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WESTOVER - Since early April, Westover City Council has been told the $2.9 million project to replace the city's Dunkard Avenue lift station was on the verge of completion.
On Monday, the body learned the project could very well run into October after Thrasher Group's Casey Young said he's now "hoping" Green River Group can get the remaining work wrapped up in two months.
Young said that's largely dependent on when the contractor can return to the site.
Once the project is complete, Westover and the Morgantown Utility Board will finalize the process of conveying the city's sewer system over to the utility board.
As such, MUB made a couple requests in regard to the project.
One, the utility board wanted to monitor the newly installed wet well for a month in order to ensure water is not leaking into the structure.
Two, MUB wanted the warranty information on the structure and the lining system.
Young said he began requesting the warranty information on June 23 but didn't receive the finalized version until July 31.
Young said he intended to call Green River Group Tuesday morning and request they return to the site and finish the job.
"I don't know when they're going to come back on site. I mean, I've been putting their feet to the fire to get this stuff, so I'm going to continue to put their feet to the fire on getting back on site," he said. "So, if they start back [Aug. 10], with the work they have left, I'm hoping they're done in two months. And that's with everything. That's cleaned up, seeded and mulched, asphalt, paved, all of that."
According to Young, the remaining work includes transferring sewer flows to the new pump station, removing the old wet well, installing a new manhole and installing a short remaining section of gravity sewer line.
Councilor Duane Tatar said he would like the city to consider any available leverage to ensure the work is done as soon as possible.
"You know, we had no intention of disrupting people's living conditions for this long. That's what bothers me about it," he said. "This disruption is now more than we ever planned."
In other Westover news, council approved a third year of the city's urban archery deer hunt to run from Sept. 5 through Dec. 31. After a 10-day pause, the hunt will reopen Jan. 11-31.
Council voted 5-2 in favor of the hunt with Randy Barnett and Alli Jackson voting in the minority.
So far, the hunt's first two iterations have seen a total of 30 deer harvested, including 13 in 2024-'25 and 17 in 2025-'26.
Hunt coordinator Benjamin May said there have been no issues reported in the first two years.
"One challenge would be getting more property, having property owners step forward and give us permission," he said, adding, "We do have some areas that still have a lot of deer in it. We just can't get permission in those areas yet within the city, but in the areas that we are hunting, there has been a reduction."
Hunter applications and rules for the hunt are available at westoverwv.org under the "Forms & Permits" link.