Athletic complex bid comes in 9% over estimate; council tables award to seek scope cuts and fundraising

The Decorah City Council tabled action on the award for the Decorah Athletic Complex after staff and the project engineer reported the only bid exceeded the engineer's estimate by about 9%.

Staff said the city received one bid from Skyline Construction Inc. for $3,107,176.28, compared with an engineer's estimate of $2,850,750. Project scope includes two 280‑foot baseball/softball diamonds, four pickleball courts, fencing, parking, paving, stormwater practices, landscaping and restrooms. The bid included a $50,000 in‑kind donation listed on the tabulation.

"Staff is recommending tabling the agenda item," a staff presenter said, noting the higher bid will increase the private fundraising needed to close the budget gap. Staff and council discussed a series of possible scope reductions and sequencing changes to bring costs down, including:

- Removing the 900 linear feet of 18‑inch concrete edging under fence lines (900 linear feet per field identified in plans), - Eliminating or deferring drain tiles and reinforced concrete rebar cages for fence posts, - Removing the batting cages (bid substantially above estimate), - Eliminating 1,400 feet of curb and gutter or performing some work in‑house, - Removing trees and native plantings from contractor scope and performing in‑house planting, - Replacing the specified asphalt overlay with a lower‑cost alternative or gravel (which would require a code change and likely rebid), - Considering building only one ball field in the initial phase as the fastest way to get below budget.

Staff warned that substantial changes to paving scope or other large line items could require rejecting the bid and rebidding the project; that process would add weeks to months and likely push construction into a later season, jeopardizing a full season of play. Staff recommended tabling to allow staff, the park board and fundraising teams to pursue private contributions and evaluate targeted reductions.

Council voted to table the award and directed staff and the park board to prioritize recommended reductions and return with a prioritized list. Council and staff emphasized the project has been heavily dependent on private fundraising and that additional outreach will be needed to close the gap.

Why it matters: The athletic complex is a multi‑million dollar recreation investment that affects youth and adult sports, parking and the city's ability to host tournaments. The bid overage forces council to choose between scaled‑back builds, additional fundraising or rebidding with possible schedule impacts.

Next steps: Staff will evaluate savings for the council's prioritized reductions, confer with Skyline on potential deducts, and coordinate a public fundraising push; council will reconsider award when updated cost and fundraising information are available.