Council approves PRV engineering study, municipal tractor purchase and city-attorney services

Rochester Hills City Council authorized multiple administrative and procurement items on Monday, approving engineering contracts, equipment purchases and legal services intended to support infrastructure and operations.

Engineering staff received council authorization to issue a blanket purchase order to Hubbell, Roth & Clark (HRC) for up to $136,900 for the preliminary engineering and design study for improvements to three pressure-reducing valves (PRVs 6, 7 and 8). Staff said the study will define final scope and cost estimates for a project that could range roughly between $1.2 million and $1.4 million depending on whether the study recommends inclusion of an energy-recovery turbine in the PRV structures. The study will evaluate pressure-district adjustments to improve distribution-system pressures for targeted neighborhoods.

The Department of Public Services also received approval to purchase a fourth mid-sized Trackless MT7 municipal tractor with attachments for $217,696 from Bell Equipment (McQueen Equipment LLC) to support year-round trail and pathway maintenance, including snow clearing, mowing and sweeping.

Separately, council authorized a blanket purchase order for city attorney services to the (renamed) Kelly Law Firm, PC for fiscal year 2026 in an amount not to exceed $265,000; staff said the firm will continue to provide city‑attorney services and offered modest hourly-rate increases tied to the firm’s reorganization. Councilmembers requested that future substantive changes to city‑attorney arrangements include direct council involvement in the selection process.