City awards contract for harbor project; repairs piers

PASS CHRISTIAN —The city of Pass Christian has awarded a $13.8 million contract for the final phase of its harbor expansion project.

The Sea Coast Echo reports the board of aldermen awarded the contract to Silverton Construction of Jackson.

Mayor Chipper McDermott says work on the 10-month contract is expected to begin immediately since Silverton is currently on site completing the harbor breakwater.

The harbor expansion is slated for completion in October of 2013.

Silverton began work in April on the $10.5 million contract for the breakwater that protects the harbor.

Project manager Milady Howard says the work is nearing completion with crews putting concrete caps on the breakwater.

In a separate item, repairs are under way to piers damaged by Hurricane Isaac in Pass Christian.

The Sea Coast Echo reports several piers were damaged at the existing harbor and storm surge swamped the electrical system. With no electricity, boats are leaving the harbor. The board of aldermen refunded three slip rentals this past week.

Mayor Chipper McDermott says repairs the electrical system and to raise the power poles to six feet will cost about $300,000. FEMA is expected to reimburse the city for portions of the project.

He says the power poles are on order and the contractor has about 35 days left in the contract.

McDermott says a commercial pier will be replaced at a cost of $290,000.