Commissioners approved two large-scale projects this morning, adding nearly $500,000 more to the construction of an elementary school and $2.2 million for improvements to railroad tracks.
The commission approved a $467,698 contract increase with EMJ Corporation for the new East Ridge Elementary School. Commissioners did not discuss the new overall cost of the contract during the meeting.
Commissioner Jim Coppinger said contractors ran into some “bad dirt” during construction, making the increase necessary.
Chairman Fred Skillern said “bad soil” issues sometimes come up with other county projects.
“Most of the time this bad soil is because we’re building on an area we’ve filled in some time prior to that,” Skillern said.
Commissioners also approved an agreement with the Hamilton County Railroad Authority for $6.6 million worth of railroad improvements at the new Volkswagen auto assembly plant.
County Administrator of Finance Louis Wright says $2.2 million would come from the $20 million set aside by the county for incentives to entice Volkswagen to build in Chattanooga. He said $2.2 million would come from CSX railroad and $2.2 million from the state.