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Brainerd council concurs with utility commission’s rejection of bids for water reclamation project
Summary
The council agreed Dec. 16 to concur with the Public Utilities Commission’s Nov. 26 decision to reject all bids for a water reclamation tank and backwash project after bids came in far above the $6.5M budget; staff said the project includes a $5M Minnesota appropriation and a contract deadline of Dec. 31, 2027.
Brainerd’s Safety & Public Works council voted Dec. 16 to concur with the Public Utilities Commission’s earlier decision to reject all bids for the water reclamation tank and backwash project after the lowest bid came in at roughly $10.3 million against a budgeted $6.5 million.
Public Utilities Director Chris Evans reported the BPU commission voted Nov. 26 to reject all bids; staff said the project is supported by a $5,000,000 Minnesota direct appropriation that requires a contract by Dec. 31, 2027. Evans told the council BPU will continue to pursue additional funding and has postponed active construction but the project remains budgeted for 2027. Staff recommended council concurrence with the commission’s vote.
Councilmembers questioned whether council concurrence was required when the commission rejects bids; staff said the situation involves both the appropriation and the commission's rejection rather than a simple low-bid selection. After discussion, a councilmember moved and the council voted to grant authority to the Public Utilities Commission to reject all bids for this project; the motion passed by voice vote.
Council members also discussed a roughly $4 million shortfall between the budgeted amount and the lowest bid and stressed continued coordination between BPU and city staff to pursue funding and a construction plan.
