Angola council opens bids for Hagan infrastructure projects, takes them under advisement

The Angola Common Council opened competitive bids for the Hagan infrastructure projects — Divisions 1 through 4 — and voted to take the proposals under advisement at a special meeting, allowing the city’s engineers to review the submissions and return a recommendation.

Amanda, a city staff member, read the bids and explained the procedure: “The intent is so that all the council members know are to read these and then to allow the engineers that are here to take these bids back.” The council then moved and approved a motion, by voice vote, to take all bids under advisement.

Why this matters: The four divisions cover multiple parts of the Hagan project that affect Pokagon — potable water improvements (Division 1), sewer work (Division 2), two lift-station rehabilitation projects (Division 3) and rehabilitation of a water tower and tanks (Division 4). Council members and staff discussed next steps, including engineer review of bidder responsiveness to addenda and a pending call with the state funding agency about financing.

Bids opened (as read into the record) - Division 1 (Pokagon water improvements, excluding water tower): one bid noted from Brackney Incorporated; the amount read into the record approximated $12,069,744. Amanda stated engineers will review the bid and return a recommendation. - Division 2 (sewer for Pokagon): one bid read from Brackney (transcribed amount approximately $12,935,501.02). - Division 3 (two lift-station rehab projects): a bid from Parish Excavating was read at approximately $629,558; an alternate bid read from Otten Weller at about $1,069,001. - Division 4 (rehab of a water tower and tanks): numerous painting/coating contractor bids were opened and read. Reported amounts included bids from LC United Painting (~$848,000), 7 Brothers Painting Inc. (~$965,440), M W Cole Construction (name variably transcribed), O & J Coatings (~$849,000), Classic Protective Coatings Inc. (~$985,863), L & T Platoon Inc. (~$768,407), D & 6 Sons Painting LLC (updated bid ~$882,208.08), Viking Painting LLC (~$1,138,801), B & M Painting Corp. (~$973,430), Clear Creek Coatings LLC (~$753,400), among others. Amanda and staff noted some bidders had updated paperwork acknowledging addenda.

Council discussion focused on two procedural points: whether the engineers would evaluate responsiveness to addenda (staff confirmed engineers would review and provide a recommendation) and concerns that the opened bids exceeded earlier engineer estimates. A council member observed the combined bids appeared substantially higher than estimates; council discussion noted the city has a call scheduled with the state funding agency to clarify financing and whether the current financing structure requires proceeding with all four divisions together.

Formal action and next steps The council adopted a motion to take all bids under advisement so the city engineers can evaluate bidder responsiveness to addenda and prepare formal recommendations. The vote was taken by voice; no roll-call tally was read into the record and the transcript records no opposition. Staff said engineers will return recommendations to the council, and the item will be revisited at the next council meeting. Council members also said they are waiting for the outcome of a planned call with the state funding agency to determine whether the state financing terms (as described in the meeting) require proceeding with all four divisions together.

The meeting adjourned with the council scheduling follow-up at the next regular meeting and staff planning to report the engineers’ recommendations and any updated information from the state funding agency.