Lafayette board approves $5.3M lead-service award, re-advertises demolition; takes large bid in advisement

The Lafayette Board of Works approved a notice of award to Atlas Excavating for phase 1 of the city’s lead service line replacement project and handled several procurement and claims items at its meeting.

The board approved the notice of award for Atlas Excavating for the lead service line replacement project, with a contract price of $5,311,130. “The award of the project was delayed until the bond was closed for the project which occurred on 12/09/2024,” Steve Moore, superintendent of Lafayette Waterworks, said. “Contract price of the awarded contract is $5,311,130 and I recommend this notice of award for your approval.” The motion to approve the notice of award was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

The board also voted to re-advertise a rejected demolition project for 11 North Thirteenth Street. “We reconfigured our bids and documents. We’ll make sure that it’s more potential to bidders and aware of where the project this time around to encourage them to bid on it,” Mike McIver of the city engineering office said. He said the city will advertise the project on January 17 and 24 and open bids on February 4; the board approved a notice to bidders.

A renewal amendment to the city’s plan-review services agreement with Christopher Burke Engineering, which updates the hourly rate schedule used to review private development projects for compliance with the city’s stormwater code, was approved. “This is a renewal of an existing agreement. The purpose for this submittal is to update the hourly rate schedule,” Dave Griffey of engineering said. He noted the county approved the same rate schedule the prior week and recommended consistency.

During the meeting the board also reviewed a large construction bid from Bowen Engineering for the GMACCSO, Phase 11 D project. The bid—read aloud during the meeting as $51,074,521.05—was taken in advisement by motion and approved for further consideration by the board.

City controller Jeremy Deal presented claims for approval totaling $5,824,456.17; the board approved the claims. The meeting also approved a banner request for the Boy Scouts and routine minutes approval.

Votes at a glance

- Notice of award to Atlas Excavating, Lead Service Line Replacement Phase 1 — motion approved; contract price $5,311,130; mover/second on the record; outcome: approved. - Re-advertise demolition, 11 N. Thirteenth St. — motion approved to publish notice to bidders for January 17 and 24 with bids opened Feb. 4; outcome: approved. - Christopher Burke Engineering plan-review agreement (rate schedule amendment) — motion approved; outcome: approved. - Bid from Bowen Engineering, GMACCSO Phase 11 D ($51,074,521.05) — motion to take bid in advisement — approved. - Claims — $5,824,456.17 — motion approved. - Boy Scouts banner request — motion approved.

The board handled the items during a short business session; several items were routine authorizations to proceed with procurement, with the lead-service award moving a major infrastructure project forward now that bond financing has closed.