City liaison: bid documents for aquatic-weed treatment soon; board told of possible year‑round chemical option and draft master plan

City council liaison Richard Wilson told the Freshwaterways Advisory Board on June 13 that the city will soon release bid documents for aquatic-weed treatment and is considering options that include a year-long contractor and an optional chemical treatment outside fish-protection windows.

"We have a meeting, I think, on Wednesday with Herrera to discuss the bid documents, and those will go out very shortly," Wilson said, referencing the consultant-led procurement. He reported staff discussed whether to invite the same contractor used last year but said city leaders had reservations about repeating the previous contractor arrangement.

Wilson described a potential contract that runs on a June-to-June cycle so treatment can extend beyond the summer season. He also noted an optional chemical treatment that can be used outside the fish window will be included in material provided to bidders. "We'll probably be treating almost year round with this other resource that they're told us about," he said.

Wilson also told the board they should expect a draft of the city's aquatic master plan in June and that the draft will include recommendations and information the board and the volunteer corporation can use to coordinate operations and contractor activity.

No final contractor or chemical-treatment program was selected at the meeting. The board and liaison discussed scheduling to achieve earlier seasonal treatment start dates (members asked to be clean by July 4) and raised concerns about allowing the same contractor to bid if there were community concerns about prior work.

The liaison said the board may provide input on bid specifications and on whether the city should retain a contractor with prior experience or solicit a new pool of bidders. Wilson said he will present any draft ordinance or work products from the board to the council when available.