Village approves $13,500 design contract for Saunders Road water main replacement; bids for road project favorable

The Village Board of Trustees approved a contract not to exceed $13,500 with Gault Hamilton Associates (GHA) to prepare bid documents, oversee bidding, and provide construction observation and closeout for replacement of a water main and relocation of a valve vault at the Saunders Road/Braeburn Drive location.

Director of Community Services (Director) said crews located and repaired a leak at 1661 Saunders Road and found a prior patch in the same pipe section. Because the scheduled multimillion-dollar Saunders Road resurfacing runs directly above the pipe, staff recommended replacing the line and moving the valve vault out of the Saunders Road travel lane. The relocation is intended to remove the valve from a maintenance hazard; Director Witt said shifting the vault roughly 20–30 feet west would put it outside the active travel lane while keeping it off a private street.

GHA recommended formal bidding despite an in‑hand contractor estimate of about $55,000 from Kloeffer, which performed the emergency repair, to ensure competitive pricing for the full replacement and valve‑vault work. Trustees approved the GHA contract to advance the project to formal bid.

Separately, Director Webb reported that bids for the IDOT‑let Saunders Road STP resurfacing project came in favorable—approximately $42,943 under the village’s $3,000,002.67 estimate—so the board had time to consider acceptance at a subsequent meeting within the 45‑day window. The village will coordinate its schedule with Lake County’s concurrent lift‑station relocation; Webb said county work remains in design and construction may not begin until late fall, and the village likely will place binder course this year with final surface work next year.

Trustees moved and seconded approval of the GHA professional‑services contract; roll call recorded ayes from Trustees Smith, Trevino, Eastman, Jamerson and Raff and the motion carried.