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Monona approves Kelly Place stormwater budget amendment, contracts awarded to proceed
Summary
City council amended the 2025 capital budget for the Kelly Place stormwater project—cutting the on-paper contingency to $50,000 while authorizing the city administrator to use up to $110,000 from fund balance—and awarded the construction contract to Speedway Sand and Gravel after bids exceeded the original estimate.
The Monona Finance Committee and Common Council on April 8 amended the 2025 capital budget for the Kelly Place stormwater project and approved a construction contract, after staff and council members debated contingency sizing and funding sources.
Dan (Public Works staff) told the committee the city had $1,860,000 budgeted for Kelly Place but that construction bids arrived higher than the estimate. “The bids came in at $1,965,883,” Dan said, and he asked for an additional $328,000 to cover the apparent low bid plus construction-management costs.
The request prompted debate over contingency levels. Mark (staff finance) explained why staff put a $50,000 contingency in the fiscal note and said the city could wrap additional costs into a future borrowing if necessary. Neil (staff/consultant) and other members urged the council to give the administrator a clear funding path so projects can proceed without repeated emergency meetings. “If we only have $50 and the cost of the item exceeds $50, then we have to stop the project and then we have to have an emergency meeting,” Dan said.
After discussion, the council adopted an amendment to the capital-budget resolution that reduced the stated contingency to $50,000 but authorized the city administrator to use up to $110,000 from the city’s fund balance if needed. The motion passed on a recorded voice vote.
The council then moved to the separate, related resolution awarding the construction contract. Brad (project staff) said the city received two bids and that Speedway Sand and Gravel was the apparent low bidder. Brad recommended awarding the contract to Speedway. Earlier staff comments gave the low bid as $1,965,883; Brad read the apparent low bid amount during the award presentation as approximately $1.90 million, creating a discrepancy between the two figures in the meeting record. The award motion passed.
The project will be paid upfront by the city; Dan noted the city expects approximately $1,150,000 in grant reimbursements after project completion from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Dane County stormwater grant programs. Dan also described project-specific cost drivers that increased the bids from the April 2024 estimate, including a 60-inch bypass storm main, engineered liners for the storm trap system, fencing and pavers, and the need for new imported backfill rather than reuse of existing soil.
Councillors and staff said they believed the design and construction plan were sound but emphasized the need for a funding mechanism that lets staff act quickly if unforeseen subsurface conditions arise. The council’s action combines a short-term authorization to proceed with a funding backstop from fund balance while preserving the option to include larger amounts in upcoming borrowings if needed.
Votes at a glance: the capital-budget amendment (resolution 25-4-2796) as amended passed; the construction contract award (resolution 25-4-2797) to Speedway Sand and Gravel passed.
Budget and next steps: staff said construction management services are budgeted at about $60,000 and that final grant reimbursements would be claimed after project completion. The city will proceed with contract execution following the council’s award vote.
