City council will meet early tonight to tackle a packed agenda, including a project to stabilize the cliff behind the wastewater treatment plant. 

For three consecutive meetings, council's discussed ways to stop rock slides at the site of the new plant. Those slides are threatening to delay construction. An engineering consultant has designed a plan that would stabilize the cliff face and let construction move forward.

The city had considered processing that work as a change order on Advanced Blasting's existing contract, which was to prepare the site for construction of a new plant.

But the extra work would have cost $2.1 million -- more than the original $1.4 million contract. It would have been the largest change order in recent memory.

At a special meeting in late March, council spoke with Advanced Blasting owner Julia Saunders about the reasons why the cliff is eroding. They also considered the federal deadlines for building the new plant, which the city accepted as part of a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Council voted unanimously to put the project out to bid. City manager Chris Hladick said staff would try to expedite the bidding process and complete it in just two weeks.

But bids will not open until April 23. KUCB and 14 other companies who requested copies of the bidding documents on the project from the Department of Public Works were told that the documents aren't available until after city council revisits the project at their meeting tonight.

The city held a pre-bid conference with five contractors, who expressed concerns over the city's timeline for the project. In his report to council, Hladick will review those concerns. At the end of the meeting, council will go into executive session to discuss the project further.

Hladick will also give updates on the road repaving project, which Granite Construction started last summer. The company agreed to return to Unalaska this year to fix sections of Airport Beach Road and East Broadway.

Other paving projects are on the agenda tonight. Council will consider a wide-ranging budget amendment that  would revise funding for the Ballyhoo Road paving project, increasing the budget to $8.8 million. It would also set aside $1 million to pave various city parking lots and $330,000 to improve the long-term parking lot at the airport. All of those projects are set to go to bid this summer.

Council will also consider a $25,000 upgrade to the audio/visual systems in their chambers at city hall. IMIG Audio/Video of Anchorage designed the new system.

Council will also vote on a resolution to create an electric lineman apprentice program, which replaces a permanent position at Public Utilities.

In work session, council will hear presentations on the Unalaska City School District's new budget and the Capital and Major Maintenance Plan.

They'll also discuss a plan to upgrade the Bobby Storrs boat harbor. PND Engineers estimates it will cost anywhere from $3.3 million to $6 million to replace all of the harbor's floats. Council will consider a plan to split the project into phases, replacing the "C" float first and putting the "A" and "B" floats on hold.

Council will also review the grant review committee's report on non-profit funding for fiscal year 2014. Nine organizations are requesting just over $1 million in funding.   

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in council's chambers at City Hall.