Council approves multiple change orders and a six‑month shift to water treatment schedule

Mobridge — The city council approved a package of change orders for ongoing water and wastewater projects and agreed to a no‑cost schedule change that delays substantial completion of the water treatment plant until March 12, 2026.

Moore Engineering project manager Jared Clubundi told the council the project’s original construction estimate came in around $5.2 million at first bidding, then $3.8 million on rebid after scope adjustments. He said remaining warranty work on the wastewater treatment plant — a coating issue — is a manufacturer’s responsibility and not a cost to the city. "When you ask for funds from the federal government and they give them to you, you play by their rules," Clubundi said about federal reviews tied to the water intake project, noting a biological assessment had been submitted to FEMA and that some habitat for species including a sturgeon species and piping plover was identified.

Council approved change order No. 2, a $3,351.44 item to replace a 16‑inch water main under the plant entry and widen the restored sidewalk/ramp from 6 feet 4 inches to 8 feet to allow skid‑steer access for snow removal. The council also approved change order No. 3, a $2,605.11 concrete infill between buildings to remove a small grass maintenance area, and change order No. 4, a $3,889.36 repair to replace an aging lead seal transition and install a link seal in the plant wall.

Separately, the council approved change order No. 5 (about $6,031.46) to add a 2‑inch saddle and curb stop to a lift‑station‑to‑pond line so the line can be drained for maintenance and winter freeze prevention, and change order No. 7, a $418.02 fitting to connect to asbestos‑cement pipe encountered in the field. Clubundi said many field adjustments are common when digging into decades‑old infrastructure.

Change order No. 6 carries no cost but moves the project’s substantial completion date from September 2025 to March 12, 2026 because critical equipment is not expected to arrive until June. "We would rather they do the work in the winter when your flows are less," Clubundi said; the council approved the revised date unanimously by roll call.

Councilmembers discussed delegating limited change‑order authority to staff to avoid frequent special meetings for smaller field decisions. After debate over per‑order and aggregate ceilings, the council adopted a motion allowing city administration to approve change orders from $0.01 up to $50,000 between council meetings and to report those approvals at the next regular meeting.

Clubundi said weekly construction meetings will continue so the city and engineer can make timely field decisions and keep projects moving. The council’s approvals covered the items presented and included the directive to report delegated approvals at the next regular session.