More issues continue to be uncovered with the Greene County Animal Shelter project.

The City Council approved a $6,030 expense to conduct additional soil testing at the site in the Greene County Development Corporation West Business Park. City Administrator Mike Palmer says originally soil testing was done up to 20 feet because there were some foundational issues after the frame for the metal building was erected by the contractor. Now they are looking to bore to 50 feet.

“That leaves the question of will that stabilize the foundation? It should. But what how the interior of the building? What we don’t want to happen the soil underneath is unstable or not compacted properly and then the floor starts to crack. The foundation has already shifted three inches down. But that’s what this soil test will tell us is what direction we got to take on this thing.”    

Palmer notes the original soil testing was not an expense to the City, but this time it is. 

“The original soils testing was done before the City had the project. If it would have gone down to 50 feet that would’ve been an extra cost anyway to do that. It’s unfortunate we have to go down a little bit deeper, but it’s necessary to know if it’s a soil or a compaction problem. It’s just something that we need to do to make sure that we have it right.”

Palmer is unsure if this additional delay in the project will push back their fall anticipated completion date. The $6,000 payment will come from the budgeted funds.