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City awards $399,001 contract to build six Hitchcock Park pickleball courts; council opts conventional concrete over post-tensioning
Summary
The Mitchell City Council awarded a $399,001.10 contract to Rexwinkel Concrete to build six pickleball courts at Hitchcock Park and approved the recommended fencing and lighting; the council declined a higher-cost post-tension concrete option and accepted the conventional 6-inch reinforced slab recommended by staff.
The Mitchell City Council voted to award the Hitchcock Park pickleball-courts contract to Rexwinkel Concrete for $399,001.10, approving a package that includes 6-inch reinforced concrete court slabs with No. 4 rebar, vinyl chain-link fencing and site lighting. Staff said the chosen bid came in approximately $36,500 under the engineer's estimate but that the project will still require an additional funding supplement of roughly $80,000 to provide a contingency and cover related costs.
Council debated whether to use conventional reinforced concrete or a higher-cost post-tension slab. Post-tension concrete uses tensioned steel tendons to reduce cracking and the number of joints; staff and the city's engineer said post-tensioning typically improves long-term playing-surface consistency but carries a substantially higher upfront cost.
Jacob Sunny of SPN Associates, the engineer of record, told the council that conventional, reinforced concrete typically carries an estimated useful life of roughly 20 years in this application, while post-tension courts are estimated by some suppliers to last 25 years or more. SPN's comparison showed a post-tension option would increase the contract price by roughly $67,000 while offering a modestly longer projected lifespan. Staff recommended the conventional concrete section to keep the project within budget and to allow construction to proceed promptly.
Council members and residents
Several council members and residents pushed for the higher-quality post-tension option. Councilman Bathke and others said the additional up-front cost could reduce long-term maintenance and extend usable life. Councilor(s) who supported the staff recommendation noted the current budget shortfall and the desire to move the long-delayed project forward for local players.
The final motion approved the low responsive bid and the vinyl fencing and lighting schedules recommended by staff; councilors also left open the option of a later change order if funding becomes available. Staff said the project completion date is expected in August 2025.
Key figures and next steps
- Awarded bid: Rexwinkel Concrete, $399,001.10 (base bid including fencing and lighting). - Recommended additional funding: approximately $80,000 to provide a contingency and cover incidentals not included in the base bid. - Construction timeline: staff cited an August 30, 2025 completion target.
Councilors said they would monitor contractor scheduling and return to council if supplement funds are required before issuing a notice to proceed.
