Beatrice council approves $100,000 change order for school demolitions, downtown street bid and pickleball seating; OKs electric rate study

The Beatrice City Council on June 30, 2025 approved several infrastructure and utility-planning items on the consent agenda, including a $100,000 change order for school demolitions, award of a downtown street improvement bid, authorization for an electric rate study, and a contract for terrace seating at the Chautauqua Park pickleball courts. All motions passed 8-0.

Change order for school demolitions: The council approved Change Order No. 1, increasing the Fossil Excavating contract by $100,000 for demolition work at Lincoln and Paddock elementary school sites. City staff said the additional cost stemmed from “several feet of sand underneath the school sites,” which required removal in areas that will later serve as residential foundations. Staff said they worked with engineering consultant JEO to determine how much sand needed to be removed and that some sand could remain depending on location. The motion to approve item I passed by voice vote, 8-0.

Downtown Fourth and Fifth Street improvement: The council awarded the bid for the Fourth and Fifth Street downtown improvement project (Market to Ella, four city blocks) to RL Team and Construction in the amount of $98,921.68. A council speaker emphasized this project is not the start of the city’s RAISE grant work, noting the city has not yet contracted with the federal government for RAISE funds and that the two efforts are separate. The council asked city community relations staff to intensify outreach; Amanda Coleman, the community relations coordinator, outlined digital, print and partner outreach and said Main Street will assist with direct contact to downtown businesses.

Electric cost-of-service and rate design study: The council adopted Resolution No. 75 77 to retain JK Energy Consulting LLC to conduct a cost-of-service and rate-design study for the city’s electric rates. Staff said the contract is approximately $18,000 and that the study typically forecasts three to five years ahead, potentially through 2030 depending on assumptions. Staff described the study as proactive planning to avoid large, unanticipated rate increases in future years; the resolution passed 8-0.

Chautauqua Park pickleball terrace seating: The council accepted a bid and executed a contract with Lotman Excavating (accepted bid ~$82,160) for terrace seating and related improvements at the park’s pickleball courts. The Pickleball Association agreed to contribute about $8,000, Beatrice Plus committed $10,000, and the council authorized using an RCRP playground grant to cover the remaining approximately $64,160. Staff said the contractor will coordinate start dates with subcontractors and has 45 days to complete the work; the council passed Resolution No. 75 88 authorizing the contract, 8-0.

Other administrative notes raised during the consent discussion: council members asked whether hangar lease renewals at the municipal airport could be synchronized to come due at the same time; staff said staggered start dates and tenant turnover make perfect alignment impractical. Council members also asked about the comparative bids for the school demolitions; staff said the demolition bids were submitted by site and that combining site costs could have changed bid ranking but that the contractors may not have been aware of subsurface sand at the time of bidding.

All items were approved under the consent agenda or adopted by resolution without further amendment. Staff said they will coordinate contractor start dates and public outreach as outlined.