The City of Flandreau and the engineering company overseeing the project have ordered the contractor doing the First Avenue water and sewer project to stop working except to prepare the street for winter.

Council members also have agreed to withhold payment of $424,981 to H&W Contracting of Sioux Falls for work already completed until the job is satisfactorily paused for the season.

“Work is to be suspended due to the winter conditions which does not allow the remaining work to be completed in a manner that conforms to the specifications,” a letter dated Dec. 4 from project engineer Justin Petersen of Clark Engineering to John Rennich, project manager at H&W said. “A notice to proceed will be reissued in the spring to resume construction.”

The engineering firm and the city agree that work needs to halt for now on the $4.05 million mainline water and sewer project. Because of work added between West and Wind streets, H&W previously got an extension to complete the entire project by July 25, 2018. Otherwise H&W had planned to have all work completed by the end of this month.

The overall project includes replacement of the main water and sewer line on First Avenue from Veterans Street to Lindsay Street, along with storm drains, new curb and gutter and reconnecting water and sewer services for businesses and homes. In addition, the road will be repaved.

H&W had about a half dozen houses yet to hook up to the main sewer along the street, as of last week, said Don Whitman, city administrator. The letter included a list that H&W must complete before it finishes for the year. That includes installing three inches of gravel at the crown, compacting it and maintaining it for winter. In the spring, the gravel layer will need to be torn out for asphalt work to be completed.

The company also must sweep sidewalks, remove debris, reinstall signs and generally clean up before shutting down, the letter said. “They’re not going to get paid until the list is done,” Whitman said.

The company wanted to keep working so it would be in a better position to start again in the spring, he said. “We’re in winter now so just button it up, close everything down.”

Mayor Mark Bonrud said if the project isn’t completed by the final July deadline, the city can penalize H&W for not meeting the deadline. “They’ve got a lot of work to do by next year.”