Seward council approves several infrastructure contracts, study agreements and professional-service amendments

The Seward City Council unanimously approved multiple infrastructure-related items, including a construction change order, professional services amendments, a surveying contract, and a system-impact study related to a proposed dairy project.

Key approvals at the meeting included a $368,545.95 change order to K2 Construction Inc. for the 6th Street water-main replacement project, raising the contract’s estimated to-complete cost to approximately $1,598,991; an amendment of $41,725 to HDR Engineering Inc. for final design of a smaller levee pump station that reduces the previously estimated construction cost from $9.9 million to roughly $4 million; a surveying agreement with Shemmer Associates for the downtown water-tower site with an expected fee of $5,000 (contract limit and liability language referenced $20,000 in the agreement); a $33,301 amendment to the Shemmer Associates professional-services agreement for the Workman/Fort Smith Boulevard extension project; and a system-impact study agreement with Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) with an initial refundable deposit of $15,000 to evaluate electric-transmission requirements for a proposed dairy/processing project.

City staff explained that the K2 change order represents six work orders created when previously unidentified utility conflicts were discovered during construction; most items used the contract’s bid unit prices, and the largest additional work was a pipe drop and abandonment of a lane near Hillcrest and Sixth Street. For the levee pump station, staff said the amended design reduces pump capacity to two pumps totaling 10,000 gallons per minute (two 5,000-gallon pumps) and would lower estimated construction costs to about $4 million; FEMA/NEMA funding could cover about 75 percent, potentially leaving the city with an estimated $1 million share if the lower-cost option is funded.

The K2 change order, both HDR and Shemmer amendments, the surveying agreement, the NPPD study agreement and the Nebraska Department of Transportation annual maintenance/certificate of compliance were each moved, seconded and approved on separate roll-call votes recorded as unanimous (8-0). The council also voted to authorize the mayor to sign the 2025 maintenance agreement with the Nebraska Department of Transportation related to highway surface maintenance and snow removal within city limits.

Votes at a glance

- Change Order No. 1, K2 Construction Inc. (6th Street, Ash to Lincoln St. Water Main Replacement): approved 8-0; amount $368,545.95; estimated total contract to completion $1,598,991; motion moved and seconded (names not specified in motion). - Amendment No. 1, HDR Engineering Inc. (Levee pump station final design): approved 8-0; amount $41,725; expected construction cost reduced to ~ $4,000,000; FEMA/NEMA funding discussed as covering ~75% if awarded. - Agreement, Shemmer Associates (surveying at downtown water-tower site): approved 8-0; contract fee expected $5,000; agreement liability cap referenced $20,000 in document; staff clarified $5,000 is the anticipated fee. - Amendment (Workman/Fort Smith Boulevard Extension), Shemmer Associates: approved 8-0; amount $33,301; work includes extending water main and creating two plan sets to address potential railroad (BNSF) coordination. - System Impact Study Agreement, Nebraska Public Power District: approved 8-0; initial refundable deposit $15,000 billed to city then reimbursed by the dairy project; study will determine if additional regional studies (Southwest Power Pool) are required. - Authorization for the mayor to sign the City of Seward Certificate of Compliance and 2025 Maintenance Agreement with Nebraska Department of Transportation: approved 8-0; covers surface maintenance and snow removal obligations.

City staff said most of the additional construction costs in the K2 change order used original bid unit pricing, and some work avoided temporary pavement restoration because the state and city projects overlapped, reducing overall disruption. For the levee pump station, staff said the new design will include automation and SCADA monitoring, replacing a manually operated, 38-year-old pump station; the project is tied to levee recertification work.