of the classroom and into the real world.
“Get out into the elements,” he said. “Work with customers. Work with a vendor, work with a project team. I think it’s excellent real world experience.”
In the open market, the work would take seven workers 300 hours and cost $100,000, according to a St. Clair TEC estimate.
Council member Kris Paul asked if the award of the work to St. Clair TEC violated any of the city’s competitive bidding guidelines.
“By city charter, anything over $10,000 is supposed to go out for bid,” said Bishop. “I do have the ability to suspend that rule and to go with what I feel is the best bid. Seeing that they did a great job on Dock 1, and it’s a continuation of that project … I’d like to carry on as last time.”
“I think it’s a fantastic program,” said Paul. “We’re supporting our local tech program, so there’s a ton of benefit from it.”
The work can start immediately, said Bishop. “They were ready to go about two weeks ago.”
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
