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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; City council on Thursday approved a new contractor at a higher cost to take over the Solomon Creek wall reconstruction project.</p><p>Representatives of Don E. Bower Inc., of Berwick, have a meeting Friday with city officials on the first phase of the project to install a new, pre-fabricated concrete wall along Brook Street between Waller and South Franklin streets.</p><p>The vote was 4-0 for Bower with councilwoman Beth Gilbert abstaining without public explanation.</p><p>Bower submitted the second lowest bid of $2,017,954 and will replace low-bidder AR Popple Inc., of Wilkes-Barre, whose $1,548,448 contract was terminated last month by the city for undisclosed reasons.</p><p>City attorney Tim Henry said because of the possibility of litigation by Popple he would not respond to questions raised by Bob Kadluboski about the termination.</p><p>Kadluboski asked if Plains Township-based Borton-Lawson, the engineer on the project who recommended Popple be terminated, will cover the city&#8217;s legal fees if there is a lawsuit filed. He also asked if the city gave Popple the opportunity to &#8220;cure&#8221; any problems before the termination.</p><p>&#8220;How did we get this far?&#8221; Kadluboski said.</p><p>The project has been a priority for Mayor Tony George, who campaigned on rebuilding the Depression-era wall that channels the creek through South Wilkes-Barre and Hanover Township where it flows into the Susquehanna River. The city has secured more than $6 million in grants for the reconstruction and committed $4 million of its own funds to be used to build a pump station during the second phase of the project.</p><p>The hiring of Bower will delay construction to mid to late September, more than a month from the Aug. 1 start Popple had planned.</p><p><strong>Insurance, grant applications</strong></p><p>Council unanimously approved all other items on Thursday&#8217;s agenda:</p><p>&#8226; A new insurance package from Joyce Insurance Group, of Pittston, at a cost of $408,842. The premium on the current package is $418,990.</p><p>&#8226; A winter service agreement with PennDOT to pay the city $56,368 for the maintenance of 37.21 miles of state roads.</p><p>&#8226; The sale of city-owned property at 30 Hickory St. for $500 to Doroteo Martinez Pineda and Silviana Vergara Tlantenchi.</p><p>&#8226; The application for a 2018 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for $19,733 to pay for recertification of firearms/Taser instructors, tactical and non-tactical training and saturation patrols for violent crime areas.</p><p>&#8226; Applications to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for grants for the Scott Street and Carey Avenue streetscape projects.</p><p>&#8226; Ordinances for the placement of permanent stop signs at six intersections throughout the city, adoption of the 2009 International Property Maintenance Code and setting restrictions on the use of fireworks.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre city council Thursday approved a new contractor, Don E. Bower Inc. of Berwick, to take over the Solomon Creek wall reconstruction project after the previous contractor was terminated for undisclosed reasons. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/web1_TTL073118Solomons-Creek1CMYK.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wilkes-Barre city council Thursday approved a new contractor, Don E. Bower Inc. of Berwick, to take over the Solomon Creek wall reconstruction project after the previous contractor was terminated for undisclosed reasons. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre council OKs new contractor for Solomon Creek wall project