Todd County approves low bid for new courthouse parking lot; commissioner abstains over conflict

Todd County’s board approved the low bid to build a new county parking lot and to resurface the hilltop parking area during its May 6 meeting, with the board voting to accept the base bid and the alternate resurfacing option.

Facilities staff presented bid results and project details. The packet lists a base bid of $118,006.60 and an alternate add-on of $34,005.21; staff told commissioners that professional cost estimates prepared earlier in the year had been roughly $2.37 million and that current bids came in significantly lower than that estimate. Facilities staff said the base bid includes the new parking lot across the road, required fencing under a conditional use permit, sidewalks, concrete work up the hill, and accessibility improvements; the alternate covers the hilltop mill-and-overlay resurfacing.

Staff also said the project timetable is weather dependent and that the resurfacing work was coordinated to follow completion of a nearby Rockwell project, with the goal of finishing the tarring portion before school-related traffic increases in September. Facilities noted the work would include signage, striping, and a new walkway with a ramp for accessibility; commissioners asked staff to consider handrails and prominent directional arrows for traffic control at the top of the hill.

A commissioner declared a conflict and abstained because a nephew works as a foreman for Joel Riley Construction, the low bidder. The motion to approve the base bid and alternate passed with the abstention recorded. Staff said they would not accept a previously considered grant because grant stipulations (including prevailing-wage rules) would have increased project cost relative to the county-funded approach.

The board directed facilities staff to finalize contract documents and proceed with contracting for the approved bid items.