Council awards Thornburg alley contract, approves construction‑management amendments and budget changes

The Laramie City Council on March 4 approved several infrastructure contracts and a quarterly budget amendment affecting water and street projects, city staff said.

Thornburg Drive alley: the council awarded the bid for the Thornburg Drive alley priority replacement project to Offedalls Construction of Casper for $3,090,653 with a contingency of $309,147. Director Webb said the project includes about 2,600 feet of water main replacement and 700 feet of sanitary sewer replacement; staff noted constructability challenges in narrow alleys and authorized a two‑construction‑season schedule given the complexity. The motion to award passed 9–0.

Construction management: the council approved Amendment 2 to TriHydro Corporation’s professional services agreement for construction management and contract administration on the Thornburg Alley project for $285,250 plus a $28,750 contingency. Webb said TriHydro completed design support and will provide on‑site construction management and administration because the city does not maintain enough staff to provide full‑time on‑site oversight. Vote: 9–0.

North Tank project: the council approved Amendment No. 8 to DOWL’s professional services agreement in the amount of $200,000 to continue construction management and stay on‑site at the North Tank project. City staff said the contractor is about 375 days over schedule; the city is withholding $843,007.50 in liquidated damages to offset costs and staff said the tank now holds one million gallons and is holding. The amendment and budget adjustment were approved 9–0; staff said the new substantial completion date is mid‑ to late April.

Transportation plan: the council approved a professional services agreement with Mead & Hunt for a 10‑year strategic public transportation plan not to exceed $150,430, funded primarily by a Wyoming Department of Transportation planning grant. City managers said the grant has been awarded and staff will request reimbursement from the grant after contract execution; the council approved the contract 9–0.

Quarterly budget amendment: Director Wade presented the city’s third quarterly budget amendment for fiscal year 2025. Staff said the amendment increases total appropriations by $387,287 and that most of the change is funded by grants, fees or contributions; only about $72,000 is a draw on available cash reserves. Notable items include a $242,941 reappropriation for police vehicle upfitting, several fire and wildland overtime adjustments (totaling roughly $120,000 in combined amendments), a $180,000 rebudget of a 2024 regional emergency response team equipment grant, and a $72,000 cost to complete back‑end billing integration related to the surface‑water drainage utility fee. Wade characterized the amendment as largely revenue‑offset and advised the council the changes should not affect rates.

Why it matters: the actions fund major utility work, ensure on‑site construction oversight for complex projects, keep a long‑delayed water tank project moving toward completion, and adjust budgets to match project realities and grant funding.

Next steps: staff will coordinate contractor outreach to affected neighborhoods for the Thornburg project, proceed with TriHydro’s CM/CA work, continue oversight of the North Tank contractor while liquidated damages are used to offset costs, and administer the transportation planning contract under grant terms.