BTDT   You wrote .... Estimated time line includes start of construction to begin in October 2017 with a completion date expected to be in 2019.           
  Then the lake will have to fill and be restocked .. right ?  That will take another 2 years. Now it's 2021.  I wonder what kind of "little fishes" they will put back in the lake?  With 3 or 4 years for the "little fishes" to grow. Now it's 2023 or 2024.   Wow, we maybe ice fishing the winter of  2024/2025.
 
The above paragraph was written while  "laughing and tears running down my face."
 
Later ... Chuckles
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Chuckles I'm hoping that the PFBC also will rework the law for the use of motorized vehicles on the ice. By the time Tamarack is fishable I'll be needin' sumbody ta drive my asz onto the ice.... and hopefully back home again.😋


Tippe I can't answer who got the bid but I will say, if the bids were let out in August and work is to commence in October. I have a feeling it will be a "already known" contractor that has just conveniently finished a project and, his equipment is waiting to move.

Anyway I provided a link to a Meadville newspaper claiming to report updates.

Here it is again.....


https://westmead.org/tamarack-lake-update/

I was just wondering.  You would think it would be a public bid opening with immediate results posted.  We bid some public funded work both as a prime and a sub-prime contractor, and I think it is law that it has to be a public opening, with results posted immediately afterwards.  We are also generally required to name our subs within a certain deadline.  We are in WV, but I would think it would be something all the states would have to do.
 
 

Looks like they found a loophole to the public bid. 
http://www.dgs.pa.gov/Businesses/Design-and-Construction/Documents/BV%20Determination%20Decision%20Memo%20DGS%20A199-84.pdf
 

crawlerman2
Looks like they found a loophole to the public bid. 
http://www.dgs.pa.gov/Businesses/Design-and-Construction/Documents/BV%20Determination%20Decision%20Memo%20DGS%20A199-84.pdf
 

That really sets the table for corruption.  Good gravy.
 
As a PM, I have seen a few bids recently where it was obvious a contractor was "selected" by wording similar to this, but they were never publicly funded jobs. Some of the owners(and generals/construction management firms) we work with have broken the bidding into phases on larger projects.  Approval to bid, actual competitive bid, and interviews with the project managers and estimators involved in the bid are becoming commonplace.  They then weigh the options (pick their homies), and go from there with the project award based on the more "qualitative" aspects of the contractors.  It is crooked, but it is also private money, and the owners can do whatever they want to do.
 
There is always information in bidding documents and specs regarding the fitness of a contractor for performance of work being bid.  There could have easily been a contractor qualification approval time period (let's say 2 months, it IS the Government we are talking about here, LoL), to see who would be fit (no doubt many from Pittsburgh to Erie), and still have a competitive bid.  That is by far the stinkiest part of this. 
 
As far as the emergency plan, that isn't a bad thing at all, and really isn't beyond typical on any major project like this.  I want this place done right, and safely for both the public and the contractor.  I also want it done fairly for whomever the contractor is, and for the customer, US!  That would be the legitimate gripe here.

FBC turned Tamarack into a "brood lake" after the lake was drained and the dam repaired the first time.

Only lake I can remember "Texas rigging" or using a "pig-n-jig" with a steel leader.

Dadburn Esox's would chew off anything as soon as it hit the water. Including small panfish ya was catching under a bobber.

Good times.... yes but not gooder than, catching those once upon a time bull gills.

I'll be taking my annual tour of Autumn when the leaves get lookin pretty. Be interesting to take a look see wassup at Tamarack. Leaves are gorgeous through the valley.

yeah it would be nice if it came back in any way. Even as a panfish and bass lake. Beautiful place. I caught some big largemouth on large gliders and a big swimbait while muskie fishing, probably the biggest LM I've caught that weren't hooked in Texas. Never knew about the walleye, I was almost always using lures that were huge and stayed on top or near the top there or we were trying to get a few crappie and bluegill for dinner with tiny jigs or live bait

Thanks Looch, that sounds promising.  Here's a bit more info from the "Meadville Tribune".
 
 
     
 
 
Ok so I got carried away but I'm excited
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BREAKING: Tamarack Lake rehabilitation project to proceed

• Meadville Tribune 
• Oct 18, 2017 
   
  
   
   
  
    http://www.meadvilletribu...9d55-9b86761a397a.html] [/link]  
   
   
  Two weeks after expressing doubts, concerns and even asking at one point, “What’s in it for us?” Meadville City Council members unanimously approved a plan for the Natural Resources Conservation Service to release its interest in Tamarack Lake.
   
   
  Doing so will allow work on the Tamarack Lake rehabilitation project to proceed, with construction likely beginning in the next few weeks.
   
   
  “The contractor will be on the ground in November if all things go well,” said Michele Jacoby, director of the bureau of engineering at Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, which operates and maintains the lake.
  For more on this story, pick up Thursday's Tribune or visit meadvilletribune.com on Thursday.
  

2027? I'd be happy to see (today) what the PFBC has planned for this lake. Another musky nursery ya think?

Before the Musky were introduced, Tamarack was notorious for her "gills" and carpet like weeds. The first dam repair brought hope of weed control and visions of pan fish, bass and walleye.

I can't say I was disappointed with catching Musky, I have a few pictures I gloat over, but at times it was like "shooting" ducks in a barrel. Not in line with "a fish of 10,000 cast".

Still, good news, the repairs shall move forward and hopefully the contractor has the ability to git-r-done. As for the PFBC..... who knows?

I'm not for returning the Tamm to a brood lake but some tigers would be fine.

Gonna be great, just to float a boat on her waters, even if just one more time.

With the way PFBC finances are going, they wont be able to continually stock the new and improved Tamarack with Tigers or Purebreds. Pan fish and Largemouth only need stocked once...

I have no problem with the budget for administration cost. I do have a problem with most of the money spent on do nothing positions. The PFBC needs to get out of biology and back into enforcement. Sorry PSU fans but enough with the biologist thingy we need to get back to the basics.

Anyways took a little ride, just me and my bride, to see what kinda conditions the conditions is in.

EAST DAM

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EAST BOAT LAUNCH boat dock is at the edge of the green grass where it sank in 2012. Ramp lane has since grown over.
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FISHING PIER

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WEST END. Boat dock patiently waits for the first boat.
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THE MACHINERY COMETH SOON.


PS. Sorry bout the shoddy pics. inclement weather and my phone cam sucks!

I have to say BTDT, you have a gorgeous view in your back yard...

olds-pa thank you for the comment of my back yard.  I apologize for being tardy but, I just saw your page.
 
Thanks a bunch for posting your report on Tamarack it is nice to hear there is some positive movement.  There was nothing at all my last trip 4 weeks ago.  Sure would be sweet to see a couple thousand metric tons of extra dirt removed from one end to the other.  Oh hell, make that a couple million metric tons.  Somebody can use some extra fill dirt.  lol