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Council approves plans and bids process for 10½ Street North improvements; engineers explain special-assessment rules
Summary
The Moorhead City Council received the engineer’s report, approved plans and authorized advertisement for bids on the 10½ Street North street and utility improvement project after a presentation explaining the special-assessment process required by state law.
Tom Trowbridge, the city engineer, briefed the Moorhead City Council on Jan. 13, 2025, about the 10½ Street North public-works project and the state-law requirements that govern special assessments for street improvements.
Trowbridge told the council the council was being asked to take two actions: receive the city-engineer report and order plans and specifications and to approve the plans and authorize the advertisement for bids. He explained that state law requires an engineer’s report that determines whether improvements are necessary, cost-effective and feasible when special assessments are used, and described petition thresholds that affect whether a public hearing is required.
‘‘If we get greater than 35% (petitions), the council can order the improvements by a simple majority vote of the full council,’’ Trowbridge said. He added that if petitions are below that threshold, a public hearing is required and ordering improvements requires an 80% supermajority of the full council.
Trowbridge said the city intends to receive bids on Feb. 5 and hold a public hearing before the council — currently scheduled for the Feb. 24 meeting — after which the council may order the improvements and, if appropriate, award the bid. He noted that state law permits up to six months from the public hearing to order improvements and up to 12 months from ordering to award a contract, and that some projects are phased so timeline language is included in the ordering resolution.
Council members raised no substantive questions during the presentation. Council Member Heather Niesemeyer moved to approve items 11a and 11b (receive report/order plans and approve plans/advertise for bids); Deb White seconded. A roll-call vote recorded: Ryan Nelson, Nicole Matson, Heather Niesemeyer, Emily Moore, Deb White, Lisa Borgen, Sebastian McDougall and Chuck Hendrickson all voting yes; the motion carried.
Trowbridge said after the hearing and ordering, the city will complete construction, and then hold an assessment hearing to adopt the assessment roll; he noted that assessment hearings may be scheduled before or after bid award in certain circumstances. The city engineer also explained that the 2018 ADA transition plan, grant opportunities and phased construction strategies often inform project timing and implementation.
