Parker council approves $1.4 million Dublin Road waterline contract; funding, tank needs discussed

The Parker City Council on April 30 approved Resolution No. 2025-843 authorizing the mayor to execute a contract with A and M Construction & Utilities Inc. for the Dublin Road waterline project — segment 2 — while staff and engineers detailed funding availability and a separate need for an elevated water storage tank estimated at about $7 million.

City staff told the council the water enterprise funds, utility impact fees and the water construction fund together leave roughly $8 million available for capital projects. Staff said they are holding a conservative $2 million reserve in the water fund, leaving approximately $4.4 million of available water-fund balance plus about $2.6 million in utility impact fees. Council moved forward with the phase 2 contract, which staff and the engineer described in the meeting as a $1,400,000 project.

The funding discussion also included a projected elevated tank cost of about $7 million. A staff presenter said the tank is needed now based on system demand calculations and that construction would likely take 18–24 months. The presenter said pipeline pump-station work must be operational to fill and justify construction of a second elevated tank, and noted monthly progress payments and retainage are typical for such contracts.

Council member Betty Paben moved to approve the resolution; Council member Terry Lynch seconded. The motion passed (the meeting record includes the motion and second and an approval; the transcript does not record a roll-call vote tally). The contract award authorizes the mayor to execute the agreement with A and M Construction & Utilities Inc. for the segment described in the contract.

During discussion council and staff addressed construction sequencing, traffic control and quality of previous work by the contractor on phase 1. Council members said the city will insist on traffic control, flaggers, steel plates or other protections where the contractor cuts across pavement and that the city may enforce contract provisions, including withholding payment or retainage if work is not performed in accordance with the contract. Staff said retainage of a percentage (customarily 5–10%) and monthly pay applications are part of the contract administration process.

Staff also outlined the relationship among projects: Dublin Road Phase 2 is intended to replace undersized, aging lines and is not contingent on a Phase 3 looping project, which staff said would improve circulation but is not required. Staff estimated the elevated tank bidding/price environment has been relatively stable recently and that, if the city bids within several months, the $7 million number is a reasonable planning figure but not a guaranteed final price.

Ending: The council approved the Phase 2 waterline contract and directed staff to proceed with contract execution and administration. Staff indicated they will continue to monitor funding, utility impact-fee receipts (which have ranged and could reach about $300,000 this fiscal year), and coordination with the separate elevated storage project. The meeting record does not show a recorded roll-call tally for the approval.