Council hears sanitation bid issues, storm losses and FEMA timeline; staff to recommend rebids

Staff told the council they will recommend on Aug. 5 that the city reject all bids for a sanitation construction project and rebid with alternates to reduce the price; staff and an engineer are preparing bid changes and alternatives. The estimated project cost cited in discussion was about $650,000 for the total project and staff said they plan to create ad alternates to trim costs.

Sanitation operations also face other pressures: staff noted the sanitation contractor (Republic) has requested a contractually allowed 3.5% rate increase that staff will include in the 2024–25 proposed budget and that landfill tipping fees will need to be adjusted to reflect the contractor increase. The sanitation department requested a rear-loader replacement (approx. $400,000) and the water department requested a backhoe (approx. $120,000).

Separately, staff reviewed storm-related damage: multiple city vehicles were totaled, several pump repairs were unbudgeted (staff cited roughly $75,000 per pump at one lift station), and staff said they are documenting expenditures for possible FEMA public assistance and insurance reimbursements. Staff expects FEMA to begin reviewing public assistance filings roughly two weeks after submission (file date referenced as Aug. 16 in discussion) and said some debris and sanitation costs could be reimbursed on a per-cubic-yard basis.

Staff did not bring a council motion to reject bids at this meeting; they said they will recommend rejection and rebidding to the Aug. 5 council agenda. No formal council vote was recorded at this session.