Rosenberg council awards water, sewer and generator contracts and approves $1.06 million budget amendment

Rosenberg city council on Tuesday approved three construction and equipment contracts — a $1.10 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) waterline contract, a roughly $1.07 million wastewater-plant clarifier rehabilitation contract and a $508,001 generator installation contract — and approved a budget amendment to fund the projects.

The actions matter because the awards fund the final phase of a long-running north-side waterline project, restore treatment capacity at Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 2, and add on-site backup power at three public facilities; council also appropriated retained earnings to cover a capital shortfall at the sewer plant.

Staff recommended awarding bid number 2025-38B for the CDBG Phase 8 Northside Water Distribution Improvements Project to McKinney Construction Inc., which submitted the lowest responsive bid in the amount of $1,097,604.50 and a 145-calendar-day schedule, according to Rigo, a city staff member. Rigo said the awarded CDBG grant will cover the cost “with no city match required.” The staff report says the work is the final phase of infrastructure originally approved with CDBG funding in 2005.

On the wastewater side, staff recommended awarding bid number 2025-51B for rehabilitation of clarifier No. 1 at Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 2 to JTR Constructors Inc.; the low responsive bid totaled $1,071,600 for a 365-calendar-day term. Rigo told council the clarifier has “deteriorated into a condition where it's no longer being used,” and that the project is the first phase of a multi-year program to rehab one clarifier per year. Rigo also reported that “the remaining budget is $450,000 less than the lowest bid amount,” and said a budget adjustment was included on the agenda to cover that gap.

Councilors pressed staff on construction impacts. Felix, the District 1 council member, asked whether there would be any downtime for water service during the CDBG work; Rigo and staff said there would be brief interruptions for coordinated switchover events and that door‑to‑door notices would be provided. On the clarifier project, council briefly discussed rising steel costs and tariffs as a factor in higher bids.

For backup power, staff recommended awarding bid number 2025-52B to Texan Municipal & Industrial LLC for purchase and installation of natural gas generators at City Hall, the Police Department and Fire Station No. 2 in the amount of $508,001. Rigo said the project is funded through the Texas Division of Emergency Management under the Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (FEMA HMGP): “FEMA awarded a total subgrant for $614,398… The Federal cost share amount is $552,958.20, with the city responsible for the remaining $61,439.80,” Rigo said. Staff noted the lowest bidder was deemed nonresponsive and the recommended award is to the second-low bidder.

Council then approved a budget amendment (budget amendment 25-03, resolution R-38894 on the agenda) appropriating $450,000 from water/wastewater retained earnings for the clarifier shortfall and $614,398 in grant revenue and associated expenditures for the generator project, for a combined amendment of $1,064,398.

Council approved the three contract awards and the budget amendment by voice vote after motions on each item. Staff said the CDBG-funded water project is included in the FY2024 capital improvement plan; the clarifier project and the generator project are included in the FY2025 capital improvement plan and budget.

Councilmembers discussed outreach and public notification. One member proposed a ribbon cutting or social media notices for completion of the north-side water improvements. Staff affirmed they would coordinate homeowner notifications about planned short service outages during switchover work and would supply dates and door‑knock notices when the contractor schedules those switches.

The contracts are scheduled to be attached as exhibits to the corresponding resolutions and to be executed by the city manager once paperwork is in order. No additional action was announced on funding sources beyond the budget amendment approved at the meeting.