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Council postpones vote on Bridge Street retaining-wall contract after questions about scope and funding
Summary
Sandpoint council postponed a vote to approve a $396,672.50 contract to Big Sky Corporation for the Bridge Street retaining-wall and sidewalk infill project after members cited outstanding questions about bid amounts, bond coverage and time to review; staff said the contractor plans to mobilize Dec. 1.
The Sandpoint City Council on Nov. 12 postponed action on a $396,672.50 construction contract to Big Sky Corporation for a retaining wall and widened sidewalk along Bridge Street, after some council members said they needed more time to review bid details and funding constraints.
Planning and community development director Jason Welker told the council the work would remove an existing pile wall, build a new retaining wall and install wider sidewalk at First and Bridal Street. Welker said the money the council had discussed previously included a $385,000 security bond set aside for improvements in that location and a separate $75,000 cash contribution intended to cover roughly half the cost of a future staircase down to the boardwalk. "I am pleased to say that the main question we were trying to get to was in response to Councilwoman Duquette's question about pedestrian bicycle access to Farmer's Landing," Welker said, and he later recommended approving the construction contract so the city could "make it better" for pedestrians.
Council members pressed staff about timing and mobilization. Public works director Molly Ellis said the contractor planned to mobilize Dec. 1 and would work as weather allows through the winter, with the goal of finishing before March so wider sidewalks would be in place before the summer season.
Councilman Kyle Schreiber thanked staff but said he was concerned the lowest bid exceeded bond amounts and asked for another week to review the new information. After an initial motion to approve the contract failed for lack of a second, a later motion to postpone the item to the council's Nov. 19 meeting passed on a roll-call vote recorded in the meeting as five yes and one no.
The project traces to a prior land swap; no permanent development application has been submitted for the adjacent property, Welker said, and staff recommended moving forward with the city-funded portion of the work to restore pedestrian access that has been limited since a fire at the site seven years ago. The council did not take further action on the contract at the Nov. 12 meeting.
Next steps: the Bridge Street retaining-wall contract will return to the Nov. 19 council meeting for further consideration.
