FILER — Part of the work on the collection system for a new sewer facility has come in under budget.

Filer City Council members were informed Tuesday that a $273,000 bid to replace deteriorated sewer pipe was completed last month at $23,000 less than expected.

Rather than go to the expense of digging up or bursting old pipe, Helena, Mont.-based Planned Engineering Construction used a trenchless technology to line some existing pipe with a fiberglass resin to improve their structure.

Open trench work needed for the remaining pipe will be handled by Nampa-based Brown Construction. The company was awarded a $600,000 open trench bid last November.

“They’ve been excellent people to work with,” Mayor Bob Templeman said, “always conscientious about people’s yards, trees and cleaning up afterwards.”

Bud Compher, Filer city maintenance director, said that portions of the open trench work have also cost $60,000 less than expected estimates.

“We came in under budget on our open trench work out at the sewer ponds,” he said. “We should be able to use that money to finish North Street and some other areas where we left off doing upgrade work a few years ago.”

In other council business, recent questions about residents housing chickens and other animals within city limits has officials considering an update to Filer’s nuisance animal policy. The council decided to look at ordinances enacted by surrounding communities before making changes.

“Right now, it’s a nuisance to have chickens, turkeys and ducks, geese and rabbits, but there isn’t actually anything prohibiting them,” said City Attorney Fritz Wonderlich. “The ordinance isn’t written right, because it talks about pigs, sheep, cows and horses, but says nothing about poultry.”

John E. Swayze may be reached at swayzef@aol.com or 326-7212.