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The Latest News from Bell

WTP Receives Engineering Excellence Award

The City of Campton, KY and Bell Engineering were presented an Engineering Excellence Award – Honor Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky for the City of Campton Water Treatment Plant at the ACEC-KY quarterly meeting held Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at the Frankfort Country Club.

Bell Engineering and the City of Campton began developing the project in 2006. At that time, the City was using an aging water treatment plant with insufficient treatment capacity. They were forced to purchase a portion of their water from a neighboring district which was costly and sometimes unreliable. Bell worked with local and state representatives to piece together a full funding package including almost 80% grant money, including ARRA Stimulus Funds, minimizing the rate impact on customers and making the new water treatment plant possible.

The plant is the first facility to begin operating in the state of Kentucky utilizing PALL Membrane Technology and successfully treats raw water from two very different water sources. It operates with 5 sets of pumps in series simultaneously and incorporates various sustainable and “green” infrastructure lessoning the facility’s footprint and environmental impact. The Campton Water Treatment Plant is a prime example of how a small water system can successfully attain and operate a state-of-the-art water treatment system.

Joshua Karrick Elected to Executive Committee

Bell Engineering is pleased to announce that Joshua T. Karrick, RLA, ASLA, AICP has been elected by the American Planning Association – Kentucky Chapter (KAPA) to the Executive Committee as the Region 2 – Lexington and Eastern Kentucky, Regional Representative.

The American Planning Association – Kentucky Chapter brings together practitioners, planning officials, students and interested citizens into a single and stronger community development forum. They provide current information on planning issues, practices and techniques and they are advocates for good planning in national, state and local forums.

As a member of the Executive Committee, Mr. Karrick will meet regularly throughout the year and help set the basic agenda for the Kentucky Chapter and its activities.

New Faces at Bell

Bell Engineering is pleased to announce the following new hires: Jim D. Buckles, P.E., BCEE; Joshua T. Karrick, RLA, ASLA, AICP and Megan E. Kendall.

Mr. Buckles has 39 years of experience in civil and environmental engineering and joins our staff as a Senior Project Manager. His background includes degrees in biology, microbiology and civil engineering and he specializes in on-call environmental services, industrial pretreatment programs and EPA consent decree programs.

Mr. Karrick has 12 years of experience and joins our staff as Landscape Architect and Certified Planner. He has a strong background in project development and specializes in stormwater management, master planning, parks and recreation, bikeways and trails, streetscapes and community planning.

Ms. Kendall has 6 years of experience in marketing, communication and business development and joins our staff as Director of Marketing.

Bell Engineering is proud to be continually growing and diversifying to best meet the needs of our clients.

Red River Receives USDA Funding

The Red River Regional Wastewater Authority held a check presentation ceremony November 28, 2011 to accept a check from USDA Rural Development in the amount of $6,323,000. This loan and grant package accounts for nearly 70% of the total funding package for this $8,903,000 upgrade and expansion project. Once completed, the updated system will serve as a regional wastewater treatment facility eliminating the need for the existing wastewater treatment plant which will be decommissioned. The project also includes a new pump station and force main which will intercept all wastewater flow from Clay City and the upgrade of an existing pump station in Stanton which will direct all flow to the new facility.

Dignitaries in attendance at the event included Congressman Ben Chandler; Representative Richard Henderson; Mayor Jimmie Caudill, City of Clay City; Mayor Dale Allen, City of Stanton; Powell County Judge Executive James Anderson; Tom Fern, Rural Development State Director; Vernon Brown, Rural Utilities Service Program Director; John Brewer, Red River Wastewater Authority Chairman; Betsy Bloom, Red River Wastewater Authority Commissioner and Don Hassel and David Duttlinger from the Bluegrass Area Development District.

Somerset Groundbreaking

The City of Somerset, KY held a groundbreaking ceremony November 15, 2011 to mark the beginning of the $25 million Somerset Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project. The project which will increase treatment capacity from 10 million gallons per day (mgd) to 16 mgd utilizing a General Electric membrane filtration system.

