High-profile firm top choice to study tank’s roof collapse

A company that investigated the Oklahoma City federal building bombing and the collapse of other large structures might be hired by the city of Spokane to examine last month’s collapse of the roof of a wastewater treatment tank.

Exponent, a “failure analysis expert” company based in California and Arizona, was awarded a no-bid contract worth at least $200,000 to analyze the failure of digester tank No. 3.

The Spokane City Council was told Tuesday it will be asked next week to approve an emergency contract with Exponent without putting it out to bid because the study is urgently needed.

That contract calls for an investigation into plant operations and a structural analysis of the tank. The concrete roof on the 2-million-gallon tank apparently collapsed on May 10, killing Mike Cmos, a veteran maintenance mechanic at the treatment facility.

At the time of the collapse, Cmos and other workers were attempting to check pressure in the tank.

While the preliminary estimate of the company’s work was $200,000, Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch told the council “there may well be requests for additional funds.”

Exponent studied the collapse of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, and its experts provided information for the trial of Timothy McVeigh. The company also investigated the Hyatt Regency Hotel collapse in Kansas City and structural damage from Hurricane Andrew.

• In other action Tuesday, the council voted 6-1 to ask for proposals from developers who want to purchase the old Fire Station 4 on the west end of downtown. The Fire Department is building a new station a few blocks away, and Councilman Brad Stark said the city should have a chance to review plans for the old station rather than simply selling the property to the highest bidder.

Downtown residents like Jim Kolva agreed, saying the city should “look at the long-term potential of this property.” He suggested the property near the old Carnegie Library could be turned into a mixed-use development, with retail or commercial spaces on street level and residential units above it.

The city already has three potential buyers for the property, which has an estimated value of $425,000. The department needs that money to pay for the new station, and the city can reject the development proposals if they don’t bring in enough money.

Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers voted against the proposal, saying the property should go to the highest bidder, who could do anything with the property that doesn’t violate the zoning codes. The city doesn’t put restrictions on private owners selling their property and shouldn’t put them on its own property sales, she said.

“Fear of a parking lot, that’s what’s driving this” resolution, she said. Zoning for the property would allow the building to be razed and turned into a parking lot.