Selma Moves Forward With Nature Preserve, New Water Tank

SELMA – The Selma Town Council unanimously approved several major capital projects August 6, including plans for the Selma Nature Preserve, construction of the town’s third elevated water storage tank, and an application for state funding to expand the capacity of the town’s water treatment plant.

Among the actions, council members awarded an engineering contract to Kimley-Horn and Associates for the Selma Nature Preserve project, which is being developed with a $500,000 Great Trails State Program grant.

The town received proposals from Destination by Design, Colliers and Kimley-Horn. Town Manager Phillip McDaniel and the chairman of the Selma Parks Advisory Board reviewed and scored the proposals and recommended Kimley-Horn.

Kimley-Horn’s contract totals $125,000 for planning, design and engineering, while the remaining $375,000 of the grant is earmarked for construction.

The approximately 94-acre property along the Neuse River is envisioned as a nature preserve and regional recreation destination. Plans identify potential future connections to the East Coast Greenway, Mountains-to-Sea Trail, Neuse River Paddle Trail, Selma Connector Trail, and adjacent public lands.

Initial improvements are expected to include trail upgrades, gravel parking, pond fishing access, an outdoor classroom and park identification, regulatory, directional and wayfinding signage. Kimley-Horn will also prepare a long-range master plan for the property.

Council members also unanimously approved a Grant Project Ordinance formally establishing the $500,000 multi-year project budget.

The grant was awarded through the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation.

Third Water Tank Planned

The council also unanimously approved a resolution awarding a $3,869,500 contract to Caldwell Tanks Inc. for construction of a new 500,000-gallon elevated water storage tank.

McDaniel said the new tank will be located near U.S. 70 and U.S. 70-A and will primarily serve the Eastfield area.

The bid came in below the amount town officials had anticipated for the project.

Once completed, the tank will become Selma’s third elevated water storage tank and increase the town’s total elevated storage capacity to 1.5 million gallons.

Caldwell Tanks was the lowest responsible, responsive bidder. WithersRavenel, the town’s consulting engineering firm, recommended the award. Final approval of the contractor is contingent upon approval by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Infrastructure.

Water Treatment Plant Expansion Planned

In another unanimous vote, the council approved applying for state grant and loan assistance to make additional upgrades to the Selma Water Treatment Plant.

Town officials said rehabilitation and modernization work is needed at the facility, with the longer-term goal of expanding the plant’s treatment capacity to 1.5 million gallons per day.

Staff and engineers are looking at a combination of Community Development Block Grant funding and State Revolving Fund/State Reserve Program assistance to help pay for the project.

The preliminary cost is estimated at $6 million.