The project is funded in part by a $20 million Rural Development grant and loan package and is currently the largest American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA) water project in the United States. Dignitaries in attendance at the event included Mayor Eddie Girdler, City of Somerset; Judge Executive Barty Bullock, Pulaski County and Vernon Brown, Rural Utilities Service Program Director. The event was also attended by Somerset Councilmembers and other community and utility representatives, several representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Dale Wilson, Vice President of Judy Construction Company.

50th Anniversary Celebration

Bell Engineering employees, friends and family gathered Thursday, July 21, 2011 at Malone’s Banquets in Lexington, Kentucky to celebrate the 50th anniversary and retirement of Jerry Curtis. Jerry began his career with Bell Engineering on June 27, 1961. Over the course of 5 decades, he proved himself to be a devoted and loyal colleague who will be greatly missed.

Jerry worked with many of the communities in Kentucky to better their water and wastewater infrastructure. As industry methods changed throughout his career, he was eager to learn new ways to improve projects, and in turn, was always willing to pass along his hard earned knowledge to the younger generations. A mentor to many current and past employees, there are few he has not touched with a kind word of encouragement or sound advice on how to do a better job.

The evening allowed everyone to share their favorite memories of Jerry and reminded all of us of the tremendous value he has added to our company. We were glad that all of his family could join us for the celebration, and were proud to offer several tokens of appreciation to him for his years of service. For those who know Jerry, his passion for gardening, hunting, fishing and of course following the Kentucky Wildcats come as no surprise. We at Bell Engineering hope that he will have many years to enjoy these passions and we will remain forever grateful for the legacy he leaves behind.

Senior VP and Firm Recognized at 2011 KY/TN Water Professionals Conference

Bell Engineering Senior Vice President Ronald C. McMaine, P.E., was honored with two awards at the 2011 KY/TN Water Professionals Conference which took place July 24-27 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center located in Covington, Kentucky. Mr. McMaine, who has over 35 years of experience, was awarded the Outstanding Service Award by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Kenneth J. Miller Founder’s Award by the Water For People organization. Recognized state-wide for his expertise in water management and water distribution systems, Mr. McMaine is heavily involved with both the Kentucky chapter of AWWA and Water For People.

Bell Engineering was also recognized by Water For People for making a $1,000 donation to their organization. President Kelly Gillespie accepted a plaque on Bell’s behalf in acknowledgement of the firm’s contribution.

Multi-Million Dollar WTP Upgrade/Expansion Out for Bid

Bell Engineering is proud to announce that the $25 million Somerset Water Treatment Plant Upgrade and Expansion Project has officially been advertised for bid. The project includes an upgrade of the water treatment plant facility on the existing site. The expansion will increase the capacity from 10 million gallons per day (mgd) to 16 mgd with the ability to upgrade to 20 mgd in the future. It will also move the plant from a conventional filtration system to a membrane filtration system.

The project is funded in part by a $20 million Rural Development grant and loan package and is currently the largest American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project in the United States. The bid opening will take place August 23, 2011 and construction is scheduled to begin October 2011.

Owingsville Groundbreaking

The City of Owingsville, KY held a groundbreaking ceremony August 2, 2011 to mark the beginning of the KY 111 and US 60 Sanitary Sewer Extensions project which will bring sanitary sewer service to 104 households that currently rely on failing septic systems to handle raw sewage.

The project is being funded by a $1,040,000 grant from KIA and a $666,000 RD loan and grant package. Dignitaries in attendance at the event included Mayor Gary Hunt, City of Owingsville; Councilmembers Mary Ellen Johnson and Nancy Purvis, City of Owingsville; Tom Fern, Rural Development State Director; Vernon Brown, Rural Utilities Service Program Director; Elwood Howell, Rural Utilities Service Area Specialist; John Covington, KIA Executive Director; Heather O’Banion, Administrator – Ridgeway Manor Nursing Home and several representatives from the Gateway ADD.

Lancaster Ribbon Cutting

The City of Lancaster, KY held a ribbon cutting July 6, 2011 to mark the completion of the Phase III Water System Improvements Project. Bell Engineering provided design and construction services for the project which replaced sections of the downtown water system which frequently experienced water leaks and breakages. Approximately 19,300 L.F. of PVC water line was installed improving service to approximately 266 customers. The project was fully funded by an RD loan and grant package. Dignitaries in attendance at the event included U.S. Representative Ben Chandler; State Representative Lonnie Napier; Mayor Brenda Powers, City of Lancaster; Tom Fern, Rural Development State Director and Vernon Brown, Rural Utilities Service Program Director.

100th Birthday Celebration

Bell employees gathered on March 28 to honor J. Wiley Finney, former Bell employee and company president. The occasion was Mr. Finney's 100th birthday, which he officially celebrated on March 31. Mr. Finney is a native of Nashville, Tennessee, and received his B.S. in Engineering from the University of Tennessee and his M.S. in Sanitary Engineering from Harvard University. He joined Bell Engineering in 1954 and became a valued employee and manager within the company. He specialized in the chemical and biological aspects of sanitary engineering, and served as Bell's president for 10 years. Other activities included serving in national professional organizations, and as an Army officer in the U.S. Army Sanitary Corps during World War II.

Earth Day 2010

As part of Earth Day 2010, USDA Rural Development presented a check to the City of Monticello in the amount of $7,120,000 for the design and construction of improvements to the Monticello Wastewater Treatment Plant. The total project cost is estimated at $8,620,000. USDA Rural Development has selected a Bell Engineering project as part of its Earth Day Celebration each of the past 3 years. It is anticipated that Bell Engineering will complete design and the project will start construction in the Spring of 2011.

Groundbreaking for Water Line Extension in Wayne County

A groundbreaking ceremony was conducted for a water line extension to serve the various areas of Wayne County, Kentucky. The extension will provide water service to 55 new customers. The project includes the installation of over 31,000 linear feet of water line.

Present for the groundbreaking were Monticello Utility Manager Gene Jones, State Representative Ken Upchurch, Wayne County Judge Executive Greg Rankin, Wayne County Magistrate Dale Vaughn, Bell Engineering President Kelly Gillespie, Bell Engineering Project Manager Steve Dale, and various citizens to be served.

Ribbon Cutting for the City of Owingsville

A ribbon cutting ceremony was conducted at the City of Owingsville's new Bath County Industrial Park wastewater treatment facility on November 16, 2009. The new facility will provide sewer service to existing and future tenants of the Bath County Industrial Park. The wastewater treatment facility is designed for full development of the industrial park and will provide ample wastewater capacity to attract new industry to the area. The project also frees up capacity at the existing City of Owingsville wastewater treatment plant, promoting residential and commercial growth in the community. Those participating in the ceremony were (from left to right):

Kelly Gillespie, Peggy Satterly, Gabe Nickell, Gail Wright, Teresa Shields, Mayor Don Kincaid, Bob Hunter, Vernon Brown, Russell Salsman, Carolyn Belcher, Kerry Smith

Groundbreaking in Lancaster

The City of Lancaster began its water system improvements project with the official groundbreaking on April 16, 2009. The project will replace sections of the system that have experienced numerous water leaks and breakages. This project will improve service to over 200 existing customers and consists of the installation of approximately 20,900 L.F. of 8-inch PVC water line, 38 fire hydrants, 27 gate valves, 215 water meters, and appurtenances. Water service will be provided by the City of Lancaster’s water treatment facility.

Upgraded Water Treatment Plant in Madisonville

The upgraded water treatment plant in Madisonville, Kentucky, recently began operation. Bell's design for the city included upgrading the existing 8 mgd conventional plant to a 10.5 mgd capacity membrane filter plant, including a new filter and operation building, replacement of the existing SCADA system and new chemical feed systems. Improvements to both the river and reservoir raw water pumping stations and upgrading the reservoir intake were also a part of the project.

Ferguson/Jacksboro Street Water Line Replacement Groundbreaking

The replacement of the water line serving the City of Ferguson kicked off on October 15, 2008 with an official groundbreaking. The City of Somerset received a grant from the Commonwealth of Kentucky to replace the existing 6-inch line. The existing line has been in service since the 1930's, so the new line will significantly improve service to customers in the City of Ferguson